European Union (EU) Ambassasdors in Nigeria have paid a courtesy call on the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
During the meeting the EU ambassasdors sought to strengthen their partnership with Nigeria in the energy sector as they pleaded for more gas supply to Europe.
The New Diplomat reports that Europe’s call for more Nigeria’s gas follows the ongoing Russian-Ukraine bloody hostilities as the West has now turned its back against Russia’s energy, where countries in Europe source up to 40% of gas supply. This is also as OPEC had recently warned that replacing Russia’s oil and gas might prove difficult for the West in the coming months.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, who spoke on behalf of the group, said though Nigeria currently ranks as fourth gas supplier to Europe, with at least 40 per cent of the country’s Liquefied Natural Gas being exported to Europe, there is a need for an increase in LNG supplies.
Isopi further called on the need to strengthen relationship between the EU and Nigeria as regards the oil and gas sector.
This was also contained in a statement signed by NNPC spokesperson, Garba Deen Muhammad.
“Nigeria is the fourth gas supplier to Europe. At least 40% of the Nigerian LNG is currently exported to Europe. We are not only major clients for Nigeria. We are also major partners in the Oil and Gas sector because some of the companies that are working with you are from Europe. So we share the same interest and same objectives,” Ambassador Isopi was quoted as saying.
Responding, the GMD/CEO of NNPC, Mele Kyari, assured the European delegation that the company would continue to deepen its historical relationship with EU companies in Nigeria in order to add more value to its business, particularly towards increasing gas supply to the global market and enhancing domestic gas utilisation.
Other diplomats in the European delegation present during the courtesy visit were: Ambassador of Portugal, Luis Barros; Ambassador of Spain, Juan Sell; Ambassador of Italy, Stefano De Leo and Deputy Head of Mission (France), Olivier Chatelais.
