The construction of Nigeria’s Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) new headquarters building has begun with , a leading Nigerian company offering holistic services covering the planning, design, engineering, construction, operation, and maintenance of buildings, infrastructure, and industrial projects, as the main contractor.

The iconic 10-story building dubbed the “The Barrel”, will sit on a 48,400 sqm piece of land at the strategic Central Business District of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. It will be made up of a basement, a ground floor, levels 1-10, and a penthouse, and it will stand approximately 60 meters tall.

According to the Managing Director of Julius Berger, Eng. Dr. Lars Richter the DPR is a modern office building, thoughtfully designed to include and balance the requirements of today’s contemporary work environments.

It features a mix of open floor workspaces, individual private offices, conference rooms, and an auditorium, along with additional amenities and social facilities such as a clinic, restaurant, gym, and library.

Completion and expectations of the project

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipreye Silva said that the DPR headquarters building project would be completed within a span of 24 months.

Eng. Richter on the other hand assured that the project will be completed on time and to the full satisfaction of the client. “I am confident, and without doubt, that with the strong commitment of our client and the project consultants, Julius Berger will unfailingly deliver on the project requirements, on time,” he said.

According to the Director and Chief Executive Officer of the DPR, Eng. Sarki Auwalu, upon completion, the building would support DPR’s commitment to enabling businesses and creating opportunities for the industry to thrive, using the agency’s regulatory framework and service instrument.

He said that it was better to have the headquarters of DPR situated in Abuja where most regulatory institutions operate. This he explained that would strategically enhance inter-agency collaborations as well as more centrally assist operators in the oil and gas sector.