Connect with us

Business

Stakeholders Endorse SNEPCo’s Global Nigeria Forum

Published

on

Public and private sector players in the Nigerian oil and gas industry have described the annual Global Nigeria Forum (GNF) as a model worthy of emulation by the country’s local content regulator.
They spoke at the fourth edition of the forum held in Aberdeen, Scotland with the theme: “Enabling Competitive Local Content Through Sustainable Partnerships”.
The forum, a brainchild of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), the deep-water arm of Shell Companies in Nigeria, aims to strengthen local content in offshore exploration by opening the opportunity space to Nigerian professionals in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom.
In his keynote address, Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Simbi Wabote, described the annual event as a huge success, according to a statement by Shell Spokesperson, Nigeria, Bamidele Odugbesan, made available to The Tide indicated.
“I am happy to see growth in a partnership that has continued to build capacity without compromising standards,” the statement added.
Chairman of the Local Content Committee of the House of Representatives, Mr Emmanuel Ekong, who led some other members of the National Assembly to the 2017 forum, proposed the takeover of the organisation of the forum by NCDMB.
According to Ekong, saddling the local content agency with the ownership of GNF will ensure ‘inclusion of other international oil companies for greater impact and access to support from the Nigerian parliament’.
“This forum is unique and germane particularly at this time of the low oil price regime, and it aligns with the recent NNPC policy to increase participation of the private sector while attracting the right people with the right technology into the Nigerian oil and gas industry,” said the Exploration Manager, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Marcel Amu, who represented the national oil company.
In his remarks, President of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Mr Kashim Ali, pledged the continued support of his organisation to the forum, and asked participants to take advantage of COREN’s new accreditation procedure for Nigerian professionals outside the country.
Reacting to the endorsement of the forum and the successes of the initiative in the last four years, Managing Director of SNEPCo, Mr Bayo Ojulari, acknowledged the support of NNPC, NCDMB, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, and the co-venture partners – Total, NAE and Esso – in the strides by SNEPCo and called for continued support and collaboration to further unleash the country’s huge deep-water potential to build a better Nigeria with stronger economy for now and the future.
Ojulari, who was represented at the forum by SNEPCo’s Acting General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Mr Austin Uzoka, said, “Nigeria’s deep-water outlook indicates a high volume of activity in the building of FPSOs and drilling of new high performance wells with cutting edge sixth and seventh generation drilling rigs delivering unprecedented schedule optimisation.
SNEPCo obviously has blazed the trail here and would continue its strive to be the best-in-class deep-water energy company generating top-end employment and boosting local capabilities.
“As a Nigerian engineer, nothing makes me happier than seeing indigenous vendors and service providers break new grounds and play up to the international stage in engineering and other seemingly complex jobs.”
Those present at the forum included the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Mr Jones Onyereri; Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora (NIDOE) North UK, Dr Paul Eke; General Manager for Contracting and Procurement, Shell Nigeria and Gabon, Mr Antony Ellis and his counterpart for the UK, Mr Anthony Makenna.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Continue Reading

Business

Mile 2-Jetty Toxic Leakage: SEREC Worries Over Environmental Pollution 

Published

on

The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has raised alarm over the environmental pollution at Mile 2 Jetty following a sunken barge which cargo is leaking.
SEREC noted that the sunken barge has led to chemical pollution at the Mile 2 Jetty adding that the continued rainfall has worsened toxic leakage into the waterways, threatening marine life and public health.
In a Press Statement, the Head of Research, SEREC, Dr. Eugene Nweke, said the incident calls for immediate institutional reform of Nigeria’s barge operations.
According to him, independent findings showed that industrial chemicals stacked at a “shipping terminal and nearby bridge locations have been seeping into surrounding waters, with minimal visible regulatory response”.
He said the development was a wake-up call to strengthen the governance and administrative architecture of Nigeria’s barge operations adding that they are currently weakly coordinated across multiple agencies.
This, he said, has left gaps in safety enforcement, vessel standards, environmental control as well as emergency response.
In direct response to this and similar recurring incidents, SEREC strongly advocates the creation of a Directorate of Barge Operations and Logistics Services (DBOLS) within the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to be headed by a Director and operationally driven by a Deputy Director of Barge Operations and Logistics Services.
This specialized Directorate would, “Enforce mandatory registration, inspection and certification of all commercial barges and tugs operating along Nigerian inland and coastal routes.
“Institute safety, loading, and environmental standards for barge construction, cargo handling and waste management.
“Develop digital traffic monitoring systems (AIS/GPS) for barge movements to prevent congestion and accidents”, Nweke said
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Continue Reading

Business

“FCCPC Approves Sale Of Chivita|Hollandia To UAC Nigeria PLC 

Published

on

UAC of Nigeria PLC (UAC) has announced the completion of it’s in a press release on October 3, 2025, that it has completed the acquisition of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), following approval from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Revealing this in a Press Release, at the Weekend, UAC said the transaction, first disclosed on July 30, 2025, involved the transfer of ownership of CHI Limited, a leading Nigerian food and beverage company best known for its market-dominant Chivita juice and Hollandia dairy brands, to UAC.
Commenting on the development, the Managing Director, CHI Limited, Eelco Weber, expressed optimism in the company’s future under UAC’s ownership.
“We are pleased to have received regulatory approval for this transaction. We look forward to a smooth transition and to seeing Chivita|Hollandia thrive under UAC’s ownership,” he said.
Group Managing Director of UAC, Fola Aiyesimoju, highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition saying “We are excited to officially welcome the Chivita|Hollandia team and brands into the UAC family, and we are eager to work together to build on their strong legacy and market leadership”.
The acquisition is expected to strengthen UAC’s position in Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, expanding its footprint into the growing juice and dairy markets.
UAC further said that the acquisition aligned with its growth agenda by adding two market-leading brands and a well-established distribution network to its por.
Continue Reading

Business

PenCom Reintroduces Gratuity For Federal Civil Servants

Published

on

The National Pension Commission has said it has deployed a framework to restore gratuity for Federal Civil Service under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Director-General of PenCom, Omolola Oloworaran, disclosed this at a Stakeholders’ Conference on the Workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for Employees and Pensioners of Federal Government Treasury-Funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies, in Abuja, last Thursday.
Represented by the Acting Commissioner, Technical, PenCom, Hon. Hafiz Kawu Ibrahim, Oloworaran said, “Working with the office of the Head of the Civil Service, a framework has been developed to restore gratuity benefits for federal workers under CPS, in line with Section 4(4) of the PRA 2014.”
The PenCom DG added that “PenCom has enhanced pensions for over 241,000 retirees, representing 80% of those under Programmed Withdrawal. Monthly pensions rose from N12.157 billion to N14.837 billion, effective June 2025.
“Also, since July 2025, no retiree waits to access their pensions. Payments are now immediate, aligned with monthly salary releases from the Federal Ministry of Finance”.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, stated that the Commission would partner PenCom to examine the current rate of retirement benefits and recommend appropriate mechanisms for periodic reviews of retirement benefits.
Continue Reading

Trending