President Muhammadu Buhari will depart Abuja Sunday for Tehran where he will participate in the 3rd Gas Exporting Countries’ Forum (GECF) opening in the Iranian capital on Monday, November 23, 2015, a message from his office said.

“President Buhari and the leaders of Iran, Russia, Qatar, the Netherlands, Venezuela, Oman, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates, Bolivia and other member-countries of the GECF are expected to review the current market outlook on gas and discuss strategies for boosting gas production during their meeting in Tehran,” Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) Femi Adesina said in a statement issued this evening in Abuja.

He noted that Nigeria and other GECF members currently account for 42 percent of global gas production, 70 percent of global gas reserves, 40 percent of pipeline transmission of gas and 65 percent of the global trade in Liquefied Natural Gas.

‘President Buhari who is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with other participating Heads of State and Government on the sidelines of the GECF summit, will also meet with Nigerians resident in Iran,” Adesina said.

He added that “the President will be accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama, the Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, and the National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.). He is due back in Abuja on Tuesday, November 24, 2015.”

•Photo shows President Buhari departing for one of his numerous foreign trips.