In a renewed drive to enhance Nigeria’s crude output and energy security, the Federal Government has restated its commitment to unlocking dormant and underutilized oil assets across the country. This effort forms part of a broader strategy to boost national production and attract investment into the sector.
During a recent visit to TotalEnergies’ global headquarters in Paris and its Research Institute in Pau, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Ph.D, described the revival of idle assets as “vital to Nigeria’s economic resurgence and energy sovereignty.”
“This is not a matter of convenience; unlocking inactive fields is imperative to achieving our production goals and broader national development,” Lokpobiri stated.
The visit, facilitated at the invitation of TotalEnergies, was part of ongoing engagement with key operators and international stakeholders as Nigeria seeks to scale up production through collaborative efforts.
According to a statement from Nneamaka Okafor, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister, discussions with the TotalEnergies team touched on upcoming field developments, including assets awarded in Nigeria’s most recent bid rounds and others previously held but undeveloped.
Senator Lokpobiri underscored that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a clear directive for operators to recommission inactive assets as a national priority.
“The message from Mr. President is unambiguous: every operator must move swiftly to reactivate their dormant fields. As a government, we are fully committed to providing the enabling policy and regulatory support required to make this happen,” Lokpobiri said.
At the Pau Research Institute, the Minister was given a detailed walkthrough of the company’s Smart Room and technical support systems, including cutting-edge technologies for exploration, asset monitoring, and reservoir management.
Further engagements in Paris centered on aligning regulatory frameworks and operational mechanisms to accelerate the unlocking of selected fields.
Nicolas Terraz, Group President for Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies, praised the Nigerian government’s proactive stance. “We welcome Nigeria’s regulatory clarity and strong policy direction. Our teams are committed to deploying both capital and expertise to restart production in these strategic assets,” he said. “This collaboration is key to achieving shared goals in energy output and economic development.”
The Federal Government reiterated that reactivating untapped energy resources is central to Nigeria’s petroleum strategy—one that aims to spur job creation, strengthen national revenue, and cement energy independence.
