TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria will consider a request by the Burundian government to provide energy, especially in the form of fuel.

According to a statement by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, Buhari made the promise when he received Audace Niyonzima, Burundi’s minister of finance, budget, and economic planning, and a special envoy of Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye.

He said Nigeria, in the spirit of African solidarity and brotherhood, would support the Republic of Burundi in a variety of ways if needed.

Responding to a request by Burundi’s leaders for help with energy supplies, especially fuel, Buhari said he knows how it feels when a country suffers from energy shortage.

He, therefore, promised that he would get the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to look into the request, adding that he was looking forward to the polls, and retirement, since he had satisfied the constitutionally required two terms to be in office.

On his part, the envoy wished Nigeria well in the coming general elections scheduled for February 23 and March 9.

“We pray that the polls would be peaceful and successful so that Nigeria would maintain her reputation as a bastion of peace and stability,” Niyonzima said while delivering his country’s message.

Meanwhile, Buhari’s promise to Burundi is coming amid a widespread fuel scarcity in the country which has affected the day-to-day livelihood of Nigerians.

While the oil marketers said the scarcity was caused by the shortage of petrol at NNPC depots, the NNPC had said the ongoing road projects in Lagos state affected distribution.

After a meeting between the Department of State Services (DSS) and stakeholders in the midstream and downstream oil sector, the NNPC assured Nigerians of steady supply to quell the lingering scarcity across the country.

However, the supply shortage has continued to affect Nigerians nationwide.