(Ecofin Agency) - Italian multinational oil and gas company, Eni, has revealed plans deepen its involvement in Nigeria’s energy sector and help the country restore one of its ailing refineries.

This was declared when the company’s Chief Executive, Claudio Descalzi met with the Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Emmanuel Kachikwu, in Rome.

Both parties signed several memorandum of understandings (MoU) to further support Eni's involvement in the country.

According to Descalzi, the company plans to increase oil and gas exploration on onshore and offshore, including deepwater sites and help the Petroleum Ministry refurbish the Port Harcourt oil refinery- one of the refineries where the government has been seeking partnership so as to reduce its dependence on imported oil products.

Eni also intends to proceed with plans to double power generation capacity at the Okpai Independent Power Plant (IPP), constructed by Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Delta State, Reuters reports.

Anita Fatunji