News

Oil Theft: Avuru Seeks National Emergency On Oil Sector

Published

4 years ago

March 23, 2022

Former chief executive officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Austin Avuru, has said that 80percent of Nigeria’s oil production was lost to oil theft.
This is coming amid an assertion by the Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Tony Elumelu, that Nigeria was “losing over 95percent of oil production to thieves”.
Avuru, in a report titled, “Reining in the Collapse of the Nigerian Oil Industry” published by the Africa Oil+Gas Report, called for a state of emergency in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.
He urged regulators and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to set up a “war room” strategy to develop a plan to return the oil sector to “full bloom.
“With eyes fixed on divestments and exit, the IOCs have not made any meaningful investments in the last 15 years,” he said.
“The result has not just been declining production. Much worse, the entire export pipeline network has been surrendered to vandals and illegal bunkerers. Thus, the phrase “crude theft” which crept into the industry about 2010 has taken on a new meaning.
“There are some pipeline systems now (particularly in the East), where 80percent of production injected therein does not make it to the terminal!”
According to him, almost every producer is now cooking up “alternative evacuation” schemes that cost four to five times what pipeline export would normally cost!
“The stark reality today is that the IOCs are leaving. Their decision to leave is outside our control as a nation. In fact, over the last 12 years, Shell and Chevron have divested from a total of 21 blocks. It is now public knowledge that Shell and ExxonMobil are now exiting the onshore/shallow water altogether,” he said.
“In fact, my projection is that, by Christmas day of 2025, Total would be the only IOC in JV with NNPC.
“The situation is the same with domestic gas delivery. Even though we are weaving all the right slogans about the future of gas in Nigeria, in the past five years, I can only point at a couple of Nigerian independents who are investing in gas development and processing for the domestic market.
“The state of the NNPC Towers in Abuja, headquarters of the Nigerian oil industry: Just standing back and intervening by pre-emptive acquisitions cannot be a sustainable solution to the question of retreating IOCs Nigerian Petroleum Industry is a national emergency. Oil production is down to about 1.4million barrels per day and declining and this includes about 600,000BOPD from the deep-water.
“Domestic gas production has stagnated at about 1.2billion cubic feet (Bcf) per day over the past five years at a time when projected production should have been 3.5Bcf per day. The collateral impact of course, is the low level of power generation which itself has stagnated at about 4,000megawatts per day since 2015.”
Avuru added that the full impact of the current oil production level can only be imagined when oil prices return to the $60 per barrel level.
“I dare repeat that the situation has to be treated as a national emergency,” he said.
“Between the upstream regulator (the commission) and NNPC, they need to set up a ‘war room’, some form of an effective task force to develop a blueprint for returning the industry to full bloom. The responses we hear today to the myriad of problems outlined above have been ad-hoc, knee jerk and in some cases only self-serving.”
Avuru outlined some issues that must be addressed in the oil and gas sector.
“When IOCs leave a matured petroleum patch, independents, whether local or international, usually move in to inject fresh capital, run a nimble efficient operation and maximize production and reserves addition,” he added.
“A well-organised transition driven by a clear policy direction, from the retreating IOCs to a crop of efficient independents with the requisite resources will have to be implemented.
“Just standing back and intervening by pre-emptive acquisitions cannot be a sustainable solution proffered by NNPC.
“There has to be a deliberate policy-driven return to the traditional onshore/shallow water terrains. 80percent of our remaining reserves are still in this belt.
“To do this, we have to address the twin problems of reliable pipeline evacuation and community restiveness. These problems have become heightened, not because there is no solution, but because we have abandoned every attention to them in the last 15 years.
“When these two problems are tackled, plus a strict application of the ‘drill or drop’ provisions of the new PIA, huge investments in drilling and facilities revamp will flow again into this terrain.
“Finally, we have to match our gas slogans with effective, measurable, policy actions to drive investments in domestic gas supply. The current flip-flops on pricing and commercial structure of the gas business cannot stimulate investments in the sector.
“This industry will not wake up by God’s miracle. We have to wake up and design the stimulant that will revitalise it.”
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had said the country loses more than 115,000 barrels per day to oil theft and vandalism.
Oil producers in Nigeria lamented oil thieves are raking in ‘petrodollars’ while Nigeria is bedevilled by low production.
In February, Nigeria’s oil production had dropped to an average of 1.25million barrels per day (bpd) from 1.39million the previous month.

News

Be Patient With Us, Diri Tells Bayelsans … Inspects New 60mw IPP …Expresses Confidence In Technical Partners, BECL MD

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has sued for patience on the ongoing installation of the state’s new independent power project.

The Tide gathered that the 60-megawatt gas turbine project, which installation commenced in October this year, was earlier scheduled to be completed by December but suffered logistics related delays.

The governor called on people of the state to have an open mind about the project, which he said now requires a new completion date due to unforeseen challenges.

?The Tide further reports that the State’s Chief Executive who undertook an on-the-spot-assessment of the project at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area on Wednesday, said like other citizens of the state, he was also disappointed that the December completion deadline could not be met.

However, he stated that his reaction to the delay had been that of understanding rather than being angry as had been noticed, particularly on the social media.

?”You can see I’ve gone round the whole facility. It was based on the working agreement and information available at my disposal that I gave the December date. But as it is with every human endeavor, we must all have an open mind, when it comes to issues, particularly technical matters like this.

?”I am as disappointed as any other Bayelsan because I believed that we were going to celebrate the 2025 Christmas with our own independent power, but it turned out not to be so.

?”I call on Bayelsans to have an open mind. These technical experts are working virtually 24 hours, but delays like this will certainly come”, he said.

He implored the people 9f the state to appreciate the work of the engineers, stressing that a minor mistake was capable of jeopardising the millions of dollars expended on the project.

?”For 29 years Bayelsa has been in darkness or has endured epileptic power supply. Now that we are getting close to the day of liberation, some people have become impatient.

“Let us not behave like the proverbial tortoise in the prison for years that asked to be released immediately as the place was smelling the moment he knew it would regain freedom the next day”, the governor added.

?The Bayelss Governor gave a thumps up to the technical partners, Jampur Group, and its team on ground as well as the Managing Director of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Ltd, Engr. Olice Kemenanabo, saying they were working round the clock to ensure the job was completed.

?”Those who have been following me on this inspection would know that work has not stopped even for one day since it started. I am sure the job is more than 90 per cent complete. So let us hold our fire.

“Engineer Olice, I am not putting you under any pressure. From the reports I have, Olice is one of the best electrical engineers in Nigeria”, governor Diri said.

The governor, however, hinted that the government was looking at inaugurating the project during its sixth anniversary in February.

The MD of the Bayelsa Electricity Company Limited, Kemenanabo, who also spoke, said the state was on the right track towards actualising the project and assured that the alignment of the entire system, including the gas generator and alternator were on course.

He also stated that the remaining two turbines would be delivered to the project site in a few days.

?Speaking on behalf of the Jampur Group, Mr. Sherrif Abu-Anif said the company was in good position to meet its own end of the bargain and appreciated the state government for playing its part very well.

By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

News

Akpabio Withdraws All Defamation Suits After Priest’s Sermon

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has directed his lawyers to withdraw all ongoing defamation lawsuits against several individuals, saying he was moved by counsel during a New Year Mass.

Speaking at the Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo, yesterday, Akpabio said he had filed nearly nine lawsuits against individuals he accused of defaming him.

He said, “I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name.

“But I listened to the priest and suddenly realised he was talking to me, so I hereby direct my solicitor to withdraw all lawsuits against them.”

In 2025, Akpabio had filed several high-profile defamation lawsuits, including one against colleague Senator Natasha Akpoti?Uduaghan.

In late 2025, Akpabio filed a N200 billion defamation lawsuit against her over allegations of sexual harassment, which he denied and urged her to substantiate in court.

Earlier in the year, Akpabio’s wife also filed defamation suits against Akpoti?Uduaghan over claims she said had harmed her family’s reputation.

Relations between the two lawmakers soured after Akpoti?Uduaghan accused Akpabio of influencing her suspension from the Senate in March 2025, following her public allegations of misconduct.

The Senator had previously challenged actions taken against her in court, including a N100 billion defamation suit she filed against Akpabio and other defendants over alleged remarks that she said damaged her reputation.

With yesterday’s announcement, Akpabio has formally ended all pending legal disputes arising from defamation claims, signalling closure to the publicised litigations as the year begins.

News

‘Best Way To Show Gratitude Is To Deliver Tinubu in 2027’

Published

5 days ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the best form of gratitude Rivers people owe President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for protecting the interest of the State is to galvanize massive support for the President in 2027.

Fubara disclosed this last Monday during the commissioning of Permanent Secretaries Quarters built by his administration at Elimgbu in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the State.

He said that the State has what it takes to deliver the President during the 2027 general elections.

“We’ve taken a decision,our decision is for the good of Rivers State, our decision is to say thank you for the protection we have from Mr President, our decision is to prove that we have what it takes to deliver Mr President.”

Fubara expressed delight over the completion of the project, stating that the initiative was to provide accommodation, a basic need of life for public servants in the state to improve their productivity.

He explained that lack of effective social welfare was at the root of some incriminating actions that undermine the purpose of governance, noting that the commissioning of the newly built Permanent Secretaries Quarters marks a significant milestone in civil service welfare and institutional development.

“Insecurity begins when individuals are uncertain of what the next hour holds. This situation is especially challenging for family men and women, affecting confidence and decision-making,” he observed.

Fubara emphasized the need for proper maintenance of the facility and urged the beneficiaries to protect the project like a personal property, while directing the State Head of Service to appoint a facility manager to ensure long-term maintenance.

In her remarks, the Special Guest of Honour and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who unveiled the project, expressed appreciation to the governor and Rivers State for inviting her to commission the project.

She commended Fubara for prioritizing the welfare of Permanent Secretaries who are senior public servants and accounting officers, noting that the project reflects purposeful and visionary leadership, and urged other states to borrow a cue from the Rivers State Governor.

Walson-Jack described the initiative as a strategic investment in staff welfare and institutional continuity which she noted is in line with Renewed Hope Initiative on provision of mass housing and social stability.

“The commissioning of these houses reflect a deliberate commitment to the dignity, welfare, and productivity of senior public servants responsible for policy coordination and service delivery,” she said.

In his goodwill message, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibode Bashiru, who led a high powered delegation on a visit to the governor, congratulated Rivers people for aligning with the Pan Nigerian political party, assuring that the interest of Rivers State will be duly protected in the APC.

He described President Bola Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian who anchors his leadership on equity, fairness and justice, adding that the APC will provide a level playing ground for all.

The APC chief scribe also commended Fubara for providing good accommodation for public servants, stating that it will address issues of sabotage, compromise and disloyalty on the part of public servants.

Giving the project description, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Dr. Austin Ezekiel-Hart, said the estate comprises 29 units, including nine standalone duplexes and 20 terrace buildings.

Facilities feature a water treatment plant, synchronized power generators, CCTV and alarm systems, a gym, recreational areas, and green spaces—designed to enhance comfort, performance, and productivity.

Earlier, the Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, Dr Mrs Inyingi Brown, had thanked the governor for his visionary initiative and unwavering commitment to the welfare of Rivers State Civil Servants, and restated the commitment of the State civil servants to the success of Fubara’s administration.

By: Taneh Beemene