Business

Okowa Charges ICAN To Propel Nation’s Economic Growth

Published

5 years ago

May 11, 2021

Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has charged the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) to explore new corridors of national planning to propel the nation’s economic growth.

Okowa gave the charge last Friday when the 56th President of ICAN, Dame Onome Adewuyi, led members of the executive on a courtesy visit to him at the Government House, Asaba.

He paid glowing tribute to accountants for their sterling contributions to the growth and development of the nation’s economy.

He, however, challenged them and other similar professionals to enunciate plans that could save the nation from its current economic challenges.

He underscored the need for the country to begin to plan for its ever increasing population. According to him, without proper planning, rising population will continue to retard the country’s economic development and national growth.

He regretted that successive administrations at the state and federal levels had virtually become fees and salary-paying establishments.

He said the development had left most states with no money for capital development.

“And it is capital development that truly runs the economy of states and the nation,’’ Okowa said.

“The budgets of the states and Federal Government are characterised by huge recurrent expenditure in terms of salary payment, overhead, repayment and servicing of debts.

“There has to be a mix between recurrent expenditure and capital expenditure.

“If we spend all our monies on recurrent expenditure without having a reasonable amount for capital expenditure, we will not be doing any good to the state and our nation.

“The impact is not only on the states. At the level of Federal Government, it’s quite a problem. “Today, we are almost living virtually on borrowing to be able to execute capital projects.

“It’s a problem all of us have to look into and it’s something ICAN can look into and offer your advice to both the federal government and states.

“The challenge is there but there must be a process to address it gradually because if we do not do so, we will be getting to a situation where we definitely embarrass ourselves as a nation.

“We hope that we don’t get to that point in the history of this nation,” the governor said.

He expressed concern that the country was “busy everyday planning our expenditure without planning the population of the nation.

“A nation that continues to plan for its expenditutre without planning its population is a nation that is not truly planning at all.

“It’s a big problem because we are in a nation today where our economy is dwindling.

“We are not expanding the economy the way we thought we should be able to do.

“Again, the economy is growing at a very low rate and the population of the nation is growing at a very high rate.

“There is no level of planning, no matter how intelligent that person is, that he can truly plan in such a space.

“I believe that it’s something that all of us who have the knowledge of planning must speak out to let this nation know that wherever we are at the moment, there is need to begin to look very closely inward.”

Earlier, Adewuyi commended the governor for the new paradigm he introduced into the leadership and governance of the state.

She described capacity-building as the primary mandate of ICAN.

She lauded the governor for his administration’s massive investment and transformation in the education sector.

“At ICAN, our mandate is to consistently act in public interest and we collaborate with stakeholders across all sectors, whether public or private, in the promotion of accountability, transparency and good governance.

“We believe that the national resources, if adequately managed and accounted for, are sufficient to guarantee decent lives and livelihood for the over 200 million Nigerians,” Adewuyi said.

She said that ICAN had concluded plans to establish a university in order to support stakeholders in the educational value-chain at bridging the gap in tertiary education in the country.

“We plan that the specialised university will commence with postgraduate courses in social and management science.

“It will open for admission by the next academic session in September,” she said.

Business

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

Published

8 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

11 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

11 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