Work has officially begun on the long-anticipated Oloibiri Museum and Research Centre (OMPRC) in Otuabagi, Bayelsa State—Nigeria’s first oil production site—after the project site was formally handed over to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
The ceremony, held at the Otuabagi community town hall in Ogbia Local Government Area, marks a major milestone in the decades-long effort to immortalize Oloibiri as the birthplace of Nigeria’s oil industry, where commercial crude production began in 1957.
The multibillion-naira initiative is a collaborative effort between the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Renaissance Africa Energy (formerly Shell Petroleum Development Company), and the Bayelsa State Government.
Designed to serve as both an educational and tourism hub, the OMPRC will comprise a state-of-the-art Oil and Gas Museum featuring interactive digital exhibits and historical artifacts, as well as a Research and Testing Centre offering field training opportunities around an abandoned well.
Speaking at the handover, NCDMB Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe—represented by Director of Corporate Services, Abdulmalik Halilu—described the project as a landmark in Nigeria’s energy and historical preservation efforts. He drew parallels with international examples such as Pennsylvania in the U.S., where similar heritage infrastructure commemorates oil exploration history.
Halilu assured the host community of their inclusion throughout the project and urged local youth to take advantage of upcoming job and training opportunities.
Bayelsa State Chief of Staff, Peter Akpe, called the ceremony a transition from promise to action, lauding the project stakeholders and the Otuabagi community for their patience and resilience.
Julius Berger’s Deputy Regional Manager, Rimon Marisho, pledged the company’s full commitment to delivering a quality project in partnership with local stakeholders.
Ijaw leaders, including Professor Benjamin Okaba of the Ijaw National Congress and Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri of the Ijaw Youth Council, expressed support for the project and promised to safeguard its successful delivery.
Professor Teddy Adias, Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Otuoke, and Chairman of the Stakeholder Committee, hailed the moment as historic, recalling that the idea for the museum was first proposed in 1981 during the administration of President Shehu Shagari.
The project’s funding is shared across stakeholders: PTDF (40%), NCDMB (30%), Renaissance Africa Energy (20%), and the Bayelsa State Government (10%).
With construction now underway, the OMPRC is poised to become a landmark destination celebrating Nigeria’s oil heritage while promoting education, tourism, and research.
