Niger Delta
NCDMB Boss Lauds SNEPCO, Others Over Project Execution
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has commended Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) and the Bayelsa State Government for the completion and inauguration of a Learning Centre and Digital Library at the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Wilberforce Island, Amassoma, in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the State.
The Tide learnt that the state-of-the-art facility which boasts three floors–a 2,300 seater Library Building, and a fully equipped digital library, also has a Wi-Fi Lounge, offices, digital educational technology rooms, a 500KVA generator housed within a purpose-built external structure, 500KVA transformer, a dedicated water facility and overhead tank.
Other facilities contained in the infrastructure, according to a statement from the Corporate Communications Directorate of the NCDMB, include a restaurant/recreation hub.
Represented by the Director of Corporate Services of the Board, Dr. Ama Ikuru, the Executive Secretary prefaced his address at the commission ceremony which took place recently with a word of appreciation to the State Government for making the environment conducive for business activities.
“Those of us in the oil and gas industry know that without the enabling environment, there’ll be no project and without projects, there will be no local content growth and no projects like this one.
“The project is part of SNEPCo’s commitment to the Nigerian Content Human Capital Development Initiative.
“I’ll thank Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO) and by extension, Shell Companies in Nigeria, for showing faith, commitment, and good execution in the delivery of this project.
“I also want to commend the Nigeria’s Upstream Investment Limited for approving the execution of this project”, the NCDMB boss said.
Ogbe continued that, “SNEPCO was not compelled by legislation, nor the force of regulators, nor by community agitation, but they saw the need to support education in Nigeria and worked with their partners to conceptualize and commence the execution of this project.
“The role of the NCDMB played in facilitating the project execution was that when funding for completion of the project became an issue, they sought permission from the NCDMB to complete the project. And so their request was promptly granted, with assurance of ‘our total support”.
He noted that the Niger Delta University was ready to soar above her peers in a digitalization and artificial intelligence-dominated academic world with the completion of the facility, saying research projects will be completed on time, new findings will be published, students will graduate on time and lecturers will have the best materials for their publication and receive their elevation.
“We’re immensely proud of this achievement. In delivering this project, Shell Companies in Nigeria have proven beyond doubt that they are truly partners for Nigeria’s development”, the ES restated.
Also speaking, Managing Director, SNEPCO, Mrs. Elohor Aiboni, said “the learning complex embodies the commitment of her company to improving access to education for all Nigerians, and that the achievement is the culmination of a vision shared by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), SNEPCo, our co-venture partners, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and the Niger Delta University”.
On the wider benefits of the project to the local community and others, Mrs Aiboni noted that sustainable development is at the core of the firm’s mission, saying the construction process incorporated knowledge transfer programmes, empowering 24 individuals from the Niger Delta University with hands-on experience in complex engineering through industrial training opportunities.
“This initiative equips them with a solid foundation for successful future careers”, she said.
In the same vein, Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, said the history of Shell companies in Nigeria began in Bayelsa State.
He described the Learning Centre and Digital Library as a signature project in the Niger Delta, and thanked industry colleagues for the fruitful collaboration.
Okunborn also reassured that Shell Companies in Nigeria will continue to maintain close partnership with the Bayelsa State Government.
In his own remarks, Deputy Governor of the State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, thanked all who initiated and completed the facility.
He urged Shell and other oil and gas industry players never to relent in partnering the State, advising the university community to put the facility to the best use.
”For the students, the time to give excuses for your failure is over. And for the lecturers, the time to give excuses for your inability to research has also expired”, the State Deputy Governor said.
The Tide gathered that the construction of the Learning Centre and Digital Library was initiated by SNEPCo in 2007 to enhance educational infrastructure in the country.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Niger Delta
PIND, Partners Holds a _3days Workshop On Data-Driven Resilience Planning For Crime Prevention In Port Harcourt
The Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), in collaboration with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE), and The Fund for Peace (FFP), has concluded a landmark three-day Niger Delta Scenario Planning Workshop on Resilience in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
L–R: Mr. Abiodun Akanbi, Peacebuilding Coordinator, PIND; Ms. Svenja Ossmann, GIZ ECOWAS Cluster Coordinator; Mr Edekobi Anthony Chukwemeka, Early Warning Analyst, OSPRE; Ms. Amy Gukas, Junior Technical Advisor, GIZ; Mr. Nate Haken, Senior Advisor, Research and Innovation, FFP; and Mr. Afeno Super Odomovo, Senior Peacebuilding Coordinator, PIND at the Niger Delta Scenario Planning Workshop on Resilience in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The program Supported by the ECOWAS Peace, Security and Governance (EPSG) Project, co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The workshop brought together over 100 participants from government, civil society, the private sector, academia, traditional authorities, and the media to co-create data-driven strategies for crisis preparedness and regional resilience.
The theme of the three days event “From Risk to Resilience: Building a Future-Ready Niger Delta,” marked a major step in shifting regional approaches from reactive crisis response to proactive resilience planning.
Participants explored how the region can anticipate, adapt to, and recover from climate shocks, insecurity, and governance challenges through collaborative and foresight-based approaches,Using advanced analytical tools such as the Fragile States Index (FSI), State Resilience Index (SRI), and Crisis Sensitivity Simulator (CSS), enhanced by AI-powered risk modeling developed by the Fund for Peace and SAS, participants analyzed systemic risks, developed plausible crisis scenarios, and designed practical response strategies tailored to the Niger Delta’s realities.
Speaking at the occasion,
Executive Director of PIND Foundation. Mr Sam Ogbemi Daibo represented by Mr David Udofia said the workshop demonstrates how data, foresight, and partnerships can transform uncertainty into opportunity, and ensure that resilience becomes a shared responsibility across communities, institutions, and sectors, adding that
the Niger Delta’s future depends on our ability to anticipate challenges rather than merely react to the opportunity.
The initiative convened representatives from NEMA, SEMA, NiMet, HYPREP, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ministries of environment and agriculture, and civil society networks such as the Partners for Peace (P4P). Delegates from the Regional Peace Council of Ghana’s Northern and Oti regions also participated, fostering cross-border exchange and strengthening regional crisis preparedness across West Africa.
Also speaking,
Senior Advisor for Research & Innovation at FFP, Nate Haken stressed that
this initiative exemplifies how collaboration across government, civil society, and academia can strengthen peace and security,” said Nate Haken, Senior Advisor for Research & Innovation at FFP. “By linking data to decision-making, we are laying the foundation for a resilient Niger Delta and a safer West Africa.”
“Over three days ,participants engaged in contextual analysis, scenario building, and AI-assisted “red teaming” to test response assumptions and develop integrated resilience plans. Key outputs include a Niger Delta Resilience Strategy outlining coordinated crisis preparedness actions, a comprehensive scenario planning report documenting lessons learned, and a replicable methodology adaptable for other regions in Nigeria and across West Africa.”
According to him,These outcomes will be embedded within existing coordination structures, including the Partners for Peace (P4P) network and state-level emergency management systems, ensuring that insights translate into practical action.
According to a representative of OSPRE,
Mr Edkobi Anthony Chukwuemeka
“This process strengthens our capacity to connect early warning with early action, ensuring that preparedness becomes part of how we govern and grow.” The scenario planning workshop stands as a regional model for anticipatory governance, integrating foresight, technology, and cross-sector collaboration into Nigeria’s broader resilience and peacebuilding framework.
As Nigeria and West Africa confront rising climate and security risks, the Niger Delta Scenario Planning Workshop sets a new benchmark for how data-driven foresight, innovation, and inclusive collaboration can transform risk into resilience.
