Niger finally launches its oil exports, after settling a border dispute with Benin; This is an important step for the West African country.

The first shipment contains one million barrels of crude oil, and was loaded onto the oil tanker "Front Cascade" at the Cotonou terminal in Benin, and the tanker departed heading to the port of La Vera in France.

According to reports by the specialized energy platform in Washington, the Chinese government and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) intervened to ensure the release of the shipment after it was detained in Benin as a result of the border closure.

Shipments were scheduled to begin last April, but were postponed due to sanctions imposed on Niger by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against the backdrop of a political coup.

The Agadim oil field, in which China National Petroleum Corporation has a majority stake, produces Melik crude, a medium-density crude oil similar to Angola's Dalia crude.

Niger, a landlocked country, depends on Benin to transport its exports through a pipeline with a transport capacity of 110,000 barrels per day and a length of 1,930 km.

It is expected that when fully operational, the line will be able to transport enough to fill three tankers per month. This enables Niger to increase its oil production five times.
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Niger, despite being among the poorest countries in the world, hopes to become a regional player in the oil industry to achieve economic development.

The Organization of African Petroleum Producers estimates Niger's oil reserves at one billion barrels, but current production is limited to 20,000 barrels per day, mainly directed to domestic consumption.

With the new line entering service, Niger is expected to gradually increase its production to reach the maximum capacity of the line of 110,000 barrels per day.