Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru has said the agency will soon begin oil exploration in Nasaraw state.

Baru said this when he paid a visit to the governor of the state, Umaru Tanko Almakura, on Thursday.

He said the visit was in fulfilment of the presidential mandate to resume oil exploration activities in some of the nation’s inland basins.

Baru added that the mandate was aimed at “improving revenue streams and creating more business opportunities for Nigerians”.

He informed Almakura that the NNPC team was in Nasarawa to sensitise the government and people of the state on the mission.

“I am therefore happy to be personally here to kick-start the beginning of a high-profile stakeholder engagement towards oil exploration in the Nasarawa state’s part of the Benue trough,” Baru said.

He said the corporation would do everything possible to carry out its operations peacefully in the state with much respect to the environment.