While Nigeria is pussyfooting, the Chinese and Nigeriens are well positioned to make money from our government's incompetence and irresponsibilities. The good news is that the Nigerien refinery adds nore fuel, so to speak, to the argument that subsidies must go. SMH

A Nigerian delegation representing President Goodluck Jonathan looked on in awe yesterday as Niger Republic’s brand new oil refinery was commissioned at Zinder, close to the Nigerian border. The refinery will immediately satisfy Niger Republic’s domestic requirements and leave a huge surplus for export, with one very likely destination---Nigeria.

The Soraz refinery near Zinder, some 900 km (560 miles) east of the capital Niamey, is a joint venture with China. Its 20,000 barrel-per-day capacity will be fed entirely by oil from the newly-launched Agadem oilfield, a further 700 km east.


The Soraz refinery will initially draw crude from three Agadem wells with reserves totalling 480 million barrels. Local consumption of refined products accounts for 7,000 barrels a day with plans to export the rest.

The Soraz refinery is 60 percent-owned by Chinese state oil company CNPC and 40 percent by Niger. It follows a $5 billion deal signed between the two in 2008 to concurrently build the plant and develop crude oil from Agadem.

CNPC President Jiang Jiemin said CNPC and the Nigerien government had agreed to begin a second phase of the project involving the construction of a pipeline to export crude oil to foreign markets. The pipeline is expected to be built by 2013 to 2014.

It was celebration galore in the Republic yesterday as the commissioning ceremony was taking place. The refinery was built by the Chinese following discovery of oil in the country’s far north. Zinder, the site of the refinery, is the capital of Damagaram region.

However, there were pockets of tension in the country due to a mild resentment over the pricing of petrol, which protesters last Sunday said was high since oil is now being produced and refined in the country.

Niger Republic’s president Alhaji Issoufou Mahamadou, however went ahead to commission the refinery amidst pomp and pageantry with dignitaries from all over the world in attendance. Katsina State governor Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema represented President Jonathan while the Emirs of Daura and Gumel as well as many Nigerian business personalities were present. Katsina business mogul Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal signified his intention to invest in Niger’s oil project, especially in transportation of refined petroleum products from Zinder to Nigeria and other neighbouring African countries.

President Issoufou Mahamadou did not speak at the event in line with the country’s protocol, but he led a number of dignitaries right inside the refinery to officially commission it.

The drilling of oil wells in Diffa region and building of the refinery all began in February 2008 by a Chinese firm, SORAZ Engineering Company after the country’s then president, Alhaji Tanja Mahamadou, laid its foundation stone.

Speaking at length about the project, Niger’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum Resources Foumakoye Gado said with the commissioning of the refinery, the country has now joined the league of the world’s oil producing countries.

He said Niger’s search for oil began in 1958 and in 1962, oil exploration started with the digging of nine oil wells but the project was eventually abandoned because oil then was cheap and the quantity was also not that much. The construction of the refinery and digging of the oil wells, according to him, all started three years ago and he thanked the contractors for completing the projects in good time.

The minister said succour has now come their way with the multi-million dollar project as the Nigerien government will embark on several projects that will improve the lives of its people through the revenue generated from the oil proceeds. He said an agreement had already been signed between the country and a construction firm for the construction of about 150km road from Diffa to the oil town of Gegime to facilitate easy movement of people and products.

Earlier before he commissioned the refinery, President Issoufou Mahamadou decorated five Chinese nationals whose firms handled the historic projects with the country’s national honours for a job well done.

http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=148716:niger-rep-opens-new-refinery-very-close-to-nigerias-border&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8

He said Niger’s search for oil began in 1958 and in 1962, oil exploration started with the digging of nine oil wells but the project was eventually abandoned because oil then was cheap and the quantity was also not that much[list]

hope the oil last longer

Nigeria Govt have some 16yrs ago discovery crude oil but in non-subtainable quantity in niger-chad boader.

It good news ,atleast those diverting fuel to niger,cameroun and chad republic will now stop as Niger will now start suppling those areas.

