Business

NUPRC Targets N15tn Revenue In 2025

Published

1 year ago

January 30, 2025

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says it seeks to make N15tn revenue this year.

Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, who disclosed this, Tuesday, while addressing newsmen shortly after he was awarded the This Day CEO of the Year Award in Lagos State, recalled that the NUPRC surpassed its revenue generation target by about 163 per cent in 2024.

For 2025, he said, the Commission has a four-point agenda, the first among which is to continue on the path of sustainable growth in its oil and gas production.

“And we all know the importance of that; we’re ramping up federal revenue. Last year, that is for 2024, you remember that the commission achieved and surpassed its revenue generation by about 163 per cent. This year, our target has been increased to about N15tn.

“So, the commission, recognising that, we have equally devised a strategy. Of course, N15tn is so large, but then we are not daunted; we are not intimidated. Rather, we are defining a strategic approach to achieve that target,” he disclosed.

With the release of its regulatory action plan rolled out in the first week of January, he noted that the NUPRC is proactive and focused on ramping up oil production.

“And you could see that, at least, we are witnessing a positive turnaround in the sense that our production has grown. We’ve recorded some level of growth at the moment, moving from about 1.4 million barrels per day to 1.75 mbpd, including condensate”, he stated.

He also disclosed that the commission will later kick off the 2025 licensing bid round after concluding that of 2024.

Accordiing to him, “In that regulatory action plan, we equally marched out the fact that we were going to conclude the licensing round. That is concluding the one we started in 2023 up to 2024. And you could see that by December, we succeeded in completing the licensing round.

“Don’t forget the fact that one of the ways by which we grow national oil production, as prescribed in the Petroleum Industry Act, is to conduct licensing bid rounds. Even though the Act did not prescribe it to be annual, at least we were able to conclude that.

“In October, last year, we launched the project for one million additional barrels of production. That project is one of our major programmes for 2025 as a commission. So, the idea behind the programme is to create a one-stop shop by which players within the ecosystem in the upstream can add value.

“We can pull the strength of all value players along the value chain to increase our production”.

Speaking about transparency in the upstream, he stressed that the commission is committed to sustaining transparency in hydrocarbon accounting through the digitalisation of the industry.

“Of course, you will equally recall that there is this advanced cargo declaration programme and the metering programme, all aimed at blocking leakages and optimising transparency in the industry.

“So, that becomes another key programme that we are pursuing, believing that if we are able to deliver on the programme, it will complement our effort on the project of 1 million barrels of additional production”, he emphasised.

The NUPRC boss also revealed that the regulator is doing all necessary to sustain its effort at decarbonising the upstream activities, which is in line with the energy transition footprint globally.

This, he said, would be achieved regardless of what the United States President Donald Trump’s agenda is.

“By and large, we are watching the global direction in the industry and the agenda of President Trump. As the regulator, this is to ensure that we steer the industry along the path of sustainability”, he stated.

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.