(Ecofin Agency) - President Mahamadou Issoufou has announced that Niger is to commence oil exports in 2017 using a pipeline that runs through Chad and Cameroon.

A joint deal was signed two days ago by Issoufou and his visiting Chadian counterpart Idriss Deby Itno. "Progress has been made and we hope to start exports by 2017," Issoufou told Xinhuanet news.

He however expressed his gratitude to the Chadian president for facilitating the process.

Niger, through its win-win partnership with China in 2012 joined the community of oil producing and exporting countries, according to Issoufou adding that the country has developed a complete petroleum industry, producing high quality oil with support from the China National Petroleum Corporation.