The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has pledged Nigeria’s support for the fledgeling petroleum industry in Uganda.

The Minister made this promise in her office on Tuesday while receiving the Ugandan Minister of Mineral Development, Honourable Lokeris Peter, who led a delegation of Ugandan lawmakers on a courtesy visit.

Alison-Madueke who expressed appreciation for the visit said Nigeria was ready to develop a robust partnership with Uganda to ensure the speedy development of her petroleum sector in the spirit of African brotherhood.

She said beyond a memorandum of understanding that had earlier been signed between the two countries for cooperation, she would fashion out a strategic framework complete with timelines and schedules for policy development between the two countries.

Hon. Lokeris who spoke earlier said he came to Nigeria to follow up on discussions held between the President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, and late President Umaru Yar’Adua, on possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in the area of hydrocarbon exploration upon the discovery of crude oil in his country.

He said though a memorandum of understanding had been signed by both countries, he felt there was need for him to come and interact with her Nigerian counterpart and map out the areas of cooperation.

He said his country would love to tap into the experience of Nigeria in the area of crude oil exploration with a view to developing expertise, adding that as a land-locked country, Uganda has decided to refine its crude oil within the country and that they would need assistance in training in order to develop small Ugandan companies to participate in the sector.

Lokeris said his country was also willing to learn about the new petroleum industry legislation in Nigeria to help it fashion out laws to regulate its nascent petroleum industry.

On hand to welcome the Ugandan Minister of Mineral Development and his entourage were the Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters, Dr Emmanuel Egboga, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Engr. Austen Oniwon, and Directors in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.