Oil & Energy

BPE Dispels Rumour On BEDC, DISCOs’ Licence Renewal

Published

7 years ago

November 26, 2018

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Alex Okoh has declared that contrary to insinuations, there is indeed nothing ongoing in terms of contract or licence renewal for any of the distribution companies (Discos), including BEDC Electricity Plc.
In a statement from BEDC, following a news conference in Benin, Edo State capital, Okoh was quoted to have appealed to civil society groups, residents and all stakeholders in the BEDC franchise areas to exercise restraint and allow the company perform its functions without any hindrance.
The clarification comes even as he described BEDC as one of the best managed discos, saying, “The government respects contracts and would not do anything to jeopardise the operations of companies that the Federal Government had willingly entered into agreements with, including the Discos”.
“We have followed the development in Benin Disco with keen interest, and indeed the attention of the Bureau has been drawn to certain erroneous information over the purported renewal of the licences issued to the Discos, including BEDC Electricity Plc for the purpose of retail distribution of electricity”.
While clarifying the difference between a performance agreement review, and what has been purported as a review of the operating licence of the Disco, Okoh disclosed that the performance agreement stipulates the milestones that the core investors should achieve within a specified period.
However, he said the issue of licensing is a different matter altogether, and is being handled by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
According to him, all discos sold were thus also required to acquire NERC licence in addition to purchasing the privatised company and its assets.
He added, “For BEDC, there is an existing 15 years NERC licence broken into 10 years plus five year, with another 10 years renewal option at the end of the 15 years period i.e. licence of up to 25 years”.
He explained that the Federal Government was pursuing a comprehensive power sector recovery programme that would address the challenges of the sector, including those faced by customers under the Benin franchise areas.
Okoh added that government was equally working with its international partners to reposition the power sector, saying BEDC in particular has benefited from the services of such institutions like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), aimed at getting the best electricity services to the people.
In her update across the franchise states, the Managing Director/CEO, BEDC Plc, Mrs Funke Osibodu, disclosed that 27 applications were received for the Meter Asset Provider (MAP), adding that after screening, seven were currently going through the financial bid review process.
On the Ondo South network rehabilitation project, she disclosed that the Federal Government, through the National Independent Power Project (NIPP), has joined forces with BEDC for the speedy rehabilitation of the whole network.
“According to the new schedule of the joint effort, the first phase is from Ore junction to Okitipupa, where 19 communities had been connected to the grid in Ondo South, including Ore, Odigbo, Adaja and Liyetu among others.
In Ondo North, 34 communities have been connected including Gedegede, Ikun, Eriti, Oke-Agbe, Ikare, Arigidi, Oba-Akoko and Ikaram among others.
Speaking on the disruption of power supply in some areas, Osibodu explained that for the affected areas such as Evbuotubu, Oliha, Uwelu, Ikpoba dam, Okhoro, Upper lawani and part of GRA, BEDC had put in place a contingency plan to connect customers in the affected areas to existing functional feeders.
This is on a temporary measure pending when the faulty power transformer will either be repaired or replaced.

Oil & Energy

TotalEnergies, Conoil Sign Deal To Boost Oil Production

Published

18 hours ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

TotalEnergies has signed agreements with Conoil Producing Limited under which to acquire from Conoil a 50 per cent interest in Oil Processing Licence (OPL) 257, a deep-water offshore oil block in Nigeria.

The deal entails Conoil also acquiring a 40 per cent participating interest held by TotalEnergies in Oil Minining Lease (OML) 136, both located offshore Nigeria.

Upon completion of this transaction, TotalEnergies’ interest in OPL257 would be increased from 40 per cent to 90 per cent, while Conoil will retain a 10% interest in this block.

Covering an area of around 370 square kilometres, OPL 257 is located 150 kilometers offshore from the coast of Nigeria. “This block is adjacent to PPL 261, where TotalEnergies (24%) and its partners discovered in 2005 the Egina South field, which extends into OPL257.

Senior Vice-President Africa, Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies, Mike Sangster, said “An appraisal well of Egina South is planned to be drilled in 2026 on OPL257 side, and the field is expected to be developed as a tie-back to the Egina FPSO, located approximately 30 km away.

“This transaction, built on our longstanding partnership with Conoil, will enable TotalEnergies to proceed with the appraisal of the Egina South discovery, an attractive tie-back opportunity for Egina FPSO.

“This fits perfectly with our strategy to leverage existing production facilities to profitably develop additional resources and to focus on our operated gas and offshore oil assets in Nigeria”.

Oil & Energy

“COP30: FG, Brazil Partner On Carbon Emissions Reduction

Published

18 hours ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government and Brazil have deepened collaboration on climate action, focusing on sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and the reduction of black carbon emissions.

The partnership is anchored in South-South cooperation through the Brazil-Nigeria Strategic Dialogue Mechanism, which facilitates the exchange of ideas, technology, and policy alignment within the global climate framework, particularly the Paris Agreement.

