Business

NATCOM Consortium Emerges Preferred Bidder For NITEL, MTEL

Published

12 years ago

December 8, 2014

Acting Branch Controller, CBN, Mr Emmanuel Etuk (left) who represented Mr Ndubisi Jude Ekwebelen, Port Harcourt Branch Controller, chatting with Corproate Communciation Manager, Mr Obinali Okoli (right) during a workshop on Financial Inclusion, CBN in Port Harcourt recently. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

NATCOM Consortium has emerged the preferred bidder for the acquisition of Nigerian Telecommunications Plc (NITEL) and Nigerian Mobile Telecommunication (MTEL).
The reserved bid price was 252.25 million dollars.
The Chairman, Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), Mr Atedo Peterside, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday during public opening of financial bid for acquisition of the two companies.
Peterside said NCP approved privatisation of the two companies in February 2012 through guided liquidation after a review of previous failed attempts.
He said expressions of interest were received from 17 organisations and consortiums by June 30 deadline, adding that only two of them met criteria for pre-qualification.
According to Peterside, the two successful bidders, NATCOM Consortium and NETTAG Consortium met the minimum pass mark of 75 per cent and were pre-qualified and issued Request for Proposal (RFP).
He said NETTAG Consortium was disqualified for failure to enclose a bid bond as stated in the RFP.
“Section 10.3.1 of the RFP requires that each bidder shall furnish, as part of its proposal, a bid bond in the form of a Bank Guarantee or a Letter of Credit in the sum of 10 million dollars.
“Section 10.3.2 of the RFP further specifies that any technical proposal not accompanied by the bid bond will be disqualified.
“Therefore following the disqualification of NETTAG Consortium as a result of its failure to submit a bid together with its technical proposal, only the financial bid of NATCOM Consortium qualified for opening today,” he said.
He said NATCOM scored an average of 92 per cent in its technical proposal, which was above the minimum mark of 75 per cent.
“As stipulated in the RFP, payment of 30 per cent of bid price is to be made within 15 days of notification and the balance will be paid within 90 days,” he said.
The Director General, Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr Benjamin Dikki, said efforts to privatise NITEL and MTEL had been unsuccessful even though there was progress in the telecommunication sector.
He said the bureau had numerous challenges which included outstanding unpaid terminal benefits of ex-staff of NITEL and MTEL and arrears of salaries of trained staff, among others.
He also said that there was the challenge of huge accumulated unpaid licence and other fees due to Nigerian Communication Commission.
The Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, said liberalisation of the sector in the last 13 years had attracted new investment of over 32 billion dollars from private sector.
Johnson said the investment had resulted in an increase in the number of subscribers from 750,000 to over 130 million, and that of teledensity from less than 30 per cent to 96.08 per cent.
She said the privatisation of NITEL and MTEL was the final step in the reform of the telecommunications sector.
According to Johnson, government will continue to review and fine tune policies to provide enabling environment for growth and development of private sector-driven telecommunications industry.

Business

IPMAN Raises Concern Over Delay In Chinese Refinery Deal …Predicts Lower Fuel Prices Through Competition

Published

21 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The Eastern Zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to fast-track the conclusion of the proposed Technical Equity Partnership with two Chinese firms.

IPMAN made the appeal amid growing concerns over the delay in finalising the agreement initiated through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on April 30, 2026, between NNPCL and Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited as well as Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Company Limited.

It said the proposed arrangement was designed to revive and expand operations at the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries, noting that successful implementation would strengthen the downstream petroleum sector and restore confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The former Unit Chairman and current Zonal Secretary of IPMAN, Eastern Zone (System 2E), Comrade Inimgba Emmanuel Okubowei, made the call in a statement issued by the union after the Good Governance Summit organised by the Working People United (WOPU) in Abuja, and obtained by TheTide in Port Harcourt, at the weekend.

Okubowei expressed concern over the continued hardship faced by Nigerians due to the high cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), stressing that households and businesses were increasingly burdened by rising energy costs.

Okubowei stated that fuel prices would naturally decline once the Chinese partners commence full operations at the refineries, explaining that increased refining capacity and a more competitive market environment would positively influence pump prices.

The unionist further noted that the partnership would attract fresh investment, improve domestic refining output, increase petroleum product availability and create a more stable operational environment for industry stakeholders.

He maintained that healthy competition remains one of the most effective mechanisms for achieving fair pricing in the downstream petroleum industry and protecting consumers from avoidable price pressures.

The IPMAN official further argued that the entry of additional technically competent operators into the refining space would discourage monopolistic tendencies, improve operational efficiency and guarantee a more stable supply of petroleum products across the country.

He, therefore, appealed to the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, and the management of the company to accelerate all outstanding processes required for the successful execution of the Technical Equity Partnership.

