Heineken Lokpobiri, State Minister for Petroleum Resources, has said that oil and gas remain the main sources of income globally.
Lokpobiri said this during the flag-off of the Oil and Gas Academy in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State. He urged the people to invest in oil and gas energy capacity building, and that the future of energy security in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa still depends on oil and gas because it is a place where governments get money to do infrastructural development and other important things.
According to the minister, “I am privileged to go round the world and there is no country that is reducing investment in oil and gas”.
He said that Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy is a very significant institution that will protect manpower required to save the oil and gas in the state, as the Federal Government is reviewing its commitment to exploration in the Kolmani oil field.
“When I became minister, my attention was drawn to the fact that the license of Kolmani is blocked and expired but the company couldn’t do anything, but through one of your son, Bala Wunti who came to me and I met president Ahmed Bola Tinubu and he gave go ahead that all the licenses of the Kolmani project should be renewed which I did”.
The State Minister for Petroleum Resources urged the Bauchi people to take advantage of the Oil and Gas Academy.
He assured that the federal government will support the vision of Governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir for establishing the Oil and Gas Academy in the Alkaleri Local Government Area of the State.
On his part, Governor Abdulkadir expressed his appreciation to the Minister of Bauchi State for the official groundbreaking ceremony of the permanent site of the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy, located in Alkaleri Local Government Area.
The governor said that the occasion marks a major milestone in their administration’s commitment to building capacity and promoting energy-driven development, especially given Bauchi’s strategic position in the Kolmani Oil Prospect.
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He said that the vision to establish the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy was conceived shortly after the historic discovery of oil in Kolmani. It was inspired by a deep desire to prepare Bauchi’s young people for the boundless opportunities and emerging challenges within the evolving energy landscape.
“I remain profoundly grateful to former President Muhammadu Buhari for the pivotal role he played in making the Kolmani Oil Project a reality. It stands as a historic achievement not only for Bauchi State but for the entire nation. I also express my sincere appreciation to the Minister and the Federal Government for their unwavering support and continued collaboration.
“This academy is envisioned as a centre of excellence in energy education—designed to equip our youths with the technical training and industry-ready skills they need to thrive in this sector. I am deeply encouraged by Lokpobiri’s gracious remarks and by his pledge of support for the development of the Kolmani Oil Field. Your presence and commitment reflect the strong partnership between our state and the Federal Government,” the governor said.
