Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alibek Kuantyrov discussed cooperation in the fields of exploration, extraction, transportation, and processing of oil and petroleum products with Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum Heineken Lokpobiri, reports a correspondent from the Kapital.kz business information center, citing the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
“Kazakhstan and Nigeria expressed interest in exploring the supply of Kazakh oil for processing at Nigeria's refineries. Heineken Lokpobiri confirmed a strong interest in cooperation, noting that despite being one of the largest oil producers in the world, Nigeria continues to require additional volumes of raw materials to meet domestic needs and increase the export of petroleum products,” explained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting with Nigeria's Minister of Gas Ekperikpe Ekpo, the parties discussed potential cooperation in the gas sector, including issues related to natural gas supplies, gas processing technologies, and the possible involvement of Kazakh companies in the development of Nigeria's gas infrastructure. The Minister emphasized that Nigeria is interested in transitioning to more environmentally friendly technologies, reducing carbon emissions, and achieving a sustainable economy.
In a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of Nigeria's Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investments, Nura Abba Rimi, they discussed collaboration in the exploration and processing of mineral resources. The Kazakh side expressed interest in jointly applying innovative raw material processing technologies and creating joint production capacities.
The Kazakh delegation presented a list of over 300 types of products for export to Nigeria and expressed interest in directly importing cocoa beans from Nigeria. Potential trade corridors for transporting goods between the countries were considered, including three potential routes currently being developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
“To strengthen trade relations, we propose establishing contacts between the business sectors of Kazakhstan and Nigeria, organizing mutual trade missions, and jointly addressing issues and challenges related to bilateral trade. Developing these connections will create new opportunities for business partnerships and enhance economic interaction between our countries,” noted Alibek Kuantyrov.
The negotiations also resulted in an agreement to sign a memorandum of understanding between NEXIM Nigeria Bank and the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan.
As a reminder, in early 2025, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a meeting with President of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The head of our state invited the President of Nigeria to visit Kazakhstan on an official trip.