The Executive Secretary, Amazon Interstates Consortium, Marcello Brito, made the disclosure during an interview with newsmen, in Abuja, on the sidelines of the 2025 COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in Belem, Brazil.

Brito emphasized that both nations are committed to global efforts aimed at curbing black carbon emissions, a critical component of climate mitigation strategies.

“Nigeria and Brazil are collaborating on climate change remedies primarily through the Green Imperative Project (GIP) for sustainable agriculture, and by working together on renewable energy transition and climate finance mobilisation,” Brito said.

“These efforts are part of a broader strategic partnership aimed at fostering sustainable development and inclusive growth between the two Global South nations,” Brito added.

TheTide gathered that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced an ambitious plan to mobilize up to $3 billion annually in climate finance, through its National Carbon Market Framework and Climate Change Fund, positioning itself as a leader in nature-positive investment across the Global South.

Represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, Tinubu made the announcement during a high-level thematic session of the conference titled ‘Climate and Nature: Forests and Oceans’

Tinubu stressed that Nigeria’s climate strategy is rooted in restoring balance between nature, development, and economic resilience.

Hosted in the heart of the Amazon, on November 10—21, the 30th COP30 conference brought together the international community to discuss key climate issues, focusing on implementing the Paris Agreement, reviewing nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and advancing goals for energy transition, climate finance, forest conservation, and adaptation.

Oil & Energy

DisCo Debts, Major Barrier To New Grid Projects In Nigeria ……. Stakeholders

Published

18 hours ago

November 24, 2025

The Tide

Energy industry leaders and lenders have raised concerns that the high-risk legacy debts of Distribution Companies (DisCos) and unclear regulatory frameworks are significant barriers to the financing and development of new grid-connected power projects in Nigeria.

The consensus among financiers and power sector executives is that addressing legacy DisCo debt, improving contractual transparency, and streamlining regulatory frameworks are critical to unlocking private investment in Nigeria’s power infrastructure.

Speaking in the context of new grid-connected power plants, during panel sessions at the just concluded Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Power Conference, Senior Vice President at Stanbic IBTC Infrastructure Fund, Jumoke Ayo-Famisa, explained the cautious approach lenders take when evaluating embedded or grid-scale power projects.

Ayo-Famisa who emphasized the critical importance of clarity around off-takers and contract structures said “If someone approaches us today with an embedded power project, the first question is always: Who is the off-taker? Who are you signing the contract with?” . “In Lagos State, for example, there is Eko Electricity and Excel Distribution Company Limited. Knowing this is important,” she said.

She highlighted the nuances in contract types, whether the developer is responsible just for generation or for the full chain, including distribution and collection.

“Collection is very important because you would be wondering, ‘is the cash going to be commingled with whatever is happening at the major DISCO level, is it ring-fenced, what is the cash flow waterfall,” she stated.

Ayo-Famisa pointed out that the major stumbling block remains the “high leverage in the books of the legacy DisCos.” Incoming project financiers want to be confident that their cash flows won’t be exposed to the financial risks of these indebted entities. This makes clarity on contractual relationships and cash flow mechanisms a top priority.

Noting that tariff clarity also remains a challenge, Ayo-Famisa said “Some states have come out to clearly say that there is no subsidy; some are saying they are exploring solutions for the lower income segments. So, the clarity would be on who is responsible for the tariff, is this sponsored?, Can they change tariffs?, In terms of if their cost rises, they can pass it on, or they have to wait for the regulator.

“Unlike, what you find in the willing seller-willing buyer, where they negotiate and agree on their prices. Now they are going into grid, there is Band A, Band B, if my power goes into, say, Ikeja Electric, or I have a contract with them, “am I commingled with whatever is happening across their multiple bands?”

Also speaking, Group Managing Director and CEO of West Power & Gas Limited, Wola Joseph Condotti, stressed the dual-edged nature of decentralization in the power sector.

“Of course, decentralization brings us closer to the people as the jurisdiction is now clear. You also know that your tariff would be reflective of the type of people living in that environment. You cannot take the Lagos tariff to Zamfara, and this is what has been happening before now in the power sector. So, decentralization brings about a more customized solution to issues you find on the ground.

“Some of the issues I see are those that bother on capacity. It was a centrally run system that had 11 DISCOs. Of the 11 DISCOs, I think there are 3 or 4 of us today that are surviving or alive, if I may put it that way. If you go to electricity generation companies, they are doing much better,” she said.

Condotti highlighted regulatory overlaps as another complication, especially when power generation or distribution crosses state lines.

She said, “Investors would definitely have a problem. Say if you have a plant in Ogun State supplying power to another state, say Lagos State; you are automatically regulated by NERC. But the truth is that the state regulator of Ogun State and Lagos State wants you to comply with certain regulatory standards.”

With the growing demand for reliable electricity and an urgent need for infrastructure expansion, the ability to navigate these complex financial and regulatory landscapes would determine the pace at which new grid-connected power projects can be developed.