Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire to deepen bi-lateral relations

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Ivorian National Bureau of Technical Studies and Development (BNEDTD) are collaborating to foster bi-lateral relations between both countries.

The Authority Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Mr Farouk Ahmed, made this known when he received a delegation from the Ivorian organisation, BNEDTD, in Abuja.

The delegation was led by Mr Koue Alphonse, Ambassador, Director of Economic Intelligence and Monitoring Evaluation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cote d’ Ivoire

Ahmed, in a statement on Friday, said that the strategic goals of the authority were to attract investment, expand oil and gas infrastructure and make Nigeria a regional hub while impacting the global market.

He encouraged Cote’d Ivoire to take advantage of investment opportunities in the Nigerian energy industry made available through the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to promote economic growth and sustainable development.

“Some of these investment opportunities include supply of LNG, propane and butane to Cote`d Ivoire and other ECOWAS Countries,” he said.

Ahmed assured the team that the NMDPRA would support and encourage investment in infrastructure, gas refining and transportation.

Earlier, Alphonse said the purpose of the visit was to understudy the operational system in the midstream and downstream sector with a view to expanding and enhancing areas of cooperation between both countries.

The engagement gave an insight on the workings of the regulatory institutions in the Nigerian energy sector and explored ways to widen and enhance areas of further cooperation between both countries.