The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s quest to find oil in the northern part of the country shifted to the inland basins with the commencement of exploration activities in the Benue Trough.

The Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Maikanti Baru, announced the commencement of the search during his visit to the Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Almakura, in Lafia on Thursday.

The NNPC GMD said the visit was in line with the presidential directive to the corporation to resume oil exploration activities in some of the nation’s inland basins, including the Chad Basin and the Benue Trough.

The search is coming a few months after the NNPC opened a new frontier for oil exploration in the Sokoto area.

He said the presidential mandate was driven by the urgent need for the country to increase its oil and has reserves, improve revenue streams and create more business and employment opportunities for Nigerians.

Mr. Baru said the move was also in line with NNPC’s corporate vision under the 12 Business Focus Areas, 12 BUFAs.

He told the governor that the NNPC team was in Nasarawa to sensitise the government and people of the state on the mission.

“I am therefore happy to be personally here to kick-start the beginning of a high-profile stakeholder engagement towards oil exploration in the Nasarawa State’s part of the Benue Trough,” he stated.

He assured that as a responsible corporate organization, NNPC, through its Frontier Exploration Services, FES, would do everything possible to operate peacefully among the people and with much respect to the environment.