The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Ivorian National Bureau of Technical Studies and Development 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 the Ambassador, Director of Economic Intelligence and Monitoring Evaluation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cote d’Ivoire, Mr. Koue Alphonse.
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 to promote economic growth and sustainable development.
Some of these investment opportunities include the supply of natural gas, propane, and butane to Cote`d Ivoire and other West African 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 sectors with a view to expanding and enhancing areas of cooperation between both countries.
The engagement gave an insight into 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.