FG pays oil majors $3bn long outstanding dues – NNPC

The Federal Government has reimbursed oil companies including Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell $3-billion, moving closer to clearing operating expense arrears owed since 2010.

The payment is being settled through a five-year crude oil sales deal agreed in 2016, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disclosed in a statement. While a majority has been paid as of August, theres still about $1.7-billion outstanding. Exxon has got $2.3-billion, clearing all dues. Shell has received $455-million, but is still owed $917-million.

NNPC operates joint ventures with producers including Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron Corp, Total and Eni that pump about 80% of Nigerias output. However, lower revenue and demands for other payments hampered NNPCs ability to contribute its share of expenses from 2010 to 2015, leading to the arrears.

The NNPC on October 15 published audited accounts for only the second time in its 43-year history, which showed that its annual loss shrank to just a few million dollars last year, from about $2-billion in 2018, as it slashed costs across its operations.

The payments to the oil companies suggest NNPC may finally be turning a corner with profit and cash. However, it still owes Eni $385-million, Total $304-million and Chevron $55-million, according to the statement. 

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