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NNPC Identifies Gas As Transition Fuel
The Federal Government has said that it was focusing on exploitation of gas to close the gap that can be created by less use of petrol, diesel and other fossil fuels, following the gradual exit from fossil fuels.
The Chairman, Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC), Mrs Margrey Chuba-Okadigbo, stated this in her remarks at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston, Texas in United States, last Wednesday.
The conference was anchored by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), the umbrella body of all the indigenous oil services companies in Nigeria.
According to Chuba-Okadigbo, gas as a transition fuel would not only bridge the energy gap to be created by exit of fossil fuels, but enhance economic development.
A statement by PETAN made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt, quoted Chuba-Okadigbo as saying that the conference would arm the Nigerian team with the requisite knowledge and latest technology.
This, she said, would help to tackle energy issues as the energy industry players face increasing need for clarification of the implications of energy transition on their operations and business models.
The NNPC board chairman said that the conference was also to explain the contributions needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to achieve the goals and commitment of Paris Accord and the COP 26.
She said that the increasing social and environmental pressures on many energy companies raise complex questions about the role of oil and gas in a changing energy economy and the positions of those companies in the various societies where they operate.
To her, as the world moves to substitute fossil fuel with other forms of cleaner energies, Nigeria is still faced with numerous challenges in ensuring energy security, deepening domestic gas utilisation and maximising revenues derivable from hydrocarbon resources.
According to her, as world and business leaders join in the global solidarity against climate change and reduction of carbon emissions, NNPC Ltd., is taking giant strides in lowering her carbon footprints, sustaining energy security and driving prosperity in Nigeria.
She said: “We believe that achieving and sustaining a carbon neutral economy requires inclusive policy actions that guarantee access to finance and low carbon technology.
“Recently, Nigerian witnessed the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2012, which guarantees a reasonable return on investments; promotes business and operational transparency, and proffers better fiscal regimes than it was in the past.
“In effect, this Act provides the legal framework and guarantees investors’ confidence.
“Therefore, it is expected that much more significant change in overall capital allocation would be required to accelerate energy transition, especially in getting some key capital intensives, clean energy technologies to reach maturity.”
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of PETAN, Mr Nicholas Odinuwe, said the theme of the workshop: “Energy transition and the future of Africa”, underscores the fact that Africa is said to the last energy frontier and global hub as there is a global energy revolution and the quest for alternative and cleaner sources of energy.
However, he said, developing countries were keeping an open mind in the choices of their energy mix as they take cognisance of what best works for their heterogeneous populations.
According to him, “energy access is critical, so is funding, and so to fulfill the needs of the industry and secure future investment and energy security in Africa, emphasis should be on collaboration, entrepreneurship, innovation and funding”.
He reminded the gathering that many African countries, companies, and individuals had made huge investments in the energy sector and the economy of many African countries depends largely on stakeholders.
“It is expedient that the region begins to examine those critical issues and proffer solutions on how to properly position the sector for maximum economic transformation.”
Also speaking, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr Simbi Wabote, stressed that African countries must leverage on the robust platform and opportunities presented by African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, which according to him, was key to drive home the Local Content narrative to achieve sustainable growth and development in Africa.
While commending the foresight of the league of African leaders that adopted the AfCFTA agreement in 2012, he noted that the AfCFTA has become an enabler for deepening African Local Content practice beyond national borders to enable project delivery and development of natural resources.
Speaking on the theme: ‘Cross-Border Service Integration As Enabler Of Project Delivery In The African Oil And Gas Industry’, the NCDMB boss noted that the AfCFTA is “Africa’s move to harmonize it’s markets for economic integration across all 55 member states with the objective of tapping into the Gross Domestic Product of over $3trillion.”
He noted that with the official commencement of AfCFTA, and the focus on addressing some of Africa’s “teething” problems, the prospect of opportunities among African businesses is gathering momentum, thus, Africa must not be left behind in developing its own response to the prevailing challenges.
Wabote commended the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and other key stakeholders for bringing together participants to this year’s OTC to have a robust strategy session on African Local Content, “especially against the backdrop of the ongoing energy transition narrative and the shifting dynamics of the security of energy supply across the globe.”
“From Kenya to Malawi, from Uganda to Nigeria, and all over the continent, I have always seen AfCFTA as the practice of local content at the continental level,” he added.
During his presentation, Wabote made it clear that to drive Local Content in the Oil and Gas industry, and any other sector, six key parameters must be looked at.
He listed them as: “Regulatory Framework, Gap Analysis, Capacity Building, Funding and Incentives, Research and Development, and Access to Market.
“A law or decree, depending on the political arrangement in a country, sets the framework and boundaries for all local content practitioners.”
This, he said, is “better than directives, or policies that are enshrined with the pretext of pushing the boundaries of local content.”
He further noted that in Nigeria, the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, ensures the compliance of local content requirements.
He informed the audience that to this effect, the NOGICD Act established the NCDMB as the sole agency for Local Content implementation in the oil and gas industry, adding that the newly passed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), further re-enforces the practice of Local Content in the industry.
Wabote told the gathering that the NCDMB has now moved Local Content in Nigeria to 42percent from the less than 5percent that it was before the enactment of the Local Content Act in 2010.
He, therefore, urged African nations and businesses to take advantage of the opportunities and platform provided the AfCFTA.
“Why can’t we take advantage of the opportunities within Africa? I can tell you that it comes cheaper easier and can be delivered expeditiously. It is my sincere hope that our sister countries take full advantage of this rather than going over to Houston, across the Atlantic or the Pacific in search of capacity development.”
Wabote added that Angola has enacted an Act of Local Content, taking a cue from the success story of Nigeria’s Local Content drive.
Key players of the oil and gas industry who gathered at the conference included: Chairman, NNPC Board,Sen. Margaret Okadigbo; Managing Director, Chevron,Richard Kennedy; PETAN Chairman,Nicholas Odinuwe; Chairman of Platform Petroleum Limited, High Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs; and other top captains of industry in Nigeria and Africa.
By: Nelson Chukwudi
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.