Business

Nigeria,Benin Rep Form Biggest Trade Alliance

Published

3 years ago

July 26, 2023

Acting Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has said Nigeria and Benin are strategically placed for a mutually beneficial bilateral trade relations.
Adeniyi, who was addressing stakeholders at Seme Border on Friday, said this is in recognition of the fact that the world is tilted toward strategic national alliances for preferential trade.
He argued that worthwhile trade relations between Germany and France in Europe; Brazil and Argentina in South America; Japan and Korea in Asia; among others, could be replicated in the West African sub-region between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
“We live in a world where preferential trade agreement will be the order of the day. This will determine how government will provide economic prosperity to its citizens.
“This means that people within the political block and geographical entities will trade with themselves under some frameworks like the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalization Scheme which started over 30 years ago.
“While we are grappling with this, in other parts of the world, they have made significant progress and we have discovered that the biggest trade partners are those within a preferential trade area.
“If you look at Europe for example, the biggest trade partners are Germany and France. You will also observe that they are the biggest promoters of the European Union.
“In South-East Asia, Korea and Japan are the biggest trading partners. Although they trade with other parts of the world, they trade with themselves more”, he said.
According to him, modalities to achieve better trade relations whilst addressing the challenges bedeviling cross-border trade was the top issues for discussion when the Customs leadership from Nigeria and Benin Republic met on Monday.

He, however, added that the meeting between both national Customs bosses will guide the impending deliberations between Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Beninese counterpart, President Patrice Talon, in few weeks.

Adeniyi also stated that reopening of the nation’s land borders fully depends on the readiness of the local communities to corporate with Customs and other law enforcement agents in combating insecurity and smuggling.

“National Security is the business of every citizen and not security agents alone. Criminals live around us, those who carry arms and ammunition also live around us. You should help us with accurate intelligence reports to apprehend those involved in such practices.

“Policies on national security are supposed to be dynamic processes. That’s why some borders were opened recently. Security agencies need intelligence from the communities on the nefarious activities of smugglers, and to properly protect the border areas against illicit importations”, the Customs boss said.

Earlier, the Area Controller, Seme Border Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, stated that judicious use of the border would lead to increased trade between Nigeria and Benin Republic with huge economic benefits for both nations, whoch boasts of a combined population of about 250million people.

Nnadi observed that the ECOWAS ETLS and the African Continental Free Tree Agreement (AFCFTA) were created to improve trade among countries within the sub-region and the continent, respectively.

He said they should also lead to the elimination of non-tariff barriers for unhindered market access for the countries.

“Among the trade blocs in Africa, the ECOWAS region has a population of 428.6million people and ranks second after East Africa with a population of 474.9million people.

“It is expected that the potentials inherent in this advantageous position will be translated to increased trade among ECOWAS countries, especially between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.

“Sadly, ECOWAS ranks fourth at 10 percent when it comes to trade within the African continent. Southern African Development Commission with only 69.2million people ranks first in trading among themselves at 32.12 percent. Common Market for Eastern Africa at 20.32 percent and Community of Saharan Africa at 16.49 percent.

“This is an indication that ECOWAS region is yet to maximize the gains of the trade liberalization scheme. This also underscores the level of our limited preparedness for the AFCFTA,”, Comptroller Nnadi said.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

Two Federal Agencies Enter Pack On Expansion, Sustainable Electricity In Niger Delta

Published

2 days ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) to expand access to reliable and sustainable electricity across the Niger Delta region.

The agreement, signed at the headquarters of the REA in Abuja, was targeted at strengthening institutional collaboration and accelerating development in underserved communities in the region.

A statement by the Director, Corporate Affairs of the NDDC, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, said the pact underscores renewed efforts by the two federal interventionist agencies to deepen cooperation and fast-track infrastructure delivery.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, described the MoU as a strategic step towards realising the Commission’s vision to “light up the Niger Delta” in line with national priorities on distributed energy expansion.

Ogbuku said the agreement represents a shared institutional responsibility to deliver reliable energy solutions that will enhance livelihoods, stimulate local economies and create broader opportunities across the nine Niger Delta states.

According to him, electricity remains a critical enabler of national development, supporting job creation, healthcare delivery, education and inclusive economic growth.

He noted that the collaboration would help unlock the economic potential of rural communities while advancing broader national development objectives.

The NDDC boss added that the Commission has consistently adopted partnership-driven approaches in executing projects in the region and is prepared to support the implementation of the MoU by leveraging its community presence and infrastructure development capacity.

He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the REA to ensure the timely and effective execution of the agreement.

The NDDC delegation at the event included the Executive Director, Projects, Dr Victor Antai; Executive Director, Corporate Services, Otunba Ifedayo Abegunde; Director, Legal Services, Mr Victor Arenyeka; Director, Finance and Supply, Mrs Kunemofa Asu; and Director, Liaison Office, Abuja, Mrs Mary Nwaeke.

In his remarks, the Managing Director of the REA, Dr Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the MoU as a natural collaboration between two agencies with complementary mandates, reflecting a shared commitment to expanding access to sustainable electricity in rural communities.

Aliyu said the Niger Delta remains central to Nigeria’s economic fortunes and must be supported by infrastructure capable of driving productivity, enterprise and improved living standards, adding that the partnership signals readiness to deliver stable power to communities that have long awaited reliable electricity supply.

