By Adedapo Adesanya
The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Usra Hendra Harahap, has disclosed that the Southeast Asian country imported over $3.8 billion worth of oil and gas from Nigeria in 2023.
Mr Harahap stated this during his courtesy visit to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Nicholas Agbo Ella, in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to a statement, he stressed the need for both countries to resume discussions on establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the oil and gas sector suspended in 2017, arguing that it would help bolster collaboration in the sector, citing the offer by the Enugu State Governor in 2023 to build a 500-megawatt capacity gas power plant.
He said Indonesia was exploring ways to sustain its relationship with Nigeria, saying “We are looking for ways to maintain and improve a beneficial cooperation and relationship that we have held for the past 59 years.”
In his response, Mr Ella said Indonesia had been a good friend of Nigeria, adding that the visit would help improve the relationship between the two countries in promoting the country’s oil and gas for mutual benefits.
He stated that other areas of collaboration and mutual interests would be explored and assured the Indonesian ambassador that the issues around the MoU and Enugu Gas plant would be looked into to further advance the collaboration between both nations.
