Nigeria: 2019 crude discovery at Kolmani River, Haute Bénoué, spurred oil and gas exploration in the north

In 2019, a commercial rough discovery was made in the Gongola Basin at Kolmani River in Nigeria. It has attracted more investment in exploration in the north of the country, where authorities foresee a sharp increase in reserves by 2030.

The 2019 discovery of crude at Kolmani River in Haute Bénoué boosted oil and gas exploration in northern Nigeria. This is according to a statement by Ogbonnaya Onu, Nigerian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, reported on December 21 by the local press.

According to Onu, who spoke at a workshop held on Monday by the Nigeria Energy Commission, a parastatal body under the supervision of his ministry, the discovery of oil in the Kolmani River has spurred increased efforts in research activities in this largely under-explored area.

The Minister also specified that during the last decade, this research has allowed the discovery of tectono-stratigraphic models and petroleum systems for not only the Gongola sub-basin, but also for the entire basin of the Bénoué. According to him, this suggests the existence of geological structures that may contain deposits of oil and natural gas.

Remember that Nigeria, the leading producer of black gold in Africa, has an economy that is very dependent on oil rents. Oil represents about 86% of total exports and contributes 66% to the country’s budget. The country aims to increase its oil reserves to around 40 billion barrels by 2030, by diversifying production areas and reducing its dependence on the Niger Delta.