BP to Partner Ekiti on Bio-Fuels, Refineries

EKITI State and the British Petroleum (BP) are set to partner in the area of bio fuel as well as crude and refined oil products.

This is part of the outcome of a meeting between Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Managing Director, BP Nigeria and West African Sub region, Mr. Olakunle Gidado, in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday.

Other areas of collaboration between the state and the British Oil and Gas giant, according to Fayemi, included the power sector initiatives.

Speaking after the meeting, Fayemi said that the Fountain Holdings, which was the business concern of the state government, was interested in partnering BP in the area of crude and refined products.

He added that the state was particularly interested in ethanol (bio fuel) because of the global bio fuel initiative and the power initiative of the company.

He also said that the state was willing to partner with other notable companies and institutions in the area of agriculture, in the bid to industrialise the state.

Gidado, an Ekiti indigene hailed the Ekiti State government for putting in place relevant laws to safeguard investment and investors in the state, and he said that the British firm was set to do business with the state in the areas of bio fuel and power initiatives.

Fayemi, who thanked the BP boss for the visit, described him as one of the young men and women doing the state proud in their various fields of endeavour.

“We are proud of him as an indigene of Ekiti State who has risen to that level, and we encourage other highly placed indigenes to see the government as one interested in active involvement of its citizens in its development.