I heard about this yesterday. They said IPMAN members in Sokoto and environs are excited over the possible importation of cheap petrol from the area which is only a few hours away. This is against the practice of bringing petrol from as far lagos which they claim leaves very little profit margin.

And also the petrol and kerosene diversion taking place will finally stop.

If Niger sells their refined oil cheaply enough, then the fraudulent amount of fuel that Nigeria is claimed to consume per day on paper will fall dramatically, because smuggling to Niger Republic will come to a grinding halt.

Our leaders are shameless. A government that can not do simple things is a failure.

nigeria is a lost state. to hell with all our leaders both past and present.

Oh boy na waa oh. Which kind useless country be this?

Sometimes, I laugh when we call ourselves,"giant of Africa". We are "giant" indeed! Everyother nation is advancing and developing but rather we are retrogressing in development. Well, I must congratulate Niger republic for their pragmatic approach in resolving their fuel importation by building a new refinery,which seems impossible in Nigeria because of greed and selfishness. I hope very soon , Nigeria can begin importation of refined fuel from Niger.

o boy!! we no get shame for dis country sha

Nigeria is cursed with bad leadership

I think say na only world powers fit build refinery before

they just built a refinery just like us, maintaining it is the major task and i wish them well. i hope they don't turn out like their sister country here.
a good one and i hope oga Jonathan got the message.

I wouldn't want to be Jonathan's delegate to that event. I'd feel like i've been sent on a fool's job!

Shame to Gej

^^^


 When last did you build a refinery?

The arewa region should now believe that oil will soon be found in their region. they should also vote for division of this contraption so that other regions wont get a share when they find the crude oil. i think this is the kind of ideas they understand better based on their jihadist mindsets.

I don't believe the refinery is that of Niger.I suspect it's one of those northern thieve that have collaborated with the Niger government and these are the same cabals that will never make Nigeria's refinery work.I have said it more than several times.Nigeria's problem are the northerners.they don't want anything to work in Nigeria.

where did the poverty-striken country get the money to buy a refinery?

manchy7531:

I don't believe the refinery is that of Niger.I suspect it's one of those northern thieve that have collaborated with the Niger government and these are the same cabals that will never make Nigeria's refinery work.I have said it more than several times.Nigeria's problem are the northerners.they don't want anything to work in Nigeria.

I thot I was the only one smelling something fishy

60 percent of that refinery must be owned by a Nigerian(s).

Jonny promised us electricity. Jonny promised us roads. Jonny promised us security

What has Jonny given us?

Jonny offers us tenure elongation. Jonny gives us news of fresh bombings everyday. Jonny gave us 10 naira in new minimum wage and offers to take 50 naira by removing subsidy.

Jonny told us he understood. Jonny told us he had no shoes!

Now Jonny has a gucci pair and to hell with those that don't

Enough of Jonny and his antics. We cannot continue to live on "e go betta" and "my turn dey come". Jonny cannot continue to eat our future like a locust while we the people live low cost

The only criteria we will ever need for greatness is the courage to posses our dreams

We deserve so much more Jonny. We will no longer feed from the crumbs of your table.

Add a friend Naija activist, lets create an awareness for change. Let us come together and stop Jonny from selling our souls for a new pair of Zara shoes

Join us in standing for change

Group name: Naija Activists
URL: http://www./9jactivists/

Kudos to the govt of Niger republic

Let me add, these whole giant of Africa feelings is also contributary to killing us. This refinery in Niger was built by a China firm. The stadium and Hotels used for Angola 2010 CAF Africa Cup of Nations were Chinese built. Same is going for the next edition in Gabon & Equatorial Guinea.
I have a funny feeling our leaders are probably feeling too big to accept China as a senior partner. Shouldn't we let them play a bigger role in our Oil N Gas sector? Just asking.

muyoto:

where did the poverty-striken country get the money to buy a refinery?

