Oil & Energy
Total, French Embassy Initiate Scholarship Programme
A joint scholarship scheme by Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) and the Embassy of Franch in Nigeria have been initiated to promote educational development in Nigeria.
The scheme called TEPNG/Quaid’orsay, TQJ would have the duo invest up to 270,000 Euros or about N56 million annually.
Under the scheme, five Nigerians are to benefit from a yearly scholarship sponsored by Total and the French Embassy in Nigeria with effect from the 2012/2013 academic year at the cost of 54,000 Euro each.
According to a statement by the Company’s Manager External Communication, Charles Ebereonwu, the agreement to formalize the scheme was signed at the French Embassy in Abuja between TEPNG and the Embassy.
The statement stated that TEPNG’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr Guy Maurice signed for TEPNG while the Ambassador of France, Mr Jacques Champagne de Labriolle signed for the Embassy.
It also disclosed that the programme started with a pilot scheme this year when a candidate was selected to and sponsored to study International Law in France. The agreement makes provision for a four-man steering committee to manage the scheme on behalf of the parties.
Benefits to be enjoyed by the selected beneficiaries, the statement stated include a sum to cover travel expenses, academic fees if in a private university or institution in France, living expenses for 10 months with feeding, housing costs, and academic text or materials inclusive.
Others are logistics support in obtaining necessary permits or visas for selected students, health insurance for each beneficiary (bourse de Couverture Sociale) such as will give the beneficiaries the status of French government scholarship’s beneficiaries and the health care benefits associated with this status; and 60 hours minimum language training in Nigeria for the selected students and school fees for beneficiaries selected into public universities in France.
Commenting on the programme, Ambassador Champagne de Labriolle said that the programme was borne out of the need to contribute to the training of Nigerians in different fields of endeavour.
“Understanding changes in your environment is not a matter of specialization but a matter of personal balance and culture, the French Ambassador noted and lauded TEPNG for its contributions to the development of the Nigerian Society.
Also speaking TEPNG’s MD pointed out that such initiative on the part of the company was a reflection of its confidence in the country and a continuation of what it has been doing in the past.
The Quai d’Orsay educational cooperation between Total and the French Embassy started in 2011 and already operates in other subsidiaries.
Total’s delegation to the event were the Executive General Manager, Corporate Services, Mr Vincent Nnadi, Executive General Manager, Public Affairs and Communication, Mr Chidi Momah, Training and Development Manager, Mr Sam Nkwo and Senior Legal Counsel, Mr Adesina Salawu.
The Embassy’s team included the Counsellor for Co-operation and Culture, Mr Patrick Perez. Total has been collaborating with top rated institutions around the world as part of its contribution towards human capacity development in its host communities.
It is the main sponsor of the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS), a postgraduate institution at the University of Port Harcourt which it runs with the Prestigious Institute France du Patrole (IFP) France.
Oil & Energy
NNPC, UTM Seal Deal On First Indigenous Floating LNG Project
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and UTM Offshore have signed a Heads of Terms (HoT) agreement for the construction of the nation’s first indigenous floating LNG project.
The agreement, described as a major step towards bolstering Nigeria’s energy security and promoting the utilisation of its abundant gas resources, was signed on July 20, in Abuja.
It covers the 1.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) floating LNG project which is seen as a “must-do” initiative for Nigeria.
Signing the agreement, NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari, expressed the company’s readiness to secure gas feedstock towards the project.
Group Managing Director UTM Offshore Ltd., Julius Rone, who described the deal as a milestone achievement, said it showcased the capability of indigenous companies to collaborate with world-class energy conglomerates to drive growth in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Rome further explained that apart from significantly cutting down on gas flaring and supporting the country’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, the project would also create over 7,000 job opportunities, contributing to the nation’s economic growth and development.
For this project, UTM Offshore awarded the contract for the conceptual design service to JGC Corporation back in 2021.
