Business

NNPC/Belemaoil JV Oversea Scholarship Beneficiaries Depart For UK, Ghana

Published

7 years ago

September 26, 2018

In a bid to advance the girl child education and sustain its Annual Scholarship Programme, Indigenous Oil Company, Belemaoil Producing Limited has sent ten Rivers State indigenes to the United Kingdom and Ghana for post-graduate and undergraduate studies under the NNPC/Belemaoil JV 2018/2019 Foreign Scholarship Scheme.
The beneficiaries who are all female hails from Khana, Abua/Odual, Ahoada-East, Etche, Oyigbo,Ikwerre, Degema, Asari-Toru, Ogu/Bolo and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government areas of the State.
Eight of the beneficiaries, Kainde Chinenye Akaya, Precious Ogochukwu Ajim, Pearl Befee Ezekiel, Fame Obiageri Onyechere, Benebo Daviesba Josephine, Christiana Victor, Obunezi Onyinyechi Favour and Rejoice Nathaniel secured admission to the United Kingdom under the post-graduate category while two other beneficiaries Gloria Iyama Apikisierobia and Francisca Ibiso Francis were sent to Ghana under the undergraduate category.
The beneficiaries are to study courses which include International Relations, International Marketing Strategies, Human Resources, Accounting and Finance, Human Resource Management, Business Finance and International Management both in the UK and Ghana.
The Manager, External Relations, Belemaoil Producing Limited, Barr. Samuel Abel-Jumbo during a farewell and on-boarding session with the beneficiaries in Port-Harcourt said the scholarship is in fulfilment of the company’s promise and commitment towards the advancement of education within its operational base in Rivers State, Niger Delta and beyond.
He urged the girls to excel in their studies and be responsible ambassadors of Nigeria, Rivers State and NNPC/Belemaoil JV, adding that the ten beneficiaries are the first batch of the NNPC/Belemaoil JV 2018/2019 Scholarship as the scheme will continue in 2019.
”This is the first batch. Others will join as we make progress and hopefully in 2019 we will also continue. Our coming here this evening is to ensure that we bid them farewell, we hold an onboarding session and wish them well. We expect that they go out there as responsible ambassadors of Rivers State, of Nigeria and Belemaoil and indeed NNPC too. We expect that they complete their studies within record time and come back with flying colours and be useful and valuable to their country.
This batch is predominantly girls. We believe that the girl-child should be given the opportunity to excel. These were the crop of students among those of them that partook in the screening process that were able to come tops. And we believe that if we are able to impact positive.
“So we are very happy for this opportunity and as you can see they are also happy for the opportunity being given to them by Belemaoil in Joint Venture partnership with NNPC,” he said.
Also, the Executive Assistant to the Founder/President of Belemaoil and Head, Petroleum Engineering and Development, Mr. Sam Dambani charged the beneficiaries to take their studies serious in order to have a better future.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke to newsmen moments before their departure commended the management of Belemaoil for given them a lifetime opportunity to advance their academic pursuit. They promised to make the most of the opportunity and return back to add value to the society.
Earlier, the Director, Production and Engineering, Belemaoil Producing Ltd., Engr Mufaa Welsh, who addressed the beneficiaries said their performance will be a test case for the sustainability of the oversea scholarship for others.
“The courage for us to send the next people will be based on your performance. So, if you don’t perform there will be no need for us to send the next set. You are going to meet a lot of people from all over the world, you will meet new friends but remember where you are coming from. You are a pace-setter for your family so you need to make your parents proud, you have to make the country proud, you have to make Belemaoil Producing Ltd and you have to make our senior partners, NNPC proud,” he said.
On her part, representative of the Nigeria NNPC/NAPIMS, Mrs. Tolu Adefuwa, charged them to be self-confident and be dedicated to their studies in order to come out with good grades.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

3 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.

Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.

Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.

The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.

He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.

“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .

According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.

He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.

The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.

“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.

The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.

In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.

Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.

By: King Onunwor

Business

BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

Published

3 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.

The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

6 days ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi