March 03, 2008: 11:59 AM EST
LONDON -(Dow Jones)- State-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, or NNPC, is “very close” to striking a deal with oil majors on a $8 billion in funding gap, a senior NNPC manager said Monday.
A deal could help the resumption of critical oil investments in Nigeria after NNPC delayed payments of its share of funding in joint-ventures with foreign majors and hindered new developments as a result.
Speaking to Dow Jones Newswires, Levi Ajuonuma, NNPC’s group manager for public affairs, said Nigerian officials were currently holding meetings in London with Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN) on the matter.