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FOREX: Reps Direct NPA, NIMASA To Clarify Charges

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The House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on Review of Pump Price of Petrol last Friday directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to clarify their charges in foreign currency.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Raphael Igbokwe, gave the directive  during the committee’s visit to NPA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) headquarters in Lagos, Friday.
Igbokwe said representatives of both organisations should be present at the Executive briefing in Abuja for clarification.
He said that operators of wet cargo had complained that inability to access dollars led to deals with had multiple effects on petroleum products.
According to him, there is need to justify why NPA and NIMASA charged most of their levies in dollars.
The Tide source reports that NPA charges are: Lease and Vessel Fees; payment for Cargo and Shipping Dues; payment for Provisional Bill and Concession Fees; and payment for Pilotage and Royalties.
Reports says that NIMASA charges 3 per cent freight bench mark.
Igbokwe said that among the challenges faced by the shipping companies was that Nigerian waters were not deep enough to accommodate bigger vessels which had room outside the country
He said that inability of NPA to create room for mother vessels to berth petroleum products had lead to midstream discharge, illegal bunkering and malpractices which gave room for some operators to be short-changing the government.
“There was need for NIMASA to improve on security of Nigerian waterways to enable more vessels and bigger ones to berth at the port,’’ Igbokwe said.
He said if bigger vessels containing petroleum products berth at the ports, this  would stop operators of ship- to-ship discharge; and not discharging accurate quantity to the supplier or marketers in the supply chain.
“We are looking at NIMASA and NPA to reconcile some charges they made in dollars; to stop the increase in price of dollars as well as offshore discharge.
“From our findings, petroleum products operators disclosed that 80 per cent of vessels bringing petrol engaged in offshore discharge before bringing the products it into our water with smaller vessels.
“The operators also said that the processing had created double charges for them which had cost effect on the consumers.
“The mandate bestowed on the committee is for us to brief Nigerians time to time on how their resources are being managed, ‘’ Igbokwe said.
The Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman, said that the authority was working hard to tackle finance and technical charges affecting the operations of petroleum products.
The Executive Director, Marine and Operations of NPA, Dr Sekonte Davis said there was a directive by the Federal Government through the Minister of Transportation to grant 50 per cent rebate since 2009.
Davis said that the rebate was revived in 2016 when the Federal Government removed subsidy from petroleum products.
He said that NPA subsidised N3.5 billion between 2009 to 2016.
According to him the rebate had affected operations of NPA during those periods under review.
Sekonte said that dredging took almost 70 per cent of the authority’s expenditure which was done by International companies to enable constant dredging of the ports.
“NPA is partnering with international companies such as the Lagos Channel Management, Bonny Channel Company and Calabar Channel Management.
“The dredging company provides technology while NPA provides money to carry out the dredging operations on Nigerian Ports.
“There is a limitation on dredging the Nigerian Ports which could only accommodate 13 metres to avoid environmental hazards.
“The establishment of deep seaports would enable mother vessels to berth into Nigerian ports.
He said that the present management of the authority had deemed it fit to engage in continuous collaboration with all stakeholders to enable more vessels to visit Nigerian ports.
The executive director said NPA gives 30 per cent rebate to Ship To Ship operation adding that both their dollars and naira charges goes into Single Treasury’s Account (TSA) of the Federal Government.
He said that NPA would collaborate with other agencies to arrive at an appropriate calculation to determine NPA charges to make Nigerian ports a preferred destination and accessible for wet cargos.
Sekonte said that “shipping is an international business and brought into the country a lot of dollars.
“The authority pays all dues to international organisations on regulation control in dollars,’’ the executive director said..
He urged the Chief Economic Adviser to President to assist the authority to inform the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to grant the shipping companies access to their dollars on Treasury Single Account (TSA) to reduce time of doing business.
In his response, the Director, Legal Services of NIMASA, Mr Suleiman Abdulsalam, representing the Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside, said the agency was saddled with the responsibility of ensuring safe and secured  shipping.
Peterside said that NIMASA engaged in some international obligations on Port State Control for safety of maritime environment.
He said that recently the agency apprehended a petroleum product vessel which was trying to divert from its initial destination from Nigeria to Durban and Philadelphia due to the surveillance system of the agency.

