Nation

Make Downstream Sector Work Again, Stakeholders Task FG

Published

6 years ago

December 9, 2020

Stakeholders in the oil and gas industry have challenged the Federal Government to immediately put necessary machinery in motion to ensure that the nation’s downstream sector of the oil and gas industry begins working again, in other to impact positively on the economy.

They gave the charge at the 5^th International Conference on Gas, Refining and Petrochemicals organized by the Centre for Gas, Refining and Petrochemicals (CGRP), University of Port Harcourt, in collaboration with the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), held at the university campus in Port Harcourt, recently.

With the theme, “Towards A Robust Refining, Petrochemicals, And Gas Industry In Nigeria” the conference’s key objective was to proffer actionable solutions that could engender seamless operations of petroleum refining, petrochemicals and gas industry in Nigeria.

They insisted that policy makers’ and industry operators’ attention needed to be drawn towards making a paradigm shift from exporting crude to in-country processing, and also leaning more on gas and petrochemicals therefrom to drive industrialization in Nigeria.

In a communiqué at the end of the one-day international virtual conference, signed by the Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof Stephen Okodudu; Chairman of Governing Board, CGRP, Engr. Anthony Ogbuigwe; National President, NSChE, Engr, Onochie Anyaoku; and Ag. Director, Centre for Gas, Refining and Petrochemicals, Dr Ipeghan Otaraku, they commended the Federal Government in its drive towards repositioning the oil and gas industry, particularly the downstream sector, and commitment to passing the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), lamenting that over $30billion was expended yearly on importation of petroleum products in Nigeria.

In their opening remarks, the Chief Host and Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Stephen Okodudu and the National President of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), Engr. Onochie Azubuike Anyaoku, urged all stakeholders to join hands together to reposition the industry in order to add value to the nation’s economy.

The keynote address was presented by former GED Refining and Petrochemicals, NNPC and Chairman of CGRP Governing Board, Engr. Anthony Ogbuigwe.

In his paper presentation, titled, “The Gas Conundrum: The way out for Industrialization and Consumption in Nigeria”, the Managing Director, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), Engr. Tony Attah, highlighted the role of gas in today’s energy mix, describing it as the bedrock of industrialization in Nigeria.

While the Executive Secretary, African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARA), Engr. Anibor Kragha presented a paper titled, “Getting the Petroleum Refineries back on stream: Sustainability and Socio-economic considerations”, the Group Chief Technical Officer, Notore Chemical Industries Limited, Engr. Bode Agagu, presented another paper titled, “Diversification of Petrochemicals Production in Nigeria: Overcoming the Challenges”.

No fewer than 292 participants, drawn from captains and operators of industry, including Nigerian Refining Companies, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), Indorama, Notore), as well as academia, professionals, NGOs, and policy makers across the globe were in attendance.

Part of the communiqué reads, “Dependence on importation for our petroleum product needs is unacceptable and unsustainable because of its negative impact on scarce foreign exchange, the economy, loss of job creation opportunities.

“The advantages of local refining over importation of petroleum products are keys to improved security, saving of foreign exchange, industrial development, job creation, manpower development, industrial harmony and other environmental benefits.

“Privatization and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) have proved to be excellent economic models as seen at Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited and Notore Chemical Industries Limited.

“Government policy inconsistency and adverse socio-economic considerations are some factors that militate against setting up of private refineries in Nigeria.

“Nigeria, like other African countries, has not given sufficient attention to targeted and sustainable financing of the downstream sector.

“The demand for crude oil and other fossil fuels as energy sources have been on a steady decline over the years because oil is losing its energy value due to stringent environmental policies of governments of various countries.

‘The concept of Triple Helix – close co-operation between Academia, Government, Industry and Professional Bodies was pinpointed as the appropriate route to drive desired change in the downstream sector.

“Also, the required future outcome in tertiary education can only be achieved via curriculum change so as to produce the smart industry input.

Industry and Community harmony is enhanced through equity participation of the community as has been experienced in Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited.

“The need for refinery upgrade and cleaner fuels infrastructure was fully highlighted. The demand for gas to produce more petrochemical products has been on the rise. Global climate change policies can impact on foreign direct investments (FDI’s) in gas, refining and petrochemicals operations.

“There is need for the harmonization of clean fuel specifications and tariffs across Africa to encourage inter-regional trade and address public health concerns. Gas has been described as the biggest opportunity in Nigeria for the future, and Hydrogen identified as the future of green energy.”

The conference further urged “the Presidency and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to, as a matter of priority, discourage the importation of petroleum products. All efforts should be made to get the nation’s four refineries back on stream either through Public Private Partnership as in the NLNG model or privatization as in the Indorama and Notore models.

“The efforts of Dangote refinery are highly commended. Government should, therefore, offer every necessary assistance to facilitate its speedy completion and commissioning.

“Operators of the Downstream Industry should adopt reliability-centred maintenance practices (RCMP) as this will enhance their plants and operations for sustainable on-stream availability and high capacity utilisation.

“The Federal Government should ensure more private sector participation in the downstream sector to encourage effective harnessing of the nation’s gas and hydrocarbon potentials.

“The Federal Government should provide the enabling environment and policy initiatives for investors to engage in key infrastructural development that supports industrial growth in the Country.

“The Federal Government and the National Assembly should collaborate with International agencies, to pursue and implement Global Climate Change policies for clean fuels and renewable alternatives. Systematic and sustainable transition to cleaner fuels is an imperative to ensure public health.

“The Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) should collaborate with the Universities to change curriculum to inculcate big data, digitization and artificial intelligence in learning and research. This will produce the needed manpower of the future downstream sector of the Oil and Gas industry.

“Academia and Industry should work together to harness the synergy of the Town-and-Gown concept especially in proffering smart solutions to industrial challenges.

“The Federal Government, security agencies and host communities should ensure a robust security architecture that can create a secured environment for investors and industrial security.

“Government should make all efforts to facilitate the availability of enough Natural Gas to support Indorama’s and Notore’s production of petrochemicals (polymers) and fertilizers, which are the engine room of both the industrial and agricultural sectors of Nigeria.

“The National Assembly and the Federal Government should speed-up the passage, signing and implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) so as to fast track growth of the oil and gas industry.

“The Federal Government should encourage foreign and local investors to achieve targeted financing of the downstream sector, especially the infrastructural development of the gas industry,” they added.

By: Nelson Chukwudi

Nation

HYPREP Marks 15 Years Of UNEP Report, Highlights Major Cleanup Milestones

Published

1 week ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.

In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.

The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.

According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.

Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.

In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.

The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.

Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 months ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) says it has strengthened collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enhance quality control and enforcement frameworks.

Mr Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, the Head of Communications, REAN, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the collaboration would also involve stakeholder engagement on testing, certification and capacity building in Nigeria.

He said the synergy would strengthen quality control and enforcement frameworks, promote policy alignment, and ensure stronger regulation across the renewable energy value chain.

“REAN reaffirms its commitment to standardisation and quality assurance; tighter collaboration with SON is critical to eliminating fake and substandard renewable energy products from the Nigerian market.

“Enforcement and gaps in existing standards have continued to allow inferior products to circulate, undermining consumer confidence and slowing sector growth.”

Lloyd-Dietake said that at high-