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NPMC Boss Lauds Marketer On Effective Products Distribution 

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The Nigerian Product Marketing Company (NPMC) ,has  commended NIPCO for effective petroleum products distribution across the country.
Its Managing Director, Mr Umar Ajiya, gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to NIPCO facility in Lagos, recently.
NPMC, was unbundled from  Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), under Dr Ibe Kachikwu when he was the Group Managing Director of NNPC.
According to Ajiya, the value distribution chain Nipco plays is a vital role as far as distribution of petroleum products is concerned.
“ l commend it’s massive trucking. The hospitality of its truck drivers, which is not common in other depots, has put Nipco on a better edge than other companies.
“lt is a pleasure to come back home,  I remember coming to Nipco during the LPG beginnings and I really commend the world-class facilities and structures in the facility.
“Nipco has massive storage and the combination of outlets of Nipco. Mobil will make the synergy high for strategic marketing in getting products to the consumers at faster pace and excellent service delivery,” he said.
Amiya said that the essence of the the tour was to get first hand information from depot owners on their challenges and how to address them.
“I can also see very huge investment that NIPCO has put in to upscale the amount of products that they can receive and distribute into the country.
“For me, that is a real game changer and we are committed to continue to support NIPCO and indeed Nigeria to bring about the positive change in terms of product availability for Nigerians,” Ajiya assured.
Mr Sanjay Teotia, the Managing Director of NIPCO, said that NPMC was a critical organisation to the nation and was strategic in getting products across the country.
Teotia acknowledged the excellent working relationship with NPMC, which was once demonstrated in the course of the visit through generous comments on NIPCO facilities, people and management.
He lauded NNPC for its pivotal role in the meteoric growth of NIPCO as showcased by the joint venture with Nigerian Gas Company through Green Gas Limited in the provision of requisite infrastructure to promote the use of natural gas in compressed form as auto fuel.
“ Am delighted with the support of NPMC in meeting the fuel needs of NIPCO marketers across the country which the company notes with deep sense of appreciation.
“ We assured NPMC delegation of the profund support and cooperation of NIPCO in meeting government’s quest for uninterrupted fuel supply across the country,” he said
The Group Managing Director of NIPCO, Mr Venkataraman Ventakapathy, said that with  hundreds of outlets that emerged from the joint venture of Nipco, 11Plc and some marketers, NIPCO Group was becoming  very important and strategic to fuel distribution in the country.
He said that over the years, Nipco had expanded from the 60 million-litre tank farm to 85 million-tank farm.
According to him, the company’s expansion plan to build the Africa largest LPG tank farm is in progress.

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Association Woos Govt, Coys On  Boat Operators  Employments

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The leadership of Bonny Maritime Boat Association has called on Rivers state Government and oil companies operating in the state to provide sustainable employment to unemployed boat Operators.
The Association also want the government, companies and other relevant employers of labour to provide trainings for boat Operators to enhance their skills
Safety Officer of the Association, Comrade Kingdom Kingsley made this known in  a  telephone interview with  The Tide.
He noted that most of the boat Operators and owners plying Bonny route lacks jobs due to the fleets of boats introduced by Bonny Road Transport that had taken over the passengers to the Island
He noted that passengers are no longer patronizing boats owned by the Association, thereby rendering the operators redundant
“Most of our operators can not afford to feed their families due to no jobs, we don’t want to indulge in crime, government should fix our members with  sustainable jobs to take care of their immediate needs”
He called on oil companies operating in the state to engage their skilled boat Operators in their companies to reduce the sufferings faced by the Association.
The Safety Officer called on the state government  to made funds available to unemployed youths in the state to start up business than roam the streets.
He noted that provision of funds to youths would reduce crime rates and reposition their mindsets for a better life
“The  youths of Rivers state are suffering, have no job to feed their families, thereby indulging in criminality daily”
“The youths need empowerment,  jobs,  recreational facilities and better things of life as citizens of this Nation”, Kingsley said.
CHINEDU WOSU
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FG Approves $1 Bn AFCFTA Credit Facility For Nigerian Exporters

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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this  during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NIWA Harps On  Avoidance Of Leaking Boats

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The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
 NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
 Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said  the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
CHINEDU WOSU
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