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NCDMB, Dangote Refinery Unveil JTC On Deepening Local Content

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company have inaugurated a Joint Technical Committee (JrefineryTC) aimed at advancing local content implementation during the operational phase of the 650,000 barrels per day  plant.
A statement from the Directorate of Corporate Communications of the Board noted that the inauguration ceremony took place at the Dangote Free Trade Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State.
The statement also said the inauguration marks a pivotal moment in fostering strategic collaboration between the both institutions, and was a significant move to reinforce local content development in the oil and gas sector.
Presided over by the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and the Group Vice President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Group, Chief Edwin Devakumar, the event featured the formal sign-off of the Committee’s Terms of Reference (ToR), a guided tour of the refinery, other critical facilities, and the official commencement of the JTC’s responsibilities.
According to the Board, the visit also featured the presentation of the certificate of the Nigerian Content Downstream Operator of the Year Award won by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Company at the inaugural ‘Champions of Nigerian Content Awards’ held recently in May.
The NCDMB’s boss made the presentation to the President of the Dangote Group, Alhalji Aliko Dangote, who expressed delight at the recognition, noting that he would display the certificate proudly at his office.
Ogbe congratulated the Dangote Group on the successful development and commissioning of the largest single train refinery in the world, as well as petrochemical and fertiliser plants, describing the projects as a historic milestone not for Nigeria alone, but for the entire continent.
He emphasized that the Dangote Refinery stands as a testament to the success of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010 and the transformative potential of Nigerian-led industrial projects.
“At an optimal daily production capacity of 650,000 barrels, this refinery will significantly enhance Nigeria’s energy security and contribute to the supply of refined petroleum products across West Africa.
“Nigerians, have to own the plant, we have to make sure that the plant works well. We have to secure it, we have to maintain it. The NCDMB would continue to collaborate with Dangote Petroleum Refinery”, Engr  Ogbe said.
Highlighting the need to ensure more value retention in the sector, as mandated by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICD) 2010, the Board’s helmsman demanded compliance with Sections 32 and 33 of the NOGICD Act, with particular reference to local manpower utilization and requirements for NCDMB’s approval prior to the engagement of expatriates.
“The NOGICD Act stipulates that no expatriate can be employed in any organization in the oil and gas industry without the prior approval of the NCDMB. We will work with you, We’ve to protect jobs for Nigerians. It’s critical to job creation, skills development, and national capacity building in line with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, he said.
He commended the firm for training and employing Nigerian engineers, saying the collaboration will ensure that qualified Nigerians were given opportunities across all operational roles, while also urging the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals to support the Board’s initiative which aims at developing oil and gas industrial parks across the country to foster local content and manufacturing in the sector.
He noted that the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGaPS) seeks to create an enabling environment for Small and Medium Enterprises in the sector.
“NOGaPS was conceived by the Board to develop facilities close to oil fields where manufacturing of oil and gas components, as well as research and development, can be carried out.
“We would like Dangote to support one of our major activities, which is the oil and gas industrial parks scheme. The parks are aimed at creating an enabling environment for SMEs in the industry to do fabrications and create more jobs for Nigerians”, the NCDMB’S boss stated.
In his welcome address, the Dangote Group Vice President, Devakumar, highlighted that the refinery project and NCDMB have been working together, promoting local content development during the construction stages of the project.
“We can’t say we have achieved everything, because there is opportunity to do more. We’re grateful to the NCDMB for all their support and advice.  As entrepreneurs, we’re trying to optimise costs. It’s a Nigerian company, it’s also an entrepreneur-driven company. As a Nigerian company, the focus will be on Nigerian content. As an entrepreneur-driven company, it will be cost-focused”, he noted.
Devakumar underscored the long-standing commitment of the Dangote Group to national development and capacity building, saying that the Group’s vision is to grow Nigeria’s industrial landscape.
High points of the visit, according to the Corporate Communications Directorate of the NCDMB, was the inauguration of the Committee members.
The statement from the NCDMB further added that the committee is to ensure the implementation of local content in the refinery’s operations, while its core objectives include promoting the use of Nigerian skilled manpower, services, and locally sourced materials in compliance with Section 3 of the NOGICD Act.
The Tide learnt that the committee will also support Dangote Refinery in aligning its operational procedures with the Act’s requirements.
In his acceptance remarks, Director of Corporate Services at NCDMB and Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu, expressed gratitude to the leadership of both organizations, reiterating the Committee’s dedication to upholding the highest standards of local content enforcement and fostering measurable outcomes that will benefit the nation’s economy.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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Food Security: NDDC Pays Counterpart Fund  For LIFE-ND Project

