President Muhammadu Buhari has said Nigeria would consider a request by the Burundian government to provide energy, especially in the form of fuel.
According to a presidential statement, the President spoke Tuesday at State House, Abuja, while receiving the Special Envoy of President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who came with a message.
The statement signed by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina quoted President Buhari as assuring of Nigeria’s support to the Central African nation in diverse ways as necessary, in the spirit of African solidarity and brotherliness.
The Special Envoy, Hon. Audace Niyonzima, who is the Minister of Finance, Budget, and Economic Planning of Burundi, said his President sent goodwill for the New Year to Nigerians and President Buhari, and also wished the country well in the general elections scheduled for February and March, this year.
“We pray that the polls would be peaceful and successful, so that Nigeria would maintain her reputation as a bastion of peace and stability,” the Special Envoy said.
On request for assistance in the area of energy provision, particularly fuel, by the Burundi leader, President Buhari said he knows what it feels like for a country to suffer from energy shortage, and promised that he would get the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to look into the request.
The president’s comment comes amid biting fuel scarcity in many parts of Nigeria, leading to skyrocketing of the cost of transportation.
President Buhari said he was looking forward to the polls, and retirement, since he had satisfied the constitutionally required two terms to be in office.