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Nigeria Seeks $25b For Nigeria, Morocco Gas Pipeline

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4 months ago

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Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Nigeria is pursuing a $25 billion undersea gas pipeline project aimed at supplying natural gas to Europe through the West African coastline.
Shettima, who disclosed this during a meeting with Vitol Group, the world’s largest independent commodity trader, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline project will deliver gas from Nigeria to Morocco, then onward to Europe.
He said: “Most importantly, it’s about leadership. President Tinubu understands both energy and finance, having emerged from that professional ecosystem.
“For 25 years, no leader has made such bold decisions — removing fuel subsidy, unifying exchange rates, and implementing broad tax reforms.”
Calling on investors to recognise the new economic direction under Tinubu, the Vice President said, “This is where the action is. Invest in Nigeria”.
He described Nigeria’s gas sector as a stable and transparent space, well-positioned amid global energy uncertainty and shifting demand patterns.
“I urge you to engage in our energy transition plans. Use your expertise in LNG and Associated Petroleum Gas. The world is shifting. Nigeria is a gas economy, not an oil one. We have the world’s eighth-largest gas reserves”, Shettima told Vitol executives.
He said Nigeria wants to harness gas potential fully, thanks to the sector’s transparency and reduced government interference, particularly in NLNG operations.
“What we earn from NLNG is steady and reliable. This is why we’re exploring gas exports to Europe”, he said.
Shettima confirmed the undersea gas pipeline is an expensive project, estimated at $25 billion, and will require significant technical knowledge.
“We need your expertise more than your money. Gas supply reliability is key, which is why the undersea option is on the table”, he explained.
Shettima appealed to Vitol to support Nigeria’s infrastructure ambitions, bringing its global network and technical skills into the project.
“We urge you to use your global influence and resources. The project will be managed with full transparency. I sincerely invite you to join us in making this project a success”, the Vice-President urged.
Vitol Group’s Chief Financial Officer, Jeffrey Dellapina, reaffirmed the company’s long-standing commitment to Nigeria’s energy sector.
He said, “Nigeria has been a close and crucial partner for Vitol. We’ve contributed across downstream, finance, trading and government collaboration”.
He reiterated Vitol’s readiness to invest further, saying, “We remain committed to this country and want to grow alongside it.”
Vitol’s spokesman, Murtala Baloni, also acknowledged the company’s strong relationship with Nigerian partners and institutions.
“We support government efforts where we can, including deploying capital where needed”, he said.
He disclosed Vitol’s role in Project Gazelle, where the company provided $300 million to NNPC Limited during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also present at the meeting was Thomas de Montulé, Vitol Group’s Country Manager.
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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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3 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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