Niger begins drilling at Kafra oil block amid 2.5 billion-barrel estimate
Niger’s oil minister says active drilling has begun at Kafra, a block that could become a focus of economic cooperation with Algeria.
Niger has begun active drilling at the Kafra oil block, where an estimated 2.5 billion barrels of oil may be present, according to the country’s oil minister.
The minister outlined the potential resource at a press conference on Wednesday, presenting Kafra as a possible contributor to Niger’s development.
The estimate remains unconfirmed and does not establish the block’s reserves. France 24 International reported that no details were provided on the drilling programme, its operators or its expected timeline.
Kafra could also become a basis for economic cooperation with neighbouring Algeria. The available information does not confirm formal Algerian involvement in the project.
Most of Niger’s existing oil production is currently operated by Chinese companies, placing the Kafra development within a sector where foreign operators already play a significant role.
