The Kebbi state government and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) are to continue to strengthen collaboration on the production of biofuel and renewable energy as well as exploratory drilling in the Sokoto basin, to which Kebbi is a major part.

Adviser to Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi on Media, Yahaya Sarki, made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.

Mr Sarki said the decision was reached when Mr Bagudu paid a courtesy visit to the NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Mele Kyari, in Abuja.

He said the visit was to renew efforts toward strengthening the earlier collaboration on biofuel and renewable energy production in the state.

In his remark, the GMD reaffirmed the commitment of the NNPC to its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kebbi State on ethanol production.

Mr Kyari informed the governor of exploratory drilling in the Sokoto Basin Area that is set to begin with a large part of it in Kebbi State.

He commended Kebbi State Government for its determination towards the actualisation of the programme.

Mr Bagudu told the GMD that the state’s cassava cultivation had steadily been increasing annually, preparatory to the kick-off of the programme.

He also discussed a hydrogen production programme for which a feasibility study in conjunction with German experts would soon commence in the state.

The chairman, State Standing Committee on biofuel, Professor Muhammad Kaoje-Abubakar; Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Abba Sani-Kalgo and other officials accompanied the governor during the visit.

In November 2017, the Kebbi government and NNPC signed an MoU to set up an ethanol production company.