Business

Electronic Monitoring Of Pipelines Underway – FG

Published

11 years ago

February 23, 2015

The Federal Government has said that plans were underway to commence electronic monitoring of pipelines and other facilities channeling gas to power plants across the country.
The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who made the announcement in Ikorodu, near Lagos on Saturday, said the measure was to curb incessant pipeline vandalism.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the new 220 megawatts turbine at the Egbin Power Plant.
Nebo blamed vandals for the Federal Government’s inability to meet previously anticipated power generation targets.
He said that government was also planning to enlist the Nigerian Air Force in the joint task force team set up to provide aerial surveillance for pipelines.
The minister said that electricity generation would increase significantly in the next four years, disclosing that power generation was currently standing at 3, 600 megawatts, due to gas shortages.
According to him, power supply in Nigeria is mostly based on gas with about 70 per cent gas-fired turbine while 30 per cent is hydro based.
“When we have a holistic energy mix, things will get much improved, oil thieves and vandals who break into our pipelines make it difficult for Nigerians to even benefit from what this government has done.
“We have far larger capacity installed than the power we are giving out because of gas supply, which is being taken care of. More forces are being deployed.
“Electronic gadgets are being installed to ensure that at any point of disruption our security forces will know and know how to forestall it.”
Nebo said that government’s desire for Nigerians was to ensure stable power supply, noting that measures were being put in place to ensure steady power supply.
“The commissioning of this unit is a clear demonstration of the wisdom of President Goodluck Jonathan administration’s commitment to the reform and development of the power sector.
“The power sector is beginning to see the impact of the privatisation of the generation and distribution assets to the benefit of Nigerian electricity consumers.
“With this new unit, the new owners of Egbin Power Plant have accomplished the commendable feat of bringing the power plant back to its original installed capacity of 1,320 megawatts.
“The ability to wheel this power from the generation stations on to distribution companies rests with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
“This has been strengthened by the private sector participation of Canada’s Manitoba Hydro International as the management contractor.
“TCN has the mandate of not only upgrading the existing transmission infrastructure but also to embark on new transmission projects to expand capacity around the country.
“Federal Government has graciously approved huge capital investment to enable TCN to realise the vision for a more robust higher capacity transmission network in the country.”
He said that Otorogu and Pan Ocean Power Plants would be back on stream by today bringing additional 90 million standard cubic feet of gas.
The minister said that major pipelines, the Trans Niger Pipeline and the Trans Forcados Pipeline were hacked into multiple points.
He said that this resulted to production losses as well as drop in power generation as the plants were starved of gas supply.
Nebo, however, said the situation was now under control as generation capacity gone up again to above 3, 600 megawatts, Nigeria’s highest capacity till date.
The minister said that vandalism had become one of the biggest challenges faced in the energy industry in general.
He said that the problem had resulted to colossal losses running into millions of dollars in crude oil and gas production losses as well as power generation shortages.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.

Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.

Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.

The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.

He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.

“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .

According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.

He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.

The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.

“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.

The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.

In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.

Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.

By: King Onunwor

Business

BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.

The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

4 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi