ExxonMobil’s $1.28 billion asset sale to Seplat Energy in Nigeria is on the verge of approval, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu affirming the government’s commitment to free enterprise and streamlined regulatory processes. The deal, which faced initial challenges from the state oil company NNPC, signals a positive shift for Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector and potentially unlocks significant investments from ExxonMobil in the country’s deep-water operations.