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Nigeria and Indonesia are set to deepen bilateral cooperation in the petroleum and broader energy sectors, with the Federal Government seeking increased Indonesian investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
In a statement released by Nneamaka Okafor, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, said Nigeria was ready to strengthen its strategic partnership with Indonesia through increased investment, technical cooperation and capacity development.
The minister stated this while receiving a delegation from the Government of Indonesia led by the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Bambang Suharto.
Lokpobiri said Nigeria’s petroleum sector remains a competitive destination for international investors, offering opportunities for value creation and sustainable long-term returns despite shifts in the global energy landscape.
According to him, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is focused on leveraging Nigeria’s natural resources to deliver greater value to Nigerians while creating an enabling environment capable of attracting long-term investment.
He identified policy clarity, regulatory predictability and improved investor confidence as critical to attracting the capital, technology and partnerships required to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
“Our objective is to harness Nigeria’s natural resources in the best interest of Nigerians and investors. We are positioning the petroleum sector to attract the capital, technology, and partnerships required to unlock its full potential,” Lokpobiri said.
The minister welcomed Indonesia’s interest in investing in Nigeria’s petroleum sector, describing the proposed areas of cooperation as mutually beneficial and capable of supporting economic growth and stability in both countries.
He also invited the Indonesian government and Indonesian investors to participate in Nigeria’s forthcoming bid rounds, urging them to take advantage of the opportunities available across the country’s oil and gas industry.
The invitation is significant as Nigeria continues its drive to attract fresh capital into the upstream sector, increase crude oil and gas production, develop new petroleum assets and strengthen the country’s position as a competitive destination for energy investment.
Speaking on Indonesia’s interest, Ambassador Suharto said his country regarded Nigeria as an important strategic partner and was interested in expanding cooperation beyond traditional diplomatic relations.
“Indonesia sees Nigeria as an important strategic partner, and we are interested in expanding our cooperation through investment, technical collaboration, training, and capacity development,” the ambassador said.
He added that the proposed areas of collaboration would create opportunities for both countries to strengthen their relationship while promoting knowledge transfer and professional development within the energy sector.
Lokpobiri also highlighted proposed exchange programmes being advanced through the College of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Kaduna (CPESK), describing the initiative as an important platform for strengthening institutional relationships, knowledge sharing and technical capacity.
The minister said Nigeria remained open to building on existing partnerships and entering into new mutually beneficial collaborations capable of attracting investment, strengthening the petroleum industry and creating sustainable economic value for both countries.
The renewed engagement comes amid Nigeria’s broader efforts to reposition its oil and gas sector as a more attractive destination for international capital, technology and strategic partnerships.
