The Government of Equatorial Guinea has said that it would give oil blocks to Nigerians who are interested in operating in its oil and gas sector.
The country’s president, Obiang Nguema Mbasogo announced this at a joint press conference on Friday in the capital, Malabo with President Goodluck Jonathan held at the end of the Nigerian president’s two-day official visit to the country, saying that he hoped his country would benefit from the vast experience of Nigerians in the oil and gas industry.
“It is true that Nigeria has been in oil and gas business for the past 40 to 50 years whereas Equatorial Guinea’s situation started just recently and the experience that you have is far larger than ours. That is why we place our trust and confidence in our Nigerian brothers to help and assist us to develop the sector.
“In the past, we have allocated oil concession to members of this sector from Nigeria but for one reason or the other, this did not actually yield the fruits expected. But nevertheless, we are still willing to offer oil concessionary blocks to those business people from Nigeria who will be willing to try their luck again.
“You know there is a great deal of luck issue in oil prospecting in the oil industry. It is not easy. It involves a lot but we still have a great deal of confidence that the experience of Nigeria can always be beneficial to the people of Equatorial Guinea in the growth of our oil and gas sector,” Mbasogo said.
Mbasogo praised Jonathan “for his determination and firmness in the fight against terrorism and piracy, in accordance with the commitments made by all member states of the Gulf of Guinea Commission and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union.”
President Jonathan, on his own part, applauded the cordial relationship between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea which he said had been from colonial and even pre-colonial times.
President Jonathan had been confirmed with the highest national honour of Equatorial Guinea, The Grand Collar of the Order of Independence, which was presented to him by his host at a state dinner organized for him on Thursday night at the Presidential Palace in Malabo.