Last year, Niger achieved a big leap in oil production, as it exported more than 14 million tons through the port of Benin, according to official figures presented by the government.
This development came after an economic siege imposed by the Economic Group of West African States (Ikewas) and cutting out external aid, which represented 40% of the state’s general budget.
The percentage of the state from the quantities that were exported to the international markets is approximately 3.5 million tons, while retaining export to neighboring countries.
The Nigerian Minister of Oil and Energy, Dr. Sahababi Omar, said that oil production recorded remarkable growth and has contributed to enhancing the steadfastness of the national economy.
In a speech on local television, the minister announced that oil revenues increased from 64 billion African francs in 2020 to 204 billion African francs (325 million dollars) at the end of 2024.
The minister confirmed that the oil sector formed a steadfast tool for the national economy after the blockade and financial harassment campaign that followed the July 26 coup 2023.
The jump recorded by the oil sector is due to the start of export from the “Agda” field in the first quarter of last year, with a production capacity of 110 thousand barrels per day.
The Chinese Petroleum Company takes care of the aforementioned field, as it linked it to the port of Benin through a 1980 -km pipeline, to export its production to international markets.
Multiple fields
The Minister of Oil, Dr. Sahbi Omar, said that the results achieved by the oil sector at the end of last year were due to the exploitation of many oil fields in which the country shares with international partners and investors.
The production of oil in Niger in 2011 began with a modest amount of Agda field in the east of the Diva Job region on the border with Nigeria.
In 2019, the government signed an agreement with the Chinese National Oil Company to expand the field and build a pipeline linking it to the port of Benin.
The transitional authorities continue in Niamey to seek to increase their capabilities in oil production, and the National Petroleum Company (Sonidep) is exploring new projects in my Excellency and perhaps, as it says that it has more than 100 exploitation fields.
Recently, Niger has been providing Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso with diesel under an agreement signed with countries facing difficulties in providing their fuel needs.
Challenges and capabilities
Since its operation last year, the pipeline linking Agdam and Benin has witnessed several sabotage operations carried out by gunmen, the last of which was the kidnapping of Chinese on February 1.
China is highly betting on the pipeline in which it has invested more than $ 4 billion, and is preparing to work on 4 airports with the use of drones to ensure work effectively and sustainable.
In addition to the security challenges facing Niger in the continued flow of its wealth from oil, it suffers from political instability “and the spread of administrative corruption that constitutes an obstacle to development.”
The country’s wealth is not limited to oil production, but it has multiple and varied resources, as 5% of the global uranium market monopolizes, and it has the sixth largest reserves in the world.
In 2021, its exports of gold amounted to $ 2.7 billion, and seeks to increase its capabilities of the production of yellow metal, as it recently made a partnership with a Russian gold mining company.
