Business
Firm Holds Security Risk Assessment, Conference Against Oil Theft
A firm, Glencrown Training and Consulting Services Limited (GCTCSL), is set to organise an Oil & Gas Security, Risk Assessment, Investigation, and Reporting conference as the country awaits the full take-off of Dangote Refinery and the revival of the Port Harcourt Refinery.
This follows renewed determination by the Federal Government to curb oil theft in the downstream sector.
The conference, scheduled to hold at the TCC Ogere Resort and Conference Centre, Lagos/Ibadan Express Road, from March 18 to March 20, 2024, is expected to look at developments in the oil and gas sector in the country and proffer solutions to challenges of oil theft.
At a short media parley with newsmen in Kaduna, one of the resource persons, Mr. Lekan Lajide, described the proposed conference as timely, in view of current happenings in the oil and gas sector in the country.
According to Mr. Lajide, the consulting firm with broad capabilities in the oil and gas sector, promised all attendees a thought-provoking session during the conference.
“The session will give insight into the current state of oil and gas security in Nigeria, best practices for risk management, assessment, and mitigation in the industry, enhancing participants’ investigation skills and techniques required for the sector, ensuring participants understand the importance of accurate reporting and documentation in security incidents, and also explore cutting edge technologies and their application in oil and gas security”, he explained.
Lajide, who is also the Managing Consultant of the company, said GCTCSL is led by seasoned professionals with proven technical and diverse expertise in traditional and emerging technologies, markets, and agenda-setting issues driving national and global economies.
“Our Training Methods shall be by class presentation of slides with active engagement and discussions with participants, group discussions, use of case studies drawn from local and global experiences and incidents, use of audio visuals and media display with flexible accommodation of physical or virtual options as may be convenient for our clients”, he added.
He emphasised that the Company designed the content and courses of the conference to meet the specific needs of employees and organisations that will be attending.
“Our clients cut across the globe. Every year, individuals, organisations, and governments benefit from our highly resourced course leaders, speakers, professionals, and facilitators. We also provide complimentary support services for all participating individuals and organisations.
“The company has carved an enviable reputation as a leading provider of corporate training and consulting services in Oil and Gas Engineering, Energy, Information Technology, Financial Crime Risk, Governance and Compliance Management”, he concluded.
Edun made the call while speaking at the 2025 Fellowship Investiture of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos, where he reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to sustaining ongoing reforms and expanding access to finance as key drivers of economic growth beyond four per cent.
“We all know that monetary policy under Cardoso has stabilised the financial system in a most commendable way. Of course, it is a team effort, and those eye-watering interest rates have to be paid by the fiscal side. But the fight against inflation is one we all have to participate in,” he said.
The minister stressed the need for banks to broaden credit access and finance innovation-driven enterprises that can create jobs for young Nigerians.
“The finance and banking industry has more work to do because we must finance their ideas, deepen the capital and credit markets down to SMEs. They should not have to go to Silicon Valley,” he said.
The minister who described the private sector as the engine of growth, said the government’s reform agenda aims to create an enabling environment where businesses can thrive, access funding, and contribute meaningfully to job creation.
The facility, known as the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration (P512892), is a Development Policy Financing (DPF) operation scheduled for World Bank Board consideration on December 16, 2025.
According to the Bank’s concept note , the financing would comprise $500m in International Development Association (IDA) credit and $500m in International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loan.
If approved, it would be the second-largest single loan Nigeria has received from the World Bank under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, following the $1.5 billion facility granted in June 2024 under the Reforms for Economic Stabilisation to Enable Transformation (RESET) initiative.
The World Bank said the new programme aims to support Nigeria’s shift from short-term macroeconomic stabilisation to sustainable, private sector–led growth.
“The proposed Development Policy Financing (DPF) supports Nigeria’s pivot from stabilization to inclusive growth and job creation. Structured as a two-tranche standalone operation of US$1.0 billion (US$500 million IDA credit and US$500 million IBRD loan), it seeks to catalyse private sector–led investment by expanding access to credit, deepening capital markets and digital services, easing inflationary pressures, and promoting export diversification,” the document read.
The document further stated that Nigeria’s private sector credit-to-GDP ratio stood at only 21.3 per cent in 2024, significantly below that of emerging-market peers, while capital markets remain shallow, with sovereign securities dominating the bond market.
To address these weaknesses, the DPF will support the implementation of the Investment and Securities Act 2025, operationalisation of credit-enhancement facilities, and introduction of a comprehensive Central Bank of Nigeria rulebook to strengthen risk-based regulation and consumer protection.
The operation also includes measures to deepen digital inclusion through the passage of the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill 2025, which will establish a legal framework for electronic transactions, authentication services, and digital records.
Beyond the financial and digital sectors, the programme targets reforms to lower production and living costs by tackling Nigeria’s restrictive trade regime. High tariffs and import bans have long driven up consumer prices and constrained competitiveness, particularly for manufacturers and farmers.
Under the proposed reforms, Nigeria would adopt AfCFTA tariff concessions, rationalise import restrictions, and simplify agricultural seed certification to increase the supply of high-quality varieties for maize, rice, and soybeans. The World Bank projects that these measures will help reduce food inflation, attract private investment, and enhance export potential.
The operation is part of a broader World Bank FY26 package that includes three complementary projects—Fostering Inclusive Finance for MSMEs (FINCLUDE), Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE), and Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW)—all focused on expanding access to finance, strengthening institutions, and mobilising private capital.