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Oil Reforms’ll Sustain Hydrocarbon Investments – Oniwon

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15 years ago

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The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Austen Oniwon, has reiterated that the ongoing oil and gas industry reforms will ensure the sustainability of existing ventures as well as attract new investments into the petroleum sector of the economy.

Oniwon stated this in Abuja during a recent book launch titled “The Political Economy of the Oil and Gas in Africa: The Case of Nigeria” authored by an NNPC worker, Dr. Soala Ariweriokuma.

He reassured the joint venture partners and other players that the intention of the Federal Government in the ongoing industry reforms is not to discourage investment but rather to strengthen the industry within a clearly defined framework.

“I can assure you that the oil reforms being pursued by the Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration will ensure the sustainability of existing investments and attract new deals into the entire hydrocarbon value chain given the various targets that have been set,” Oniwon said.

The NNPC boss added that the Corporation would continue to positively engage all stakeholders as partners in resolving issues of concerns, hence addressing areas requiring further clarifications as the policy objectives of government for the petroleum sector.

He described the author of the book, Dr. Ariweriokuma as a serving NNPC worker and a colleague who has devoted extra time and resources to produce a book that would educate and inform members of the public about issues in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The GMD noted that the Corporation would continue to encourage its personnel to pursue intellectual excellence and engage their skills in ways that will significantly benefit society.

The book reviewer and Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, described the book as a veritable compendium of facts and figures about the oil and gas industry, which has remained an invaluable trajectory of the nation’s economy.

Ajienka opined that the oil and gas sector has placed Nigeria and the Niger Delta in particular on the hydrocarbon radar of the globe side by side with Venezuela, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He commended the management of the NNPC for ensuring steady supply of petroleum products to Nigerians and appealed to the National Assembly to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill in order to transform the sector for the better.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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