There was uproar at the National Assembly as Senators and members of House Representatives disrupted the 2025 budget defence session for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

 

The incident took place on Friday during the presentation by the Minister of Petroleum (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, who appeared alongside Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo.

 

The lawmakers flared up over the absence of budget documents in advance.

 

Angered by the development, one lawmaker directly confronted the Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas).

 

After the heated atmosphere, Lokpobiri apologised for the mix-up, stressing that the delay was unintentional and assuring the committee of the ministry’s respect for the National Assembly.

 

DAILY POST gathered that during the presentation, Ekpo emphasized the commitment of the Federal Government to addressing explosions in the petroleum sector and expanding the use of Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, as a cleaner energy source.

 

He also revealed that the Federal Government had released N222 billion to six companies to support midstream and downstream infrastructure development, aiming to ensure nationwide CNG dissemination.

 

It was further learnt that the proposed 2025 budget for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources stands at N4.25 billion, with allocations for personnel, overhead, and capital expenditures.

 

The session also reviewed the ministry’s 2024 budget performance, noting achievements in oil and gas sector reforms, including efforts to promote modular refineries and enhance in-country refining capacity.