Nigeria-Morocco Clinch Deal on Petroleum Biotech

The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Rahad Global Investment Limited, the Nigerian subsidiary of Morocco’s RVD Equipment Industries, and NNPC Energy Services Limited signed recently, in Abuja, a tripartite memorandum of understanding on using biotechnology in the oil industry.
The three parties will collaborate to use biotech to solve persistent problems in Nigeria’s upstream and downstream oil industry, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported.
The partnership aims at utilizing biotechnology tools for oil tank farm cleaning, crude oil, paraffin recovery and remediation of oil-contaminated soil, NAN added.
NABDA director general Abdullahi Mustapha said the use of biotechnology tools solves problems in the oil industry sector.
Abdullahi added that this is part of the measures to strengthen the economic revival and environmental sustainability, noting that NABDA is responsible for the application of biotechnology in the country.
“Through the use of biotechnology, the soil will be regenerated where the exploration took place and the kerosene will be recovered, instead of destroying the environment where chemicals were used,” he explained.
For her part, NNPC-EnServe Director General Sophia Mbakwe said there were roles to be played to ensure that there was no environmental damage.
CEO of Rahad Global Investment Limited Driss Chbihi said the partnership would allow Nigeria, Africa’s leading oil power, to be the first country to reduce oil discharges that pollute soil and groundwater by nearly 90%.