Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to unlocking inactive and untapped oil and gas assets as part of renewed efforts to ramp up national crude production, with a strong signal of support directed at global energy giant, TotalEnergies.
During a visit to TotalEnergies’ headquarters in Paris and its Research Institute in Pau, France, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, emphasized the administration’s readiness to provide the necessary regulatory backing to bring dormant fields into active production.
Lokpobiri said: “Getting inactive and untapped assets to work remains critical in our drive to ramp up production. The Federal Government remains firmly committed to supporting operators in this regard.”
The visit, conducted at the invitation of TotalEnergies, formed part of Nigeria’s ongoing strategic engagement with international stakeholders.
The French multinational is preparing to unlock several assets in Nigeria, some acquired in the most recent marginal field bid round and others held from earlier operations.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been unequivocal in his mandate for all operators to unlock dormant fields. As policy maker and supervisor of regulatory agencies, we are pursuing this mission with the full dedication required to actualize it,” Lokpobiri stated.
He noted that the engagement with TotalEnergies aligns with the President’s directive for aggressive production growth and asset optimization in the oil sector.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest crude exporter, has faced challenges in meeting OPEC+ quotas in recent years due to oil theft, underinvestment, and aging infrastructure.
While touring TotalEnergies’ state-of-the-art Research Center in Pau, which includes a Smart Room and technical support centre capable of aiding asset development in real time, the Minister expressed optimism about the collaborative potential.
“Their Smart Room and support center have the capacity to complement our efforts to ramp up production. I reiterated our readiness to provide regulatory support as they unlock these assets. The time to ramp up production is now, and the benefits are mutual.”
TotalEnergies is one of Nigeria’s most significant oil and gas investors, with assets across deepwater, onshore, and gas projects. The company expressed its intention to deepen its footprint in Nigeria, especially as it repositions its energy mix strategy globally.
“I am particularly pleased that TotalEnergies is taking decisive steps in this direction,” Lokpobiri added.
The visit follows similar engagement with other IOCs, where the government has pledged to reduce bottlenecks, fast-track approvals, and implement investor-friendly policies.
