Share!
Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, says it is not an embarrassment for Nigeria to import fuel from Niger Republic.
MERIDIAN SPY reported days ago the Nigerian Government signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government of Niger Republic for petroleum products importation.
The Petroleum Ministry explained that Soraz Refinery in Zinder, Niger Republic, has an installed refining capacity of 20,000 barrels per day compared to the nation’s 5,000bpd domestic requirement. This leaves a surplus of 15,000 barrels per day.
Speaking on Channels TV’s programme ‘Politics Today’ on Monday, Sylva stressed that Nigeria needs the surplus petroleum product from Niger, explaining that even if all the refineries in the country were functioning, it still would be insufficient to meet the demand for the product.
“I don’t see that as an embarrassment at all. As a country, Nigeria is a big market, we need products, even if all our refineries were functioning, we will still need extra products,” the Minister said.
“Niger Republic produces oil and they are landlocked as a country. They have a refinery that produces in excess of what they require as a country and they offered to sell to us in Nigeria because this is a bigger market.
“In the spirit of regional cooperation, regional trade development, we decided to buy from them. I don’t see anything wrong with that. If your neighbour is producing something that is required in your country and you buy from him, why is that a big problem?
“So, we agreed with Niger to buy the excess of what they don’t require in Niger because this is a big market. Nigerians should be proud that we are doing that to encourage sub-regional trade because we have been talking about sub-regional trade for a long time and this is how it should be between neighbouring countries.
“Niger should import from us what they have and we should be able to import from Niger what they have. Let us encourage intra-regional”
