Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority NMDPRA Boss has met with delegates from Netherlands led by Mr Ewout de Wit, the Counsellor/Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Nigeria, on the possibility of increasing gas supply from Nigeria amidst Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This is sequel to European Union Ambassadors recent visit to Nigeria oil firm NNPC.  It was disclosed that at least 40 per cent of Nigeria’s Liquefied Natural Gas was exported to Europe, as they called for greater cooperation between Nigeria and the EU in the area of a possible increase in LNG supplies.

The EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Samuela Isopi, who spoke on behalf of the group, stated that the current geopolitical situation in Europe had made it necessary for the continent to strengthen its relations with Nigeria, particularly as regards the supply of gas from Nigeria to EU countries.

Isopi disclosed this when the EU ambassadors paid a courtesy call on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, seeking to strengthen the EU’s partnership with Nigeria in the energy sector, according to a statement issued in Abuja by NNPC.

The ambassador was quoted as saying, “Nigeria is the fourth gas supplier to Europe. At least 40 per cent of the Nigerian LNG is currently exported to Europe.

“We are not only major clients for Nigeria, we are also major partners in the oil and gas sector because some of the companies that are working with you are from Europe.  So we share the same interest and objectives.”

The Group Managing Director, NNPC, MeleKyari, assured the European delegation that the company would continue to deepen its historical relationship with EU companies in Nigeria.

This, he said, was in order to add more value to the NNPC’s business, particularly towards increasing gas supply to the global market and enhancing domestic gas utilisation.

The statement outlined other diplomats from the European delegation on the visit including the Ambassador of Portugal, Luis Barros; Ambassador of Spain, Juan Sell; Ambassador of Italy, Stefano De Leo; and Deputy Head of Mission, France, Olivier Chatelais.

Last month, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had told a delegation from the European Union that Nigeria was ready to step in as an alternative gas supplier to Europe.

 Sylva, however, urged the European Union to step up investments in gas and hydrocarbon in Nigeria so that the country would be able to help meet the EU energy needs.

His call came on the heels of the festering war between Ukraine and Russia, which currently posed a threat to the gas supply to European countries.