The sale of ExxonMobil's Nigerian petroleum assets to Seplat could be approved in less than two weeks, Nigeria's oil regulator told Reuters on Thursday.

The closely watched sale in Africa's largest oil exporter has been awaiting regulator approval since 2022.

Gbenga Komolafe, commission chief executive of NUPRC, told Reuters the parties involved would be invited to a meeting on Friday: "Subject to the outcome of the meeting, consent...could be given in less than two weeks from the date of the meeting."

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh and Isaac Annyaogu Writing by Libby George Editing by Peter Graff)