News

SPDC Pays N6.4trn Taxes To FG …Contributes N4.26trn To Nigeria In Four Years

Published

7 years ago

May 27, 2019

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has said that it paid $17.8billion (about N6.412trillion) in taxes, royalties and levies to the Federal Government between 2014 and 2018, in addition to $2billion (about N375.16billion) contributed by SPDC JV and SNEPCo and its co-venturers to Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) since 2002.
Making these revelations while presenting 2019 Shell in Nigeria Briefing Notes to journalists in Port Harcourt, last Friday, Shell’s General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli said, “The success of the GMoU initiative has proved what could be achieved when government, international oil companies, communities and NGOs work together for the common good”.
Weli listed some other flagship social investments in Rivers to include the Community Health Insurance Scheme launched in 2010, robust health interventions in 10 other hospitals in the state, the first centre of excellence in Marine Engineering and Offshore Technology at Rivers State University, scholarship schemes at various levels of education, and the LiveWIRE programme which has trained and empowered 460 young men and women across the state between 2013 and 2018.
The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has also spent N17billion projects in communities under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) in Rivers State in the last 13 years.
The projects cover health, education, water and power supply improvement, sanitation and infrastructure development in 19 clusters, out of 39 active GMoU clusters where $239million (about N44.36billion) have been expended on projects in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Abia states since 2006.
“In 2018, 100 Ogoni youths from communities near the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) participated in training with 80 top performing trainees receiving business start-up funding totaling more than $90,000 (N27.27million)”, Weli said, adding that, “To date, the LiveWIRE programme has trained 7,072 Niger Delta youths in enterprise development and provided business start-up grants to 3,817.
“We are proud of our extensive social investment footprints in Rivers State, which in some cases even stretch beyond the SPDC joint venture”, Weli noted.
The general manager further gave insight into the downside of the company’s operations in certain flashpoints in the state, including the Kalabari and Ogoni areas, where huge revenues, regrettably have been lost over the last couple of years.
Responding to questions on the more than 22 months’ standoff with host communities of Belema/Offoin-Ama in Kula Kingdom over the takeover of Belema Flow Station in Akuku-Toru LGA in Rivers State, Weli regretted that well over $7million (approximately N252billion) has been lost to the stalemate in protests against SPDC’s about 37 years operations in the area where 25,000 barrels per day of crude oil have been shut in at the Belema facility.
But The Tide investigations reveal that with 25,000bpd oil shut in since August 11, 2017 by restive protesters, claiming lack of potable water, good roads, health facilities, scholarships and employment, among others, about $1.170billion revenue on the more than 18million barrels of oil (at estimated $65 per barrel), have been lost to the lockdown.
Disclosing that the Federal Government has since December, last year, renewed SPDC’s operating licence for OPM 25, including Belema and Offoin-Ama communities, for the next 25 years, he said that the company was open to further dialogue with the communities under the Kula Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC) with a view to resolving issues in dispute in the area.
“SPDC will only resume operations at the facility when it is safe to do so. Our primary goal is the safe and peaceful resolution of this dispute, and we encourage all parties to return to dialogue to protect the safety and security of all concerned, including those occupying the facility, community members, SPDC staff and contractors”, he said.
On allegations of undercover attempts to resume oil production in Ogoni, Weli made it categorically clear that SPDC has no plan to return to the area under any guise now or in future, stressing that already, the Federal Government had since 2012, granted operatorship licence for OPM 11 covering Ogoni oilfields to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) subsidiary, National Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
While clarifying that SPDC’s presence in Ogoni was tied to the TNP which conveys crude oil from other parts of Rivers and Abia states through Eleme, Tai, Gokana and Khana to Bonny Export Terminal, Weli explained that it was for this reason that the company was implementing social investment programmes for the benefit of Ogoni people.
He further explained that SPDC staff and contractors’ presence in the area was mainly in line with efforts to guarantee the integrity of the TNP through routine maintenance and occasional replacement to avoid equipment failure, insisting that SPDC flow stations were vandalized and flowlines excavated by Ogonis during the crisis while surviving wellheads had been decommissioned, just as he restated that the company has not drilled/produced one litre of crude oil from Ogoni since 1993 when it shut down operations in the area.
The Tide investigations show that before cessation of oil production, there were 12 oilfields in Ogoni, where SPDC had drilled 116 wells, out of which 89 were completed, and channeled to five flow stations, which processed 185,000 barrels per day overall production capacity.
Meanwhile, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) says it remitted about N4.26trillion to the national coffers between 2014 and 2018.
General Manager, External Relations of SPDC, Igo Weli, gave the figures while delivering a paper on “Improving Stakeholders’ Engagement in Rights of Way Acquisition”, organised by International Rights of Way Association (IRWA) Chapter 84 at the weekend in Port Harcourt.
Weli further disclosed that oil revenue accounts for 70 per cent of Nigeria’s budget funding, while 90 per cent of total revenue also comes from oil.
It is against this backdrop that he sued for more constructive engagements to fast-track development in the sector, as he lamented the recent upsurge in hostilities to oil operations.
“In Niger Delta, Nigeria needs more constructive engagements than violence and killings”, Weli remarked.
He stressed that more stakeholders’ engagement would reduce hostilities and strengthen investors’ confidence in the economy, as he warned that the growing belligerence may further worsen the economy in the coming years.
On how to curb hiccups in rights of way acquisition, the Shell general manager drew attention to the need for adequate compensation and land owners’ engagement.
He said, “It takes all parties to create value… There is need for a sustained stakeholders’ engagement which is critical for rights of way acquisition”.

