MAIDUGURI — The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has pledged to fast-track the resumption of oil exploration activities in the Chad Basin following strategic security assurances and land allocations granted by Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum.
The commitment was finalized during a high-level bilateral meeting held at the Government House in Maiduguri on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, between state executives and an NNPCL executive delegation led by Executive Vice President (Upstream) Mr. Udy Ntia and Executive Vice President (Gas, Power, and New Energy) Mr. Olalekon Ogunleye.
Clarifying the context behind past operational halts, Governor Zulum asserted that previous suspensions of oil prospecting in the Borno Basin were not dictated by security concerns, noting that comprehensive joint security deployments—comprising military personnel, police officers, and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF)—remain active to safeguard exploration corridors and critical assets.
The governor disclosed that the state government has approved 145 hectares of land alongside a total waiver on the ₦10 million statutory processing fee to expedite NNPCL’s proposed solar energy project. He urged the national oil firm to accelerate the delivery of its renewable energy initiative and complete long-delayed upgrades to the Maiduguri Emergency Gas Power Plant to stabilize regional power supply.
Responding on behalf of the delegation, NNPCL executives assured the governor that technical crews are prepared to mobilize back to site, emphasizing that the firm will foster strong community ownership and coordinate closely with security agencies to unlock the basin’s commercial hydrocarbon potential.
