The Senate Majority Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele has expressed satisfaction with the approach that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) are adopting to attract investors in the country’s oil and gas industry.
The lawmakers said this at a dinner organised by the Women in Energy, Oil and Gas (WEOG) as a side event at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, Texas, United States.
The senate leader and his delegation visited the Nigerian Pavilion where the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and other oil and gas industry players mounted their stands at the 2024 OTC.
In his address, the Senate Majority Leader said he is optimistic that the exhibition would send signal to investors about Nigeria’s readiness to support investors.
Bamidele said that in the past, there was a lack of political will to make policies that would open up the country to investors.
He, however, said that the new administration has signalled that it is ready for business.
“It is obvious to me that the issue is not want of ideas but if there is anything that makes it not to be working is the need for greater political will on the part of the leadership of our nation to ensure that we make the move.
“To the captains of industries here, the NNPCL, and NUPRC, it is such a great moment sharing the past three days. There cannot be a greater goodwill message to deliver other than to tell you first the interest of the National Assembly. From both the Senate as well as the House of Representatives, I’m sure we have at least 20 legislators attending different parts of the OTC and drawn from our relevant committees.”
He added, “This shows our desire not only to encourage stakeholders within the oil and gas industry but also our own best to ensure the bridging of the knowledge gap.
“If we sit down there trying to make laws, trying to make laws and amend existing laws, in terms of having the real capacity to do this, there is no way we can build the capacity other without interacting and hanging out with others.
“We are really happy to be part of what you are doing and we are impressed. On our part, we are trying to ensure that the players within the oil and gas industry in Nigeria are encouraged.”
Some members of the committees on upstream, local content, marine transport, and inland waterways graced the 2024 OTC.