LAGOS, Oct 23: The Nigerian government will put some 60 crude oil blocs up for tender before the end of 2006, press reports on Monday quoted the oil minister and director of the DPR as saying.

DPR director Tony Chukwueke told journalists at the weekend that the government had to increase the number of blocs on tender at the coming round of bidding, which is expected to take place within a month, from 50 to 60 due to increased interest by Asian investors in the blocs, they said.

“We have had a flood of investors from Asia who are interested in our downstream sector, in so far as we give them opportunity in the upstream and this is forcing us to increase the number of blocs on tender ... from 50 blocs initially announced to 60,” Chukwueke said.—AFP