Oil prospecting has begun in Keana local government area of Nasarawa, the state governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said.

The gorvernor disclosed this on Wednesday while hosting the Alago ethnic nationality who were on a courtesy visit to the Government House in Lafia.

“The first area that will produce oil in commercial quantity from the northern region will most likely be Alago area, as the process is ongoing for oil prospecting in Keana local government.

“Most of you may not know what is happening because you will think we have talked about it and the matter is gone. Oil prospecting is like agriculture or sugar, it takes time.

“Oil prospecting requires various seismic tests, which means the investigation into what kind of oil you have; what quantity of oil is there; where exactly is it located; where do we drill the real well that we can hit the oil rather than drilling on a dry area? All that requires a lot of work and it requires high technology.

“We are hopeful that it will be the first area that will produce oil in commercial quantity, not only in Nasarawa state but most likely in Northern Nigeria,” he said.

Governor Sule said that the Alago land is blessed with human and material resources.

Speaking earlier, the leader of the delegation and the Andoma of Doma, HRH Ahmadu Aliyu Ogah Onawo, expressed gratitude to the governor, describing him as a leader who has come with the intension to convey goodness to the length and breadth of the state.

“We are begging for every good that you do, for every local government, our local governments are there. For every good that you do for every people, our people are counting on you,” he stated.

Also speaking, the chairman of Keana local government council, Adamu Adigiza, said, “I am expecting the oil prospecting team’s result anytime and hoping that they find oil in large quantity for its output to be utilized for the development of the state and the nation at large.