By Ayomide Otitoju
Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has held a crucial meeting with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kolo Kyari, at the NNPCL Towers in Abuja. The discussions focused on ensuring Gombe State’s continued prominence in Nigeria’s energy sector, particularly regarding the Kolmani Integrated Development Project.
Oil exploration in Kolmani, located in Gombe and Bauchi states, began under former President Muhammadu Buhari. However, growing public agitation over the continuation of the project under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has raised questions about its future. The project is expected to boost oil and gas production capacity in the North.
According to Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director General of Press Affairs at Gombe Government House, the meeting is part of a series of engagements Governor Yahaya has held with NNPCL leadership. Yahaya emphasized leveraging Gombe’s strategic position as a hub for oil and gas activities in Northern Nigeria.
“Governor Yahaya remains committed to fostering partnerships with key stakeholders like NNPCL and other entities to create sustainable economic opportunities for the people of Gombe, the North East, and the Northern region,” Misilli stated.
Yahaya, who also chairs the Northern States Governors’ Forum, reportedly expanded the discussion to include broader regional issues, reflecting his role as a leader in Northern Nigeria.
NNPCL Backs Nigerian Football Revamp Efforts
Meanwhile, the NNPCL has pledged support for revitalizing Nigerian football. Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari made this commitment while receiving a delegation from the National Sports Commission, International Management Group (IMG), and AfroSport Network.
Speaking during the meeting, led by Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Alhaji Shehu Dikko, Kyari assured stakeholders of NNPCL’s readiness to partner in reshaping Nigerian football.
“NNPCL will be a prime partner in the journey to bring value back to our football, reshape it, re-engineer it, and bring happiness to Nigerians,” Kyari said.
Dikko emphasized that football drives the economies of leading nations and highlighted President Tinubu’s directive for urgent reforms in the sport. IMG, a global leader promoting the English Premier League, has been engaged as a technical partner to leverage their expertise.
The partnership is expected to unlock the economic potential of football and stimulate growth across related industries in Nigeria.