Nelson Chukwudi & Kevin Nengia

News

US Embassy, Lagos Consulate Close Today For President’s Day

Published

6 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed today, in observance of Presidents’ Day.

The mission made this known in a notice shared on its official X page, yesterday.

“The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2026, in observance of Presidents’ Day,” the post read.

According to the embassy, Presidents’ Day was originally established to honour the birthday of the former US President, George Washington, but has evolved into a day to celebrate all U.S. presidents and their leadership in shaping the country’s history.

The embassy noted that the holiday also recognises the influence of U.S. presidents on global affairs.

In a related message, the mission highlighted that Washington created the first “Badge of Military Merit,” which later became the Purple Heart. The medal still bears Washington’s image today.

Presidents’ Day is observed on the third Monday of February annually in the United States as a federal holiday.

News

Guterres Backs Nigeria’s Bid For UN Security Council Seat …Hails Tinubu’s Reforms, Regional Security Role

Published

6 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has charged Nigeria with spearheading Africa’s quest for a restructured global order, describing the country as uniquely positioned to lead the continent toward superpower status.

Guterres, who backed Nigeria’s bid for the world body’s security council seat, also praised the economic reforms of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration as well as Nigeria’s leadership in stabilising the Sahel and ECOWAS regions, despite facing its own security challenges.

The UN scribe made the remarks last Friday night during a high-level bilateral meeting with Vice President Kashim Shettima on the sidelines of the 39th African Union (AU) Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Speaking during the meeting, Guterres said Nigeria’s large population, sustained democratic governance, vast natural and human resources, and longstanding commitment to multilateralism placed it in a unique position to lead Africa in the evolving global order.

“Given Nigeria’s demographic strength, democratic continuity and deep resource base, the country stands a real chance of leading Africa to becoming the next superpower in the evolving global architecture,” he said.

The UN Secretary-General and the vice president discussed key developments in Nigeria and the country’s expanding leadership role in promoting regional stability across West Africa and the Sahel.

Guterres commended the remarkable and outstanding reforms of the administration of President Tinubu, noting that Nigeria’s bold economic restructuring and security commitments have strengthened its continental standing.

The meeting focused on strengthening Nigeria–UN collaboration to advance global economic growth, peace and security, sustainable development, and a coordinated humanitarian response across Africa.

In his remarks, Shettima thanked the UN Secretary-General for his leadership in advancing global peace, noting that Africa has benefited immensely from his tenure, even as the United Nations undergoes internal restructuring.

“We remain committed to multilateralism and to deepening our partnerships with the United Nations and other global institutions,” the vice president said.

Shettima also reiterated Nigeria’s longstanding call for comprehensive reform of the United Nations system to reflect evolving global realities.

He emphasised that Africa must have stronger representation in global decision-making structures and declared that Nigeria deserves a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Both leaders pledged to deepen cooperation, with Guterres reaffirming the UN’s support for Nigeria’s reform agenda and its growing leadership role in advancing peace, security, and development across Africa.

News

Four To Face Death Penalty Over DPO Angbashim’s Murder

Published

6 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced four persons to death by hanging over the gruesome killing of the former Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada East Police Division, SP Bako Angbashim.

The presiding Judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, in a landmark judgment, last Thursday, found the quartet guilty of conspiracy, murder, membership of a secret cult group and robbery, saying the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Those sentenced to death by hanging are Robinson Sonabari, identified as a native doctor; Bright Okparawo; Precious Amaeze, popularly known as Selina; and Loveday Jack, also known as Ragged Excess. The court ordered that they be hanged by the neck until they are confirmed dead.

Justice Aprioku also convicted the sixth defendant, Samuel Nwadinma, and sentenced him to three years imprisonment for conspiracy.

The third accused person was, however, discharged and acquitted of the four-count charge.

In the same vein, the court discharged Famous Okechukwu, Samuel Uchendu, Oyekachi Ikonwa, Godbless Nnamdi and Marshall Daniel, who were earlier found guilty of membership of a secret cult group, on the grounds that they had already served the maximum terms prescribed by law in the correctional facility.

The court held that among those convicted was the native doctor who allegedly prepared the charm used in the killing of the late DPO.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after the judgment, the lead prosecution counsel from the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Chigozie Amadi, alongside a representative of the police legal team, Celestine Dickson, commended the judiciary for ensuring that justice was served.

Dickson, who represented the Nigeria Police Force in the joint prosecution, expressed concern that officers saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property had increasingly become targets of criminal elements.

He, however, expressed optimism that the judgment would serve as a strong deterrent to would-be offenders.

Also reacting, the elder brother of the late DPO, Akasco Angbashim, who travelled from Nasarawa State to witness the judgment, said the verdict had healed a long-standing wound inflicted on the family since the brutal murder of their brother.

He commended the judiciary, the Rivers State Government and the police for their commitment to justice, stressing that the judgment sends a clear message that no individual has the right to unlawfully take another person’s life.

The four convicts were among 72 persons initially arraigned before the State High Court by a joint prosecution team comprising the Department of Public Prosecutions and the Rivers State Police Command over the murder.

During the trial, 61 accused persons, including the Eze Ekpeye Logbo, Eze Kelvin Anugwo, and a former Ahoada East Council Chairman, Cassidy Ikegbidi, were discharged and acquitted for lack of evidence, leaving 13 defendants to face judgment.

SP Angbashim was gruesomely murdered on September 8, 2023, during a police operation in Odemude community, Ahoada East Local Government Area.

His killing sparked tension in the area, prompting a joint security operation that led to the death of the suspected cult leader, David Okparanwo, popularly known as 2Baba.

By: King Onunwor