News
Shell Reiterates Commitment To Lower CO2 Emissions In Nigeria …As PETAN Outlines Gains Of SAIPEC 2022
Nigeria’s leading energy company, Shell, has reiterated its commitment to supporting efforts to help the country meet its lower carbon emission target.
Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), Mrs. Eloho Aiboni, who made the commitment, yesterday in Lagos at the opening session of the 2022 edition of the Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC), said “Apart from this being the right thing to do, it is also good for our business in Nigeria.”
Aiboni said Shell companies in Nigeria have a clearly defined strategy to support the country’s net zero emission target, which she said, was also in alignment with the Shell group’s ambition.
She said, “Shell companies in Nigeria are contributing to meeting this aggressive target by driving operational excellence of our existing assets, generating maximum value to secure and fund our growth and energy transition activities, and driving alternative energy solutions through the Shell-seeded impact investing company, All-On.”
She said Shell was also expanding its domestic gas delivery network while building capability and relevant skills in the upstream towards energy transition.
Aiboni, who was represented by Shell’s General Manager Business Relations, Mr. Bashir Bello, described Shell’s gas infrastructure project in Aba, Abia State as one of the many contributions Shell is making to boost industrialisation through the use of gas while helping to cut down on carbon emission.
“Our provision of access to cleaner and stable source of energy, through our gas pipelines, provides electricity to the popular Ariaria International Market in Aba which has over 37,000 shops and an estimated one million traders,”Aiboni said.
She said Shell remained committed to supporting the Paris Agreement’s aim to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “We also are working hard to help those who use our products to reduce their own emission.”
According to Aiboni, about 80 metric tonnes of Shell’s global CO2 emission in 2019 for instance, came from its direct and indirect operations compared to over 1,500 metric tonnes of CO2 from Shell’s customers’ use of the company’s products.
“The opportunities lie, therefore, in more environmentally friendly energy products and alternative energy sources including solar and hydrogen.”
In his address, Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Mr Nicolas Odinuwe, said delegates from across over 25 countries in Sub-Sahara Africa were in Lagos for the on-going 6th edition of the Sub-Sahara Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC).
Odinuwe said PETAN was the largest and leading advocacy group representing Nigerian oil and gas service companies with membership cutting across the entire value chain of the oil sector which have been delivering quality services to the industry for over 30 years.
He stated that the gains of SAIPEC underscore PETAN’s emphasis on the future of the oil/gas/energy industry through collaboration, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
He also pointed out that through topical discussions, debates and interactions, stakeholders and key players at the conference will have ample opportunities to share ideas and critical insights into the region’s hydrocarbon and energy transition-related businesses.
Odinuwe appealed to governments, representatives, policy makers, legislators, captains of industry and all industry stakeholders to incorporate the fall-outs of the SAIPEC conference into their plans, programmes and policies for a better operating environment that will have the desired positive effect on the respective economies of African nations.
He noted that though the world was yet to emerge from the throes of COVID-19, the pandemic has changed the global economy in unexpected ways.
The PETAN chairman disclosed that “stabilized and stabilizing markets have all encouraged innovation in several industries despite supply chain disruptions.
“Private-market investors are uniquely positioned to benefit from the innovation super cycle that is being driven by digitization of the global economy, a decade-long transformation accelerated by the pandemic.”
He explained that this development presents huge opportunities for regional collaboration and partnerships.
“Sub-Sahara Africa is said to be the last energy frontier and global hub. A key enabler is to create a collaborative ecosystem between the local industry stakeholders within the sub-region alongside the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The value chain in the oil, gas and energy industry is such that if properly harnessed, will transform the economy of the entire continent. The challenge has been an enabling environment to create a private sector-led industry. Government across Africa, especially the oil and gas producing sub-Saharan countries, should provide necessary incentives to attract private-sector investments across the entire value chain. This will trigger a massive economic revolution, human capital development and deepen local content across Africa”, Odinuwe stated.
The theme for this year’s SAIPEC: “Fostering Collaboration to create cross-border partnerships across the oil, gas and energy spectrum”, Odinuwe said was also “designed to provide us the rare opportunity – as with previous ones – to renew our friendships, make new ones and strengthen the professional network that binds us together as one family dedicated to the advancement of the oil/gas and energy industry and the sociopolitical and economic development of Sub-Saharan Africa”.
Dignitaries, some of who were speakers at the confab include Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote; the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mele Kolo Kyari; the former Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu.
