Hassan Abbaszadeh, in a discussion on the sidelines of the 7th Iran
Expo, conveyed Iran's interest in expanding its presence in Africa's markets.
He said: "Iran is prepared to offer a long-term roadmap for the
development of the petrochemical industry in Niger. This planning can be based
on feasibility studies considering logistics, feedstock access, and other
relevant factors."
In response to Niger's request for urea imports from Iran, Abbaszadeh
clarified that while Iranian petrochemical companies are privately owned, the
National Petrochemical Company plays a regulatory role. He confirmed that
arrangements would be made for negotiations with the Parsian Oil and Gas
Holding, one of the major urea producers in Iran, to secure the necessary
supply for Niger.
Abbaszadeh added, "Iran produces about 7 million tons of urea
annually, with approximately 2 million tons consumed domestically, and the rest
is exported to global markets."
Further, Abbaszadeh proposed that Iranian companies and experts have
the capability to construct a urea plant in Niger. He suggested that if Niger
can secure the necessary feedstock (ammonia) from its neighbors or purchase it
from Iran, building such a plant could meet the agricultural sector's needs.
In addition, the Iranian delegation proposed providing training to
Nigerien personnel in Iran to work in the refining and petrochemical industries
of their country.
The CEO of the National Petrochemical Company also welcomed Niger's
request for cooperation in building a refining and petrochemical complex,
emphasizing Iran's expertise in constructing the necessary equipment for such
projects.
The Minister of Petroleum of Niger, on his part, reiterated his
country’s interest in collaborating with Iran on the development of the
integrated refining and petrochemical complex and the expansion of the
petrochemical industry in Niger. He also expressed readiness to sign a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) to formalize this cooperation.
The Minister further noted the agricultural sector's need for urea,
stating that they would provide the necessary details on the volume required,
payment terms, and logistics to the Ministry of Agriculture and, once their
decision is made, would quickly coordinate further steps with Iran.