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Shell, NDDC Partner To Deliver N24.4bn Ogbia-Nembe Road

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12 years ago

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Christmas shoppers making their purchase at tomatoe and pepper market, Head-bridge, Onitsha, recently

Christmas shoppers making their purchase at tomatoe and pepper market, Head-bridge, Onitsha, recently

The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. (SPDC) says it remains committed to meeting its 70 per cent obligation to the Ogbia-Nembe Road project in Bayelsa.

This was contained in a statement signed by the company’s spokesman, Mr Precious Okolobo, and made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, yesterday.

It said the second phase of the project had reached 60 per cent completion.

It said that Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, Chief John Jonah and officials of SPDC had taken a ride on the ongoing 27 kilometre stretch.

According to the statement, the trip marks a milestone in the construction of the key highway in the Niger Delta.

“Phase 1 of the project linking Imiringi and Ogbia, involved a 38-kilometre stretch with two major bridges, and was completed in 2005, and funded solely by the SPDC Joint Venture.

“Phase 2 links Ogbia and Nembe, measuring a distance of over 27 kilometres with six bridges and more than 50 culverts across very difficult swampy terrain.

“Contract for this phase was awarded in December 2005 and work commenced in February the following year, but has been disrupted several times by security challenges.

“Phase two costs N24.4 billion of which the SPDC JV is funding 70 per cent with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) responsible for the remaining 30 per cent,” the statement said.

The statement explained that the entourage stopped briefly at the project’s site.

“The contractor disclosed that the road was 60 per cent completed, but complained of disruptions to dredging activities by community youths.

“The deputy governor warned against such activities, saying that perpetrators would face the “full weight of the law”.

The deputy governor urged that all genuine grievances should be channelled to government for quick resolution,” the statement said.

Our Correspondent recalls that Governor Seriake Dickson had on December 18, 2013 released N3 billion “back up fund” for the completion of the Ogbia-Nembe road in the state’s eastern senatorial zone.

Dickson gave the construction firm, Setraco Nig. Ltd., up to December to complete the project.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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3 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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3 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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3 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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