Accra, Oct 20 (IANS): India may provide oil-rich but recession-hit Nigeria a $15 billion advance against future supplies of oil.

Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu made the request when he met his Indian counterpart, Dharmendra Pradhan, during a recent three-day visit to New Delhi to discuss the significant potential if the two countries diversified their engagements in the hydrocarbon sector.

"The Nigerian Minister requested a potential investment by India of $15 billion, if the terms can be agreed to, in Nigeria, as upfront payment for crude purchases, to be repaid on the basis of firm term crude contracts over some years," a statement by the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said. The ministry did not clarify whether the request would be accepted.

The two ministers, the statement said, agreed to work on a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate investments by India in the Nigerian oil and gas sector that is expected to be firmed up this December during PETROTECH-2016.

The Indian High Commission in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, said Nigeria now provides 12 per cent of India's annual crude oil requirement. "India has the top spot at Nigeria crude oil exports with imports of 23 million barrels and 1.5 million barrels of other petroleum products, equivalent to 13 per cent of Nigeria's total export amounting to $9.94 billion for 2015-2016," the High Commission added.

The statement said Kachikwu also suggested more collaboration with India in the refining sector and exploration and production on a government-to-government basis by Indian companies, long-term contracts for supply of crude to Indian companies from Nigeria and also the possibilities of executing LPG infrastructure projects by Indian companies in Nigeria.