Others are the Secretary General of the African Petroleum Producer’s Organization (APPO), Dr Omar Farouk Ibrahim; the former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Mr Tony Attah; federal lawmakers oversighting the Nigeria oil industry and top members of the Board of Trustees and Executive Board of PETAN; icons and captains of Industry from across Africa, and many others.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
City Crime
Ministry Raises Concern Over Rising Teenage Pregnancies, Begins Adolescent Sensitisation Campaign
The Department of Public Health in the Rivers State Ministry of Health has raised concern over the increasing cases of teenage pregnancies in society as it intensifies efforts to educate adolescents across the state.
Programme Manager for Adolescent Health and Development in the department, Mrs. Tammy Briggs, expressed the concern during a sensitisation programme held at Government Girls Secondary School Rumueme in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Briggs explained that the campaign was designed to educate adolescents on the dangers of teenage pregnancy and other health-related issues affecting young people.
According to her, teenage pregnancy is currently on the rise, making it necessary for the ministry to step up awareness programmes among students.
“This is something that is on the rise for now. We have observed that there are many cases of teenage pregnancies, so we are here to sensitise them on ways to prevent it entirely,” she said.
She disclosed that the sensitisation campaign is being carried out in selected schools across four local government areas of the state, namely Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area and Eleme Local Government Area.
Briggs noted that the programme focuses on several key issues affecting adolescents, including sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, emotional health and proper nutrition.
She added that the outreach programme also featured tuberculosis screening for students as well as the distribution of sanitary pads and mathematical sets to support their health and academic development.
The programme manager commended the management of Government Girls Secondary School Rumueme for their cooperation and support in hosting the sensitisation exercise. She also advised the students to avoid behaviours that could jeopardise their future.
Speaking during the session, Dr. Nwadike Chinonso urged the students to make informed decisions about their lives and remain focused on their education.
He cautioned them against engaging in early sexual activities, stressing that abstinence remains one of the most effective ways to prevent sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies.
Some of the students who participated in the programme expressed appreciation to the team for the awareness campaign and pledged to apply the knowledge gained to make responsible life choices.
Disturbing allegations of extortion, intimidation and the smuggling of prohibited items have unsettled the Kwale Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Delta State, prompting calls for urgent intervention by the national authorities of the Nigeria Correctional Service amid fears of potential security breaches within the facility.
The development was disclosed by a senior officer at the Delta State custodial facility, who expressed concern over what was described as entrenched irregularities capable of undermining discipline and operational standards at the centre.
According to the source, detailed findings compiled between December 2025 and January 2026 highlighted patterns of misconduct and warned of possible security consequences should the allegations remain unchecked.
At the centre of the claims is a powerful corrections official serving as Officer in Charge of the Kwale facility, accused of presiding over persistent financial extortion, high-handedness and the victimisation of inmates under his supervision.
The document further indicated that the alleged practices may have originated during the tenure of a former General Provost, reportedly with the collaboration of another senior custodial official within the system.
Intelligence details suggested that inmates were allegedly compelled to contribute funds for projects and items considered outside the statutory framework of inmate welfare, raising questions about compliance with established correctional guidelines.
Among the financial demands reportedly imposed were ¦ 300,000 for the repair of a Hilux vehicle, ¦ 600,000 for the purchase of a freezer and ¦ 750,000 for a generator allegedly designated for the Officer in Charge’s residence.
The report also alleged that inmates were required to make payments before being conveyed to court, while Awaiting Trial Persons in Cells One to Nine were directed to raise ¦ 30,000 per cell, with Convict Cells One to Three, including a designated VIP cell, similarly mandated to pay ¦ 30,000 monthly.
Observers noted that if substantiated, such practices would amount to grave breaches of professional ethics and custodial administration standards, eroding principles of fairness, transparency and inmate welfare within correctional institutions.
Beyond the financial allegations, the intelligence brief raised concerns over the purported possession of unauthorised communication devices, alleging that a serving General Provost had two Android phones while another influential inmate was also reportedly found with a mobile device.
The document further alleged that prohibited items, including alcoholic beverages, Indian hemp and other hard substances, may have been smuggled into the custodial yard under the guise of routine supervision duties, with security sources warning that the cumulative effect of extortion, intimidation and contraband trafficking has heightened tension within the facility.
In view of the gravity of the allegations, they called for an immediate and discreet investigation by the minister of Interior for immediate action to safe the life of inmates.
