By Abayomi Adeshida
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Asutin Omiwon has challenged Japanese investors to look beyond arms-length and trading relationships with Nigeria by establishing manufacturing plants that will be beneficial to the oil, gas and solid minerals business in the Gulf of Guinea.

Speaking at a meeting with some Japanese investors at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, the GMD emphasized that the heeding his call would be mutually beneficial to the Japanese investors who he assured of incentives from government as well as their ready markets scattered around the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea which is easily accessible from Nigeria.

According to him, “We do know that Japan has a very dominant presence outside of Japan, in America, in some other countries, but we believe that Nigeria is a ready made place for you to have a significant presence in Africa. As of today, I do not believe, apart from trading and arms-length relationship, there is no Japanese presence.

“The oil and gas industry and there are lots of supporting companies in Japan; the distance between Japan and here is very far, even with the advent of the jet, people take about two days to get to Japan; but if Japanese companies are here, Nigeria can be the hub of the African sub-region for them.

So, we like you to encourage the establishment of manufacturing plants and industries of Japanese companies in Nigeria to further support the oil and gas industry as well as the solid mineral industry with others that are coming up in Nigeria.

“ It will be an added feather to the Ambassador to facilitate the establishment of these businesses in Nigeria to service the oil and gas industry. We are ready as NNPC to partner with these companies if need be; but also, there is no law that prevents them from coming as hundred percent Japanese owned businesses. But, if they need some comfort, to be sure that their services will be fully utilized, NNPC is ready to sit down and negotiate and partner with them so that they can come into Nigeria.

“A lot of the rotating equipment that we have, if they are manufactured in Nigeria, access to it will be very easy for us, and we can ensure that the procurement for future projects falls back on those things that are being manufactured within the country; and that will be a good advantage for the companies.

“Maybe in future, we will visit Japan again with the Nigerian content team so that they can explain to the manufacturers in Japan what opportunities are available in the country for them to bring in their factories to Nigeria.

Africa and the Gulf of Guinea is expanding, I believe very strongly that hydro-carbon will still continue for so many years to contribute to the energy needs in the world and Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea has abundance of these.

So, I am calling on Japanese companies to come and take advantage of it via establishing in Nigeria. Nigerian government is very investor-friendly, and all the opportunities and incentives that will make such establishment to break even will be given, “ the GMD assured them.

Mr. Omiwon further expressed the desire of the Federal Government for final investment decision on the Brass LNG to be taken by the end of this year, but regretted that it might be truncated unless business deals with Hitochi and LNG Japan are concluded early.