The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has held talks with China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (NORINCO Group) on potential cooperation in oil and gas production, energy infrastructure, gas commercialisation, trading, technology and investment.
The engagement took place on Friday when NNPC Ltd hosted a delegation from the Chinese conglomerate, led by Zuxi Huang, Vice President of China Zhenhua Oil Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of NORINCO Group.
The delegation was received by NNPC Ltd’s Group Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, and Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, alongside other members of the company’s leadership, who participated virtually.
During the meeting, both parties exchanged views on their respective business interests and explored opportunities for a prospective partnership that could enhance NNPC’s operations, increase crude oil and gas production, and strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.
The discussions form part of ongoing efforts to attract international investment and technical expertise into Nigeria’s energy sector as the country seeks to expand production capacity, improve gas utilisation and develop critical energy infrastructure.
Africa’s substantial natural gas resources and growing demand for reliable energy have continued to attract investor interest, with Nigeria seeking partnerships capable of supporting infrastructure development and unlocking the commercial potential of its oil and gas reserves.
NNPC Ltd has continued to engage international companies with the technical capabilities and financial resources required to support the expansion of Nigeria’s energy industry.
The company has previously collaborated with Chinese firms on energy infrastructure projects, including the Abuja Independent Power Plant project, which involved China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and GE Vernova.
Although the latest discussions focused on several potential areas of cooperation, details of specific agreements, investment commitments or project timelines were not disclosed.
The engagement nevertheless signals continued interest in strengthening Nigeria-China commercial relations in the energy sector, with potential opportunities spanning upstream production, gas development, trading and supporting infrastructure.