By: King Onunwor

Business

Why The AI Boom May Extend The Reign Of Natural Gas

Published

2 days ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

Artificial intelligence is often viewed as a catalyst for electrification and subsequently decarbonization. Yet one of its most immediate effects may be the opposite of what many assume. The rapid buildout of AI infrastructure is increasing demand for reliable power, and that reality could strengthen the role of natural gas and other dispatchable energy sources for many years.

Investors focused on semiconductors and software valuations may be overlooking a key constraint. AI runs on electricity, and those electricity systems operate within physical and economic limits.

The energy sector has spent much of the past decade grappling with slow load growth. That is now changing, in a way that is reminiscent of the sharp rise in oil demand—and subsequently price—in the early 2000s.

Training large language models and operating advanced AI systems requires enormous computing resources. Hyperscale data centers are expanding rapidly, with developers requesting gigawatt-scale interconnections from utilities. In several regions, electricity demand forecasts have been revised upward after years of flat expectations.

This shift is significant because AI workloads create continuous, high-density demand rather than intermittent usage. Data centers cannot simply power down when the electricity supply becomes constrained. Reliability becomes paramount.

Wind and solar capacity continues to expand, but intermittent generation alone cannot meet the firm capacity needs of AI infrastructure without significant storage or backup generation.

Battery storage is improving, yet long-duration storage remains costly at scale. Nuclear projects face long development timelines and complex permitting hurdles. Transmission expansion also lags demand growth in many regions.

These constraints make dispatchable power sources critical. Natural gas plants can ramp quickly, operate continuously, and be deployed faster than many alternatives. As a result, gas-fired generation is increasingly viewed as a practical solution for supporting AI-driven load growth.

This does not undermine the role of renewables. In many markets, new renewable capacity is paired with gas generation to maintain grid stability. The key point is that AI-driven electrification is likely to increase fossil fuel usage in the near term.

Construction timelines favor gas-fired generation when demand rises quickly. Existing pipeline infrastructure reduces barriers to expansion. And for operators of data centers, reliability often outweighs ideological preferences. Downtime is simply too expensive.

Utilities are also revisiting resource plans as load forecasts rise. That shift may drive increased investment in transmission, grid modernization, and flexible generation assets.

The Decarbonization Story Is Complex

A common narrative holds that AI accelerates the transition away from fossil fuels because it increases electrification. The reality is more nuanced.

If electricity demand outpaces the buildout of low-carbon capacity, fossil generation may still increase in absolute terms even as renewables gain market share. Total emissions could rise, but the carbon intensity of the energy system may trend lower as cleaner sources make up a larger share of supply.

Ultimately, energy systems evolve based on engineering and economics, not just policy goals or market narratives.

Rising power demand could benefit utilities investing in transmission and generation capacity. Natural gas producers and midstream companies may see structural demand support from increased power-sector consumption. Equipment suppliers tied to grid reliability and gas turbines could also gain from the shift.

Longer term, advances in nuclear, storage, or efficiency may change the trajectory. For now, the immediate response to surging electricity demand is likely to rely on technologies that can be deployed quickly and reliably.

Artificial intelligence may reshape the economy in profound ways. One of the least appreciated consequences is that it may extend the relevance of natural gas as the world builds the energy backbone required to power the next generation of computing.

By: Robert Rapier

Business

Ogun To Join Oil-Producing States ……..As NNPCL Kicks Off Commercial Oil Production At Eba

Published

2 days ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

Ogun State is set to join the comity of oil producing states in the country following the discovery and subsequent approval of commercial oil exploration activities in the Eba oil well, in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of the state.

A technical team from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has visited the area as preparations are in advanced stage for commencement of commercial drilling operations in the state.

The inspection followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for commercial exploration, forming part of the federal government’s efforts to deploy the required technical capacity and infrastructure for production.

Officials of NNPCL carried out the exercise alongside representatives of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and national security agencies to evaluate the site and confirm its readiness for drilling activities.

The delegation was led by Project Coordinator for Enserv, Hussein Aliyu, who headed the NNPCL Enserv technical team.

Other members included Wasiu Adeniyi, Onwugba Kelechi, Engr. Rabiu M. Audu, Ojonoka Braimah, Ahmad Usman, Akinbosola Oluwaseyi, Salisu Nuhu, James Amezhinim, Yusuf Abdul-Azeez, Amararu Isukul and Livinus J. Kigbu.

Speaking, Governor Dapo Abiodun, described the development as a landmark achievement for Ogun State, saying “the commencement of drilling at Eba would stimulate economic growth, create employment opportunities and attract increased federal presence to the state’s coastal communities.

Abiodun also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his support toward the development of frontier oil basins and the equitable spread of the nation’s energy resources.

Recall that geological reports had earlier confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons within the Ogun Waterside axis, leading to preliminary surveys and technical engagements by NNPCL.

The Ogun State Government also carried out an independent verification of the oil well’s coordinates, affirming the discovery is located within the state’s boundaries.

To secure the project, naval security personnel have been deployed to the site for over 18 months, with the support of the Ogun State Government, to protect the facility and its environs.

The Eba oil well is regarded as part of Nigeria’s strategic move to expand oil production beyond the Niger Delta region.