Oil & Energy
Five Win NDDC GEMS Contest …Get N5m Each

Residents of Chika and Aleita protesting over outrageous March electricity bill and lack of functional electricity transformer in Abuja last Friday.
Five female secondary
school students have won the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC’s) scholarship to pursue their educational career up to tertiary level.
A statement issued Thursday in Port Harcourt by the Commission’s Head of corporate Affairs Unit, Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, said the students from Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Ondo States emerged winners from NDDC-Sponsored “Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science (GEMS) Competition.
According to Amu-Nnadi, total sum of the award is N25million and each of the winners will benefit N5 million. The winners are Ayomide Adeyeye, Amarachi Orjuigo, Edidiong Frances Bassey, Blessing Jeremiah James and Grace Bassey.
The statement said, “Ayomide Adeyeye emerged over all winner at the competition’s grand finale, which featured 33 GEMS Finalists who were selected from three regional competitions organized by NDDC.”
It quoted the Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Mrs Ibim Semenitari as saying that the winners emerged from a rigorous elimination process that featured 2,880 girls from the region.
It further stated that the programme is aimed at promoting and encouraging female students who are innovative and research-minded to develop passion in disciplines such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
It expressed confidence that science and technology could become exciting in such a way that girls in the region can interpret science in a manner that can serve to resolve everyday challenges.
“GEMS is positioned to ignite a spark within every girl in the society to do great things for our society, the Niger Delta region, and for our collective future,” Semenitari stated, and called on corporate organizations including oil and gas companies in the region to partner with the commission to develop the girl-child in various “GEMS-related careers.”
In the statement, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said the GEMS Programme provided the girl-child with unique opportunity to excel in male-dominated science disciplines.
It disclosed that the minister has also established a gender desk for women with objective of mentoring most importantly, the girl –child in primary and secondary schools.
The statement also quoted the minister as saying that,” the Niger Delta region is highly endowed with enormous human capital and natural resources which make it very strategic to the socio-economic development of the nation,” and promised that the ministry would partner with NDDC to develop women and the girl-child.
The minister, who was represented at the event by a Director in the ministry, Dr Nnenna Okoronkwo, urged the beneficiaries of the award not to relent in their pursuit of academic excellence.
Chris Oluoh
Oil & Energy
Nigeria Loses More Crude Oil Than Some OPEC Members – Nwoko

Nigeria’s losses due to crude oil theft has been said to be more significant than those of some other members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC).
The Chairman, Senate Ad- hoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft, Senator Ned Nwoko, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
Nwoko noted with dismay the detrimental impact of the issue, which, he said include economic damage, environmental destruction, and its impact on host communities.
According to him, the theft was not only weakening the Naira, but also depriving the nation of vital revenue needed for infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The Senator representing Delta North Senatorial District described the scale of the theft as staggering, with reports indicating losses of over 200,000 barrels per day.
Nwoko disclosed that the ad hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft, which he chairs, recently had a two-day public hearing on the rampant theft of crude oil through illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, and the systemic gaps in the regulation and surveillance of the nation’s petroleum resources.
According to him, the public hearing was a pivotal step in addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing the nation.
‘’Nigeria loses billions of dollars annually to crude oil theft. This is severely undermining our economy, weakening the Naira and depriving the nation of vital revenue needed for infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social development.
‘’The scale of this theft is staggering, with reports indicating losses of over 200,000 barrels per day more than some OPEC member nations produce.
‘’This criminal enterprise fuels corruption, funds illegal activities and devastates our environment through spills and pollution.
‘’The public hearing was not just another talk shop; it was a decisive platform to uncover the root causes of crude oil theft, bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
‘’It was a platform to evaluate the effectiveness of existing surveillance, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms; Identify regulatory and legislative gaps that enable these crimes to thrive.
‘’It was also to engage stakeholders, security agencies, host communities, oil companies, regulators, and experts to proffer actionable solutions; and strengthen legal frameworks to ensure stricter penalties and more efficient prosecution of offenders”, he said.
Nwoko noted that Nigeria’s survival depended
Oil & Energy
Tap Into Offshore Oil, Gas Opportunities, SNEPCO Urges Companies

Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo) has called on Nigerian companies to position themselves strategically to take full advantage of the growing opportunities in upcoming offshore and shallow water oil and gas projects.
The Managing Director, SNEPCO, Ronald Adams, made the call at the 5th Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) Conference, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, last Thursday.
Adams highlighted the major projects, including Bonga Southwest Aparo, Bonga North, and the Bonga Main Life Extension, as key areas where Nigerian businesses can grow their capacity and increase their involvement.
“Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo) says Nigerian companies have a lot to benefit if they are prepared to take advantage of more opportunities in its offshore and shallow water oil and gas projects.
“Projects such as Bonga Southwest Aparo, Bonga North and Bonga Main Life Extension could grow Nigerian businesses and improve their expertise if they applied themselves seriously to executing higher value contracts”, Adams stated.
Adams noted that SNEPCo pioneered Nigeria’s deepwater oil exploration with the Bonga development and has since played a key role in growing local industry capacity.
He emphasized that Nigerian businesses could expand in key areas like logistics, drilling, and the construction of vital equipment such as subsea systems, mooring units, and gas processing facilities.
The SNEPCO boss explained that since production began at the Bonga field in 2005, SNEPCo has worked closely with Nigerian contractors to build systems and develop a skilled workforce capable of delivering projects safely, on time, and within budget both in Nigeria and across West Africa.
According to him, this long-term support has enabled local firms to take on key roles in managing the Bonga Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which reached a major milestone by producing its one-billion barrel of oil on February 3, 2023.
Oil & Energy
Administrator Assures Community Of Improved Power Supply

The Emohua Local Government Area Administrator, Franklin Ajinwo, has pledged to improve electricity distribution in Oduoha Ogbakiri and its environs.
Ajinwo made the pledge recently while playing host in a courtesy visit to the Oduoha Ogbakiri Wezina Council of Chiefs, in his office in Rumuakunde.
He stated that arrangements are underway to enhance available power, reduce frequent outages, and promote steady electricity supply.
The move, he said, was aimed at boosting small and medium-scale businesses in the area.
“The essence of power is not just to have light at night. It’s for those who can use it to enhance their businesses”, he said.
The Administrator, who commended the peaceful nature of Ogbakiri people, urged the Chiefs to continue in promoting peace and stability, saying “meaningful development can only thrive in a peaceful environment”.
He also charged the Chiefs to protect existing infrastructure while promising to address the challenges faced by the community.
Earlier, the Oduoha Ogbakiri Wezina Council of Chiefs, led by HRH Eze Goodluck Mekwa Eleni Ekenta XV, expressed gratitude to the Administrator over his appointment and pledged their support to his administration.
The chiefs highlighted challenges facing the community to include incessant power outage, need for new transformers, and the completion of Community Secondary School, Oduoha.
The visit underscored the community’s expectations from the LGA administration.
With Ajinwo’s assurance of enhancing electricity distribution and promoting development, the people of Oduoha Ogbakiri said they look forward to a brighter future.
By: King Onunwor