President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the issuance of all key regulatory licences necessary to kickstart full operations at the Kolmani Integrated Development Project, a landmark oil exploration venture located along the boundary between Bauchi and Gombe States in Northern Nigeria.
The development was revealed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, during the groundbreaking ceremony for the permanent site of the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy, situated in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State. In a statement released on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Nneamaka Okafor, Lokpobiri explained that the approvals are part of President Tinubu’s broader energy strategy aimed at reviving oil production across all viable hydrocarbon zones in the country.
According to the minister, the President’s decisive intervention reflects a deliberate push to utilise untapped oil resources to strengthen the economy, create employment, and enhance the country’s industrial base. “The imperative to activate all available oil platforms for increased production led President Bola Tinubu to grant approvals for the issuance of all critical regulatory licences for the Kolmani Integrated Development Project,” Lokpobiri stated.
The Minister praised the President’s foresight in repositioning the nation’s oil and gas sector as a critical engine for economic recovery and sustainable development. He noted that the administration’s energy agenda is focused not just on exploration, but also on building an integrated value chain that supports local content development, human capital enhancement, and national prosperity.
He further lauded the commitment of the Bauchi State Government to aligning with federal energy goals. He said the establishment of the Bauchi Oil and Gas Academy is a timely and strategic move to develop skilled manpower that can support Nigeria’s oil and gas ambitions. “With this academy, Bauchi is making a strategic contribution to the development of the human capital needed to drive our sector forward,” Lokpobiri remarked.
He also acknowledged the role of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) in manpower development, describing the agency as pivotal in ensuring Nigeria’s energy sector remains both productive and future-ready. According to him, institutions like the PTDF have laid the foundation for technical excellence and sector sustainability.
In his response, the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the support and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to making the academy a success. He said the facility would serve as a centre for skills development and innovation that would not only benefit Bauchi State but the entire northern region and the country at large.
The Kolmani Integrated Development Project, first inaugurated in November 2022, marked a historic milestone as the first oil exploration initiative in Northern Nigeria. The project is sited at the Kolmani River II oil field, which straddles communities in Bauchi and Gombe States. Its commencement signaled a shift in Nigeria’s oil frontier away from the Niger Delta, expanding the scope of exploration into inland basins.
Adding momentum to the renewed efforts, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, confirmed that the national oil company is set to resume drilling operations at the Kolmani oil field. He explained that the restart of oil exploration and subsequent production activities in the region would revive dormant enterprises, open up new investment opportunities, and significantly improve the local economy.
“These projects will revive previously closed companies and pave the way for new investments, creating widespread benefits as wealth increases across the region,” Ojulari said. He further assured that the NNPC is committed not only to oil exploration but also to completing critical infrastructure such as the Ajaokuta–Kano gas pipeline, which is key to expanding domestic gas utilisation and energy access in the northern corridor.
The Kolmani project is expected to serve as a catalyst for regional development, reinforcing the Federal Government’s plan to diversify its oil production zones and build an inclusive energy economy.
