Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State has called for the exploration of oil in the Sokoto Basin.
He made the call at the First Quarter 2021 Public Lecture Series of Usmanu Danfodio University (UDU), Sokoto, which was chaired by his Kebbi State counterpart, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.
According to him, “the government of Sokoto State and indeed, I can say so for the governments of Kebbi and Zamfara, are ready and willing to collaborate with you, especially on exploration activities on Sokoto Basin.”
He said the initial attempt to seek oil deposits in what was otherwise known as the Iullemmeden, or Touareg Basin, which predates Oloibiri, was that of ELF expedition seventy years ago.
He, therefore, invited the NNPC, to support the exploration, saying that “we are willing and ready to collaborate with you in that regard.
“Whatever you want us to do as governments, for these states, we are ready to do that.”
The governor, however, called on the National Assembly to speedily consider the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before it.
Delivering a lecture titled “Navigating Energy Transition and the Imperatives of University-Industry Collaboration”, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kolo Kyari, said although the corporation was desirous of a beneficial energy transition regime, this could not be complete without the right investment climate, capital, effective regulation, and stakeholders’ commitment, stable institutions and governance.
