Opinion
Burma And The Untapped Energy Frontiers
Investors, looking for sure bets, can stop reading right now. For those seeking overlooked energy “final frontiers,” well, there’s now – Burma.
According to the secretary of Burma’s largest business federation, the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI), Myo Thet, he has been meeting with companies “every day for a year” even though “there is still rather low interest from the West. There have been some bank owners from the west and also Australia but it is still low compared to Asian countries. We wish to see more (investment) not only from the East but also the West… because the West, in terms of technology and finance, is stronger.”
Burmese Industry Minister U Soe Thein, who attended last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos stated that companies are “rushing” to Burma, and claimed his appearance at the Forum, a first for a Burmese government official, was proof of Burma’s growing status as a strategically key market for the west.
Why the turnaround?
The government is opening up the country’s previously tightly state-controlled economy and is accelerating reforms. The biggest external event however is some Western-imposed sanctions are getting lifted, causing Western business executives and government officials to pack flights to the capital Naypyidaw.
The European Union has already dropped a longstanding visa ban on some Burmese ministers and on 6 February the United States relaxed restrictions on the World Bank and International Monetary Fund entering Burma. Washington has also restored full diplomatic relations and lifted some visa bans against some senior Burmese officials. After an early January mission to Burma IMF executive Meral Karasulu told journalists, “Myanmar (Burma) has a high growth potential and could become the next economic frontier in Asia, if it can turn its rich natural resources, young labor force, and proximity to some of the most dynamic economies in the world into its advantage.”
In December 2011 a group of executives from Germany’s biggest bank and its government investment arm visited Burma. So did Japanese executives from Hitachi, Toshiba, Mitsui, Itochu, JX Nippon Oil and Energy and Marubeni, while Norwegian, Russian and Brazilian investors have expressed an interest in developing Burma ‘s energy sector. Closer to home China, India, Thailand and Vietnam have held trade shows in Rangoon and visited to explore possible infrastructure projects.
Putting the seal on the country’s potential, in January billionaire George Soros visited Burma and said that he intended to establish an office to facilitate philanthropic work and later this month an American delegation is due to visit.
In this context it is worth remembering that in the 1940s and 1950s Burma was Southeast Asia’s wealthiest and well on its way to becoming the second developed nation in Asia after Japan. By 1950 Burma was the first Asian economic “tiger” with an economy on fast-track development, which, by the end of 1960 had built up Southeast Asia largest qualified, educated workforce.
What happened?
A bloody military coup d’etat in 1962, which effectively halted economic development. What Burma’s dolorous history over the past five decades has proved is that junta generals are far more effective in repressing their own people than stimulating economic growth.
Significant change began last year with the election of Thein Sein, previously Prime Minister from 2007, as President in March 2011. In an interview last week with The Straits Times Sein pledged his commitment to the reforms, saying they will go on until Burma achieves a “flourishing democracy.” Western governments and investors are taking him at his word.
Burma has vast, largely untapped natural resources, including large oil and natural gas deposits, teak and timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone and gems along with huge hydroelectric power and agricultural capacities. Regarding the latter, Burma was once the world’s largest exporter of rice.
Another attraction of undoubted interest to foreign investors is the country’s low wage scale, as the average factory worker currently makes a mere $30-50 per month.
But some nations and investors are already aboard the gravy train, notably China, Burma’s biggest trading partner, followed by Thailand and Singapore. China has already poured billions of dollars of investment into Burma to operate mines, extract timber and build oil and natural gas pipelines.
Last year Britain’s Economist Intelligence Unit estimated Burma’s growth rate was 3.2 per cent, largely driven by its natural gas exports, which account for over half of Burma’s export receipts and foreign direct investment. Burma’s natural gas exports will increase significantly once production begins from its offshore Shwe and Shwephyu fields, estimated to hold 5.7-10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and scheduled to come online in the next several years.
Sad to say for investors come lately, much of this natural gas is already earmarked for export to China’s Yunnan province via a pipeline currently under construction by a consortium of Burmese and foreign partners, with an estimated completion date of 2014. Beginning next year Burma will earn an estimated $29 billion from the sale of the natural gas to China over the next three decades.
Because of increased natural gas exports, Burma’s Ministry of Commerce is projecting that Burma’s foreign trade will grow more than 30 per cent in the fiscal year 2011-12 to $16.1 billion.
But while China has the lead in developing the country’s energy resources, they are hardly alone, as South Korea’s Daewoo International, along with Indian companies ONGC Videsh Company Ltd and Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), are also developing energy projects.
And Sein’s government is bidding to attract more business interest, having last month announced that it would offer eight-year tax exemptions to companies newly investing there along with revising restrictive investment laws enforced by the former junta.
Lest the above picture seem overly sunny, a cautionary note has been sounded in a report released earlier this month by British risk analysis group Maplecroft, which noted that Burma has the world’s worst legal system for doing business, retaining a position it has held for the last five years despite recent reforms, remaining “the country offering the least legal protection for foreign companies. With recent political reforms and the likelihood of sanctions being lifted, Myanmar offers huge potential for oil and gas firms.” The report added that on-going turmoil in the Middle East and Magreb “has made Myanmar’s hydrocarbon resources even more attractive globally,” but “Tangible improvements in the rule of law, including increased judicial independence and greater transparency in the regulatory system, will be required before the long-term potential of the economy can be realized.”
Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?
Dr. Daly of Oilprice.com wrote in from Washington, D.C., United States.
John Daly
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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