Okubowei also called on the NNPCL leadership to publicly explain the reasons behind the prolonged delay and provide Nigerians with a definite timeline for the commencement of the project.

He emphasised that transparency, accountability and timely communication would strengthen public confidence in the initiative, adding that prompt execution of the agreement would enhance Nigeria’s energy security, create employment opportunities, stimulate economic growth and provide lasting relief to millions of Nigerians through more affordable petroleum products.

King Onunwor

Business

Gas Economy: Decade of Gas, Pi-CNG/ EV Deepen Media Engagement

Published

24 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

Poised to achieving an in-depth understanding of the Nigeria’s gas economy by it’s populace, the Decade of Gas Secretariat, in collaboration with the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG & EV), has deepened media capacity engagement across the country.

The media session, third in its series, and held at the Hotel President, Port Harcourt, recently, brought together 30 journalists from the television, radio, print, and digital media platforms to deepen their understanding of Nigeria’s gas development agenda and further enhance their reportage on the role of gas in driving economic growth, energy security, industrialization, job creation, and improved living standards.

Speaking during the session, the representative, Decade of Gas Secretariat,Taofeek Balogun , noted that the port Harcourt engagement followed two earlier sessions held in Lagos and Abuja, a move that began in 2025.

According to him, Nigeria’s gas sector continues to record significant progress, with year-to-date gas production reaching 7.85 billion standard cubic feet per day (bcfd).

Domestic gas utilization has surpassed the 2 bcfd mark, while gas exports have risen to their highest level in five years, reflecting growing demand across power generation, industries, transportation, exports, and household consumption.

Balogun emphasised the successful completion of the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) River Niger Crossing by NGIC/NNPCL, describing it as a critical infrastructure milestone that would improve gas transportation across the country, support industrial growth, attract investment, strengthen energy security, and contribute to economic development.

As part of efforts to expand domestic gas utilization, he reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to increasing access to clean cooking solutions. The government’s target is to distribute cooking gas cylinders to five million households by 2030.

Following the successful rollout of the programme across the six geopolitical zones by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, implementation would now move to the state level, beginning with Bayelsa State in July 2026.

Under the initiative, Balogun said, 27,000 households in Bayelsa are expected to receive cooking gas cylinders within the year as part of the 1(one) million homes per year target.

Also speaking, the Chief Operating Officer of Pi-CNG & EV, Tosin Coker, highlighted ongoing efforts to expand the adoption of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and electric mobility solutions as cleaner and more affordable transportation alternatives for Nigerians.

He disclosed that the Federal Government is promoting the adoption of CNG across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through the conversion of existing vehicle fleets and the procurement of CNG-powered vehicles as part of broader efforts to reduce transportation costs and improve energy efficiency.

Coker said “more than 100,000 vehicles have now been converted to CNG nationwide under the initiative, reflecting growing acceptance of alternative fuel solutions and supporting the country’s transition towards cleaner and more sustainable transportation”.

Participants commended the initiative for strengthening media capacity and improving public understanding of developments within Nigeria’s energy sector.

The Decade of Gas Secretariat and Pi-CNG & EV further reaffirmed their commitment to sustained stakeholder engagement and public awareness as Nigeria continues its journey towards a gas-powered economy.

Business

Group Seeks Media Partnership To Enhance Business Growth

Published

24 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Executive Officer of Kefa Communication, Mr. Obihele Victor Amos, has called for stronger collaboration between business organisations and media institutions to enhance business growth, economic expansion and wider public engagement across communities.

Amos made the call during a press briefing in Port Harcourt at the weekend.

He emphasised that strategic media partnership remains critical to improving visibility for businesses and attracting investment opportunities.

According to him, the media occupies a central position in shaping public perception and creating awareness that can support enterprise development and economic sustainability.

He also noted that, many emerging businesses continue to face growth limitations due to insufficient publicity and inadequate access to effective communication channels.

“Stronger engagement with the media would help bridge information gaps and create better connections between businesses and potential customers”, he said.

The CEO further stated that responsible and developmental journalism could play a significant role in promoting innovation and encouraging healthy competition within the business environment.

He stressed that beyond informing the public, the media serves as a platform for influencing policies and encouraging stakeholder participation in economic development.

Amos further disclosed the group is committed to building relationships with media organisations through continuous engagement and collaborative initiatives.

He said such partnerships would create opportunities for entrepreneurs and support efforts aimed at expanding market access.

The business leader also urged media practitioners to sustain professionalism and continue highlighting stories that promote enterprise and national development.

He expressed confidence that improved synergy between the media and the business community would contribute to employment generation and economic resilience.

Some participants at the briefing described the initiative as a welcome development capable of strengthening public understanding of business opportunities.

There were also calls for sustained cooperation among stakeholders to drive inclusive business growth and long-term development.

King Onunwor