The refinery in Niger is only 20,000 barrels per day capacity; their crude production as of today is 90,000 barrels. Therefore they have 70,000 barrels crude stranded and not evacuated.

process between 100 to 150,000 barrels of Nigerien crude but Niger currently produces less than 50,000 barrels crude per day most of which goes to its Soraz refinery. So, where will the crude to be processed in the refinery in Nigeria come from?

The refinery in Niger is only 20,000 barrels per day capacity; their crude production as of today is 90,000 barrels. Therefore they have 70,000 barrels crude stranded and not evacuated. Out of 90,000 barrels production capacity of Niger they have 20,000 barrels capacity refinery in Niger. Even that one is run at 17,000 barrels only. So, 90,000 minus 17,000 gives you the surplus crude if the refinery is installed today.

Niger as of today has a proven reserve of one billion barrels looking for market. As we do the pipeline you will see activity of drilling going on in Niger, rigs will go into Niger and bring that one billion barrel that has already been identified. About six weeks ago, Savanah of UK which is also operating in Niger has pronounced a find in Niger. Three weeks ago, between Niger and Libya another find was made and as we engage with the government of Niger, there are about three highly prolific blocks that have not even been awarded. It is being held by the Nigerien government because there is no attraction for people to invest as there is no market.

The day a final investment decision is taken to do a pipeline you will see a lot of pilgrimage of sort of investors going into Niger to drill that hydrocarbon and channel it into that pipeline. We project without preempting the feasibility studies that immediately we have 70,000 barrels conservatively stranded, in the next two to three years by the time rigs move into Niger, by the time the pipeline is done, we see a potential addition of between 50 to about 100,000 barrels coming out of that field that already has over one billion barrels.

What is the implication of the projects on immigration at a time Nigeria is battling with borderline terrorism; the problem of pollution and the overall impact of the project on the environment?

Let me start from the technical and professional point of view on the issue of pollution. Pollution is usually determined by the choice of technology. Today technology exists where you have a refinery without flares. The gas that would be generated in the process unit is usually channeled to become your source of fuel and firing of your heaters and your boilers within the refinery configuration.

In terms of technology, that is why the refinery is going to be commercially driven, it is going to be a refinery that has the best technology; technology that will ensure that environmental obligations and concerns will be taken care of by the DPR.

In terms of immigration, the objective of siting the refinery at close proximity to Niger has nothing to do with people; it is pipeline underground not the people. It is movement of hydrocarbon into the refinery through the pipeline. Rather, the economic activity and the dividend of this business that will go back to Niger as proceeds will domesticate Nigerien people to go and do business at home rather than to immigrate to other countries. Indirectly, by the time economic activities and financial fortune of Niger improves nobody would want to leave his country and go to another to be a gate man.

Could you explain more about the expression of interest by investors on these projects?

Since the Minister of State for Petroleum visited Niger, people have started saying it is a welcomed development. We have received various expressions of interest from Russia, Turkey, China and from local individual companies that are now bringing in their financial partners. As of today, between NNPC, ministry of petroleum and Niger, we have received a total of 14 expressions of interest by prospective investors.

Expression of interest could be wishy-washy. So, we intend to put a very robust and stringent criteria to define and determine who is really a credible investor and that is why an investors’ forum will be called. Already the minister has had a pre-investors engagement.