The administrative review of implicated officers, even as officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service had yet to issue an official statement, with stakeholders insisting that a transparent probe and decisive action are essential to restoring confidence and safeguarding institutional integrity at the Kwale Medium Security Custodial Centre.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the government of President Bola Tinubu at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice over the government’s alleged failure to withdraw “unlawful mass phone-tapping rules” known as the Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations, 2019.
LICR 2019 is a regulation that authorises telecom licensees to install technology for security agencies to monitor communications, including voice, data, text, email, and browsing, for national security and to combat crime.
SERAP, in a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, yesterday, said the suit followed allegations by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that the phone conversation of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was intercepted.
El-Rufai reportedly claimed, “The NSA’s call was tapped. They do that to our calls too, and we heard him saying they should arrest me.”
In the suit numbered ECW/CCJ/APP/11/26, filed last Friday at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, SERAP is seeking “a declaration that the failure of the government to withdraw the Interception of Communications Regulations is unlawful and a violation of Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.”
The organisation is also asking the court to declare that the government’s failure to withdraw the regulations “constitutes an official endorsement of unlawful mass phone-tapping rules, as the Regulations are patently unlawful, and violate the rule of law, democratic principles, and the right to privacy.”
It is further seeking “an order directing and compelling the Nigerian government to immediately withdraw the Interception of Communications Regulations, and to commence a legislative process to ensure that any interception regulations are in conformity with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.”
The suit, filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Oni, Valentina Adegoke and Maryam Mumuni, argued that “the Regulations establish a sweeping mass phone-tapping regime that violates Nigerians’ constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights, including to privacy and freedom of expression.”
“Where powers affecting fundamental human rights are exercised in secrecy and concentrated in political authorities without independent supervision, the risks of arbitrariness are substantial.
“Surveillance measures that lack strict necessity, proportionality and independent judicial oversight can easily be weaponised against political opponents, journalists, civil society actors and election observers,” it added.
SERAP also warned that the regulations raise concerns as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, noting that broad interception powers could be abused during politically sensitive periods.
“In an electoral climate, even the perception that private communications are being monitored can chill political organising, investigative reporting and voter mobilisation.
“Free and fair elections depend on confidential communications, protected journalistic sources and open democratic debate. Any misuse of intercepted data for intimidation, political advantage or disinformation would fundamentally undermine Nigerians’ right to political participation and electoral integrity.
“As 2027 approaches, interception powers must be narrowly defined, subject to prior independent judicial authorisation and backed by effective remedies. Without robust safeguards, these Regulations risk threatening privacy rights, freedom of expression and the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process,” the suit stated.
SERAP maintained that any restriction on the right to privacy must comply with the principles of legality, necessity and proportionality, arguing that the regulations fail to meet these requirements.
SERAP also cited the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as stating that mass surveillance programmes based on indiscriminate and blanket collection of personal data are arbitrary and cannot satisfy the requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality.
The group said the Nigerian government has a duty to adopt clear laws, safeguards, independent oversight mechanisms and accessible remedies to prevent abuse by state agencies and private actors, including telecommunications providers and technology companies.
According to SERAP, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) adopted the Lawful Interception of Communications Regulations, 2019 while exercising its powers under Section 70 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
The organisation argued that Regulation 4 grants broad discretionary interception powers to the National Security Adviser and the State Security Services, with little clarity on the scope or limits of such authority.
SERAP also pointed to inconsistencies within the regulations, noting that while Regulation 4 and Regulation 12 restrict interception powers to the NSA and SSS, Regulation 23 expands the category of authorised agencies to include bodies such as the Nigeria Police Force, National Intelligence Agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and any other agency the commission may designate.
The organisation said this ambiguity undermines legal certainty and creates the risk of arbitrary application and abuse.
It also criticised provisions allowing interception without a warrant in certain circumstances, arguing that such powers are overly broad and susceptible to misuse.
SERAP further expressed concern that the regulations do not require authorities to notify individuals who have been subjected to surveillance, which it said weakens the ability of citizens to challenge unlawful monitoring.
The organisation warned that requirements compelling telecommunications licensees to install interception equipment and disclose encryption keys could undermine cybersecurity and discourage privacy-enhancing technologies.
SERAP acknowledged the government’s responsibility to address national security and organised crime but argued that such measures must remain within constitutional and international human rights limits.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.