It was built by the Chinese, they have a 60% stake.

kj_hova:

Let me add, these whole giant of Africa feelings is also contributary to killing us. This refinery in Niger was built by a China firm. The stadium and Hotels used for Angola 2010 CAF Africa Cup of Nations were Chinese built. Same is going for the next edition in Gabon & Equatorial Guinea.
I have a funny feeling our leaders are probably feeling too big to accept China as a senior partner. Shouldn't we let them play a bigger role in our Oil N Gas sector? Just asking.

I believe it is a big indictment on Nigeria, the self-acclaimed "giant of Africa", that these infrastructural projects are being carried out by Chinese. Had we been properly led since independence, we would have been able to develop indigenous technology which we would have used at home and exported to other countries around Africa. It is because of our failure to develop our country that we have lost all these opportunities to the Chinese.

Abeg does anyone knows the website of the Refinery in Niger? I need to send my CV to their HR straight

I feel you @HNosegbe,
Infact the Chinese and especially S/Africa have been reaping where Nigeria has been sleeping. Indeed if Nigeria was well managed since 1960, find below my ideas of possible alternate reality:
(1) NITEL Conglomerate will be no. 1 telecoms service provider (GSM/CDMA/CommSat/DH-TV/Equipments etc) in Africa, Middle East, Eastern Europe & elsewhere.
(2) ECN (Electricity Corp. of Nigeria; "sorry, I hate the term NEPA) should be no. 1 power generation/transmission/distribution/equipment manufacture/tech. partner across Africa and beyond.
(3) FirstBank should be the biggest financial service provider even operating on a global scale.
(4) NNPC should be so big it will own refineries even in Mongolia and be exploring for Oil N Gas in Turkmenistan.
(5) etc, etc for Oando, Arik Air, Nigeria Airways, Mr. Biggs, Nairaland, PAN, VWoN, NTA, Tell magazine, etc!!

In short either you or I should be resuming this morning on a 4th floor office in downtown Nairobi (Kenya) as EXPATRIATES making money for our Nigerian home office in Lagos. Sad,
God, why did you give me the ability to dream? It hurts so much!!!

A Nigerian delegation representing President Goodluck Jonathan looked on in awe yesterday as Niger Republic’s brand new oil refinery was commissioned at Zinder, close to the Nigerian border. The refinery will immediately satisfy Niger Republic’s domestic requirements and leave a huge surplus for export, with one very likely destination---Nigeria.

What a pitiable continent with redundant leaders of very low IQ. How could an ordinary project activity such as commissioning of a 20,000 barrel refinery attract another country’s president or delegates? Only God knows the president billed for the Rivers state own refinery take-off event.
Meanwhile, as I write now, there are space missions searching for life in other planets beside this earth. Who knows, in the near future, alternative energy sources may be from these planets rendering the “African-continent-destroying-crude-oil” worthless. Obama was not even present in Florida when NASA launched the most capable machine ever built to land on Mars moving at a speed of 10km/s.

unclebros:

Abeg does anyone knows the website of the Refinery in Niger? I need to send my CV to their HR straight

Now that is a mind of a hustler at work - see money-making in everything is the way forward - I feel you homie.

Can our President now shamefully come out and tell us why we cannot build new refineries if the old ones are no longer working? Am sure Nigeria can afford to build 10times what Niger did.

I doubt Jona has the boldness and integrity to come out and make a statement on this issue.

Which way Nigeria? Which way to go? , Sonny Okosun

When I talk they would say Alj harem is evil, He hates southerners, He is a bigot, he is aljmajiri, enemy of progress

Well you see for yourself. Niger republic is showing Nigeria the way

Yet, still yet our refineries are not built and the government wants to remove fuel subsidy

ISN'T THAT STU.PID of the government ? I ask

But not only the government but us the citizens that are supporting this rubbish called PDP.

Well I have said it, Once fuel subsidy is removed without our OWN REFINERIES working to scratch and protest/strikes does not engulf the government to render then handicap, then I must say I WOULD OFFICIALLY GIVE UP ON NIGERIA.

its really sad for Nigeria and all we can hope for and pray for is that things get better