The Ministry of Interior Affairs has said Shell Petroleum Development Company and Exxon Mobil are not leaving the country anytime soon.
This is amidst speculations that Shell will exit the Nigerian market.
A statement by the ministry quoted the Vice President, of Shell’s Human Resources, Olukayode Ogunleye, as assuring the Federal Government that Shell, ExxonMobil was not leaving the country.
Ogunleye said although most of their oil wells had been shut down due to insecurity in the Niger-Delta region, the companies would remain in the country.
A statement on Thursday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Interior, Blessing Lere-Adams, quoted Ogunleye as saying this during a courtesy call at the ministry in Abuja.
It was titled, “Federal Government reaffirms commitment to ease of doing business”.
The statement partly read, “The Vice President Human Resource, Shell Petroleum Development Company confirmed that Shell, Exxon Mobil is not leaving Nigeria.
“The Federal Government has a large share in it, despite the very tough and trying environment around the Niger-Delta region where most of the oil wells are shut down due to insecurity of lives and opportunities, they are still forging ahead to ensure equity diversification of their business to build a smaller emerging business to assist in growing the Nigerian economy from both the deepwater business to the new Nigerian Natural Liquefied Gas.
“This will enhance the transfer of gas and power to Aba, Ota and Agbara; – all these he said are huge businesses in which the Federal Government of Nigeria owns large shares.”