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, says the commission has paid its counterpart fund for the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise Project to ensure food security in the region.
The LIFE-ND project is an agriculture intervention project sponsored by the Federal Government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the NDDC to boost food security in the region.
Mr. Ogbuku disclosed this while fielding questions at the commission’s 25th anniversary world press briefing  in Asaba, Delta State.
He stated that the commission has equipped and trained farmers in the region on best practices, adding that it has also established Niger Delta Chambers of Commerce with a commitment of N30 billion, but has released N5 billion to encourage commerce and entrepreneurship in the area.
According to him, agriculture is among the next phase of the commission’s programmes aimed at addressing food security in the region.
“Our target is to use agriculture to fight criminalities in the Niger Delta region”, he said.
The NDDC boss said the commission would hold a retreat to marshal plans to enhance the cultivation of rice, oil palm, cassava, and maize for industrialisation.
He also disclosed that its fund allocation from the Federal Government has improved, adding that funding from International Oil Companies has also increased, with greater compliance.
Ogbuku revealed that although its revenue has improved, the commission had thought it wise not to borrow but to deploy the surplus to execute more projects.
According to him, the commission has gone digital in its documentation and data generation to address its human capital development projects, ensuring the even deployment of resources, which allows people to take turns being trained in their chosen profession.
He stated that the NDDC was committed to addressing environmental challenges in erosion-prone areas in Edo, Delta, and other states, contingent upon the availability of funds.
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Replace Nipa Palms With Mangroove In Ogoni, Group Urges FG, HYPREP

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6 days ago

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July 11, 2025

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A concerned group of stakeholders under the auspices of Khana Coastal Communities has made a passionate appeal to the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Hydrocarbon Remediation Restoration Project (HYPREP) to include the removal of Nipa palms which has taken over the positions of mangroves in the area as part of the ongoing Ogoni Clean Up Exercise.
The group, which decried the invasive and destructive effects of Nypa fructicans, commonly known as Nipa palms, on the ecosystem of the affected communities, made their appeal in a Press Statement issued shortly after the  inspection and survey of the creeks and coastlines of  affected communities.
The communities are Kwiri, Kereken, Kaa, Gwara, Sii, Kpean, Tehnnama, Bane, Kalaoku, and Opuoku, all in Khana Local Government Area of Ogoni, Rivers State.
Signed on behalf of the affected communities by comrades Emmanuel Goteh Bie, Raymond Nwibani, and Chief Barineka Tonwe, the statement emphasized the need for urgent intervention to clear the Nypa fructicans and replace them with mangroves which provided sustainable habitat for aquatic species in the affected communities.
The group commended the Federal Ministry of Environment and HYPREP for their commitment to the Ogoni cleanup process and urged all stakeholders involved in the process not to renege on their complementary roles.
The statement read in part: “As you have seen, the Nypa fructicans has taken over our creeks, displacing native mangroves and aquatic life. The impact on our communities has been severe, with many of our people struggling to make a living due to the depletion of fish and other aquatic resources.
“We commend the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) for its efforts in restoring native mangroves in Ogoni, particularly in the Bomu Community. However, we are alarmed by the unintended consequences of removing invasive Nypa fructicans, which has led to the disappearance of fish and aquatic life, threatening the livelihoods of our coastal communities.
“We believe that the removal of Nypa fructicans and replanting of native mangroves will help revive our aquatic life and sustain the livelihoods of our people.”
The group passed a vote of confidence on the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas, and HYPREP Coordinator, Prof. Nenibarini Zabbey, for what it described as their unwavering efforts in ensuring the success of the Ogoni cleanup exercise.
They  called on the Federal Government to release their counterpart funding to HYPREP without delay to sustain the pace of progress recorded in the clean up process.
“The cleanup exercise is commendable, and any delay in funding could stall the progress and undermine the efforts of all stakeholders. We urge the government to prioritize the Ogoni cleanup exercise and provide the necessary support to ensure its success”, they stated.
They also used the opportunity to caution against the antics of self-inflicted activists or bodies that might attempt to hijack the cleanup agenda and create unnecessary agitation, and assured the total support of the affected  communities to HYPREP’s activities to enhance the holistic success of the Ogoni clean up exercise.
Bemene Taneh
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