Business

Domestic Gas Supply To GenCos Rises By 20.2% In Q1’21

Published

5 years ago

September 8, 2021

Domestic gas supply to gas fired generating plants (GenCos) across the country rose significantly by 0.51million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) to 2,505mmscfd in the first quarter (Q1) of 2021.
This is 20.2 per cent increase when compared to 2,000mmscfd recorded in the corresponding period of 2020, data contained in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Financial and Operations Report for the month of April, 2021 has shown.
According to the report, a total of 795mmscfd was delivered to gas fired power plants to generate an average power of about 3,416MW of electricity in April, 2021.
It was gathered that this is a decline of 6.0 per cent when compared 844mmscfd supplied in March, 2021 to generate 3,530MW.
The generation sub-sector includes 23 grid-connected generating plants in operation with a total installed capacity of 10,396MW (available capacity of 6,056MW) with thermal-based generation having an installed capacity of 8,457.6MW (available capacity of 4,996MW), and hydropower having 1,938.4MW of total installed capacity with an available capacity of 1,060MW.
However, the report also indicated that a total of 2,355mmscfd of gas was sent to the generating plants in the fourth quarter of 2020, an increase of six per cent when compared to Q1’2021.
A breakdown of gas distribution figures showed that a total of 209.27Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) of natural gas was produced in the month April, 2021, translating to an average daily production of 6,975.72mmscfd.
For the period April, 2020 to April, 2021, a total of 2,902.52 BCF of gas was produced representing an average daily production of 7,369.76mmscfd during the period.
Period-to-date Production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and NPDC contributed about 62.07 per cent, 19.95 per cent and 17.98 per cent, respectively, to the total national gas production.
According to the NNPC report, out of the 206.40BCF of gas supplied in April, 2021, a total of 126.83BCF of gas was commercialized; consisting of 42.92BCF and 83.91BCF for the domestic and export market, respectively.
This translates to a total supply of 1,430.90mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 2,976.94mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the month.
This implies that 61.45 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialized while the balance of 38.55 per cent was re-injected, used as upstream fuel gas or flared.
Gas flare rate was 9.74 per cent for the month under review.
Total gas supply for the period April, 2020 to April, 2021 stood at 3,081.77 BCF out of which 548.34 BCF and 1,398.78 BCF were commercialized for the domestic and export market respectively.
Gas re–injected, fuel gas and gas flared stood at 1,134.64 BCF.
“Out of the 1,430.90mmscfd of gas supplied to the domestic market in April, 2021, about 794.79mmscfd of gas representing 54.54 per cent was supplied to gas-fired power plants while the balance of 636.11mmscfd or 44.46 per cent was supplied to other industries”.
Similarly, for the period of April, 2020 to April, 2021 an average of 1,313.32mmscfd of gas was supplied to the domestic market comprising an average of 778.76mmscfd or (59.30%) as gas supply to the power plants and 534.55mmscfd or (40.70%) as gas supply to industries.
The Federal Government has stated that plans are underway to reduce the price of gas for power generation companies in the country.
This, according to the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investments, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, was geared towards boosting the manufacturing sector competitiveness which has been hampered by power electricity supply.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion on the industrialisation of Africa organised by the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Adebayo, noted that Africa contributes less than two per cent to international trade, pushing it to the bottom of the global value chain.
He said this led to lower export trade volumes, lost job opportunities and reduced foreign exchange for players in the continent’s real sector.
According to him, all stakeholders need to work together towards developing measures to improve the cost competitiveness of the manufacturing sector in order for Nigerian industries to lead the transformation of the country and Africa’s economy.
Adebayo said, “For example, we are collaborating with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to lower the cost of gas which is critical to the production of the energy sector. This is one factor that can improve the cost competitiveness of the sector.
“Another way that Nigerian industries can position themselves for the African economic transformation is by aligning themselves with the country’s industrialisation programme.”
Despite the rise in domestic gas supply, Nigerians have continued to lament over the epileptic power supply across the country.
The former President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr Frank Jacobs, stated, “It is possible to gauge the loss suffered by manufacturers arising from paucity of electricity supply and high cost of alternative energy source. Capacity utilization in the sector has barely been above 50 per cent.
“This implies that the production has been sub-optimal; production value in the sector was estimated at N8.38trillion in 2016. Another way of measuring the loss to manufacturers as a result of the challenges of electricity supply is by looking at the huge cost of alternative energy which was estimated at N129.95billion as at 2016.
“Even though the sector, especially the distribution aspect has been privatised, it is important that government should find ways and means of supporting the DisCos until a stable, quality and reasonably priced electricity is available to the manufacturing sector.
“There is need for government to continue to offer integrated support to all stakeholders on the NESI value-chain i.e. manufacturers, GenCos, TCN, and DisCos in terms of finance and expertise.”
A trader in Olodi-Apapa, Kazeem Onoja, said power supply was good when he moved to the area about eight years ago.
According to him, “Then, public power supply from PHCN was quite okay, we were having between 14 and 20 hours of power supply on most days. We knew their schedule – the days we are meant to have supply and the days we would not have except a major fault occurred.
“Power supply has steadily deteriorated as the area developed and more people come into the neighbourhood”.
On her part, Executive Secretary, the Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC), Joy Ogayi, said, “To bridge the gap between demand and supply of power, there is need for all parts of the power chain to be fully effective to bring about the installed capacity of 13,200MW to hungry consumers.
“However, this is not the case in the power sector in Nigeria.”

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

7 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.