The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced that Indonesia is interested in increasing its purchase of crude oil from Nigeria,  All Africa informed.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Harry Purwanto, announced his country’s interest in late May in Abuja during his visit to the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, Daily Trust informed.

Mr. Harry Purwanto also stated that his country looked forward to lifting crude oil directly from Nigeria, rather than through a third-party as was currently the case.

He said that the President of the country, Joko Widodo, had instructed Indonesia National Oil Company, Pertamina, to direct its attention to Nigeria in its quest to meet the country’s surging energy needs.

Purwanto added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on possible areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Indonesia was in the works.

The NNPC said the call by the Ambassador signifies the prospects of soaring Nigeria’s market share in Asian emerging economies which include China and India, having lost grounds in crude oil sales in the United State of America due to advances in shale oil exploration in recent years.