It would be recalled that in late 2022, the consortium of JGC and Technip Energies secured the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract.
The project was also supported by $5 billion from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
Earlier this year, however, NNPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Norwegian Golar LNG, an owner and operator of marine LNG infrastructure, to build a floating LNG plant in Nigeria.
Oil & Energy
‘NNPC Spent N15b To Reconstruct Lagos-Badagry Expressway’
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has disbursed N15 billion for the reconstruction of the Lagos Badagry Expressway under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure Tax Credit (RITC) Scheme.
The N15 billion represents a 100 per cent payment of the funding of the Lagos-Badagry Road rehabilitation under the tax credit funding of the NNPC Ltd.
Group Chief Executive, NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, made this known when he led NNPC’s management team with some top government officials to inspect the ongoing rehabilitation and expansion of Lagos-Badagry Expressway (Agbara Junction-Nigeria/Benin Border).
The road under rehabilitation is being funded by the NNPC Ltd. under the Federal Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
The execution of the scheme is being carried out in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing as the supervisor and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for NNPC’s tax obligations deductions.
This is in response to address the plight faced by petroleum products marketers in transportation which affects nationwide distribution.
Kyari said the fund disbursed was part of the N621.24 billion earmarked for the reconstruction of 21 roads nationwide under the scheme.
He expressed satisfaction over the stage of the road development.
“We are covering 1,804.6mkm across the country and taking another set of over a trillion naira investment on infrastructure in Nigeria, believing that with the tax credit system which Mr President has put in place, very soon there will be massive change.
“NNPC as the enabler will consider from its cash flow and fund whatever FIRS and Ministry of works approve for the company”, he said.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, represented by the Director, Highways, Roads and Rehabilitation of the Ministry, Mr Folorunsho Esan, said the intervention of the NNPC sped up the reconstruction of the expressway.
Esan said the project was 40 per cent completed.
“In the next 12 months we should be able to deliver this project because the drainages are in place, just for earth works and pavement works, it cannot take us more than 12 months,” he said.
Speaking on the gridlock being caused by the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, he said the contractor would clear all impediments and move out of site by December 15 to make the highway free for Yuletide.
Oil & Energy
Oil Marketers Urge Buhari To Crash Diesel Price
Petroleum marketers under the platform of Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) rose from their 2nd National Executive Council (NEC) meeting last week, within a plea to President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make dollars available at official rate to oil marketers.
This, they said, will enable them import diesel, end petrol scarcity, and ultimately save the Nigerian economy from sinking, saying that dollar support should be available till Dangote Refinery comes on stream later in the year.
The association, among others, urged the National Assembly to immediately enact a Bill for the establishment of Energy Bank for easy transaction in petroleum products in the sector.
National President of the Association, Mr Benneth Korie, who briefed the media after the NEC meeting in Abuja, noted that the bulk of the operational challenge peppering marketers and depot owners spring from expensive diesel which hovers around N850/litre.
While thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for approving a higher bridging cost payment to transporters, Korie said the operators’ challenges were far from over as oil marketers and depot owners spend about N20 million weekly on diesel to power their operations, thus eroding their profits.
The association urges the National Assembly to review the policy of taxation as it affects petroleum products supply and distribution chain.
-
News4 days ago
Insecurity: Arase Urges Police To Activate Platform For Tracking Criminals
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Pensioners Call For Pension Commission In Akwa Ibom
-
Politics4 days ago
Federal Lawmaker Inaugurates HostComm Security Boats
-
News4 days ago
Abducted IDPs In Borno Went Beyond Permissible Distance -DHQ
-
Agriculture4 days ago
Expert Harps On Women Engagement In Livestock Farming
-
Focus4 days ago
Fubara : That Akpabio’s Needless Outburst
-
News4 days ago
NUJ Congratulates Chukwudi On Appointment As CPS To Rivers Gov
-
Issues4 days ago
Is Okocha A Happy Man Being Perpetual Hireling?