Rochas Okorocha said he was told this in a meeting of the National Economic Council, whose members include state governors, the central bank governor and the finance minister. Forcados has been closed for all but a few weeks since a militant attack in early 2016.

Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum, told reporters in Vienna on Wednesday that exports of Forcados crude oil will not return to full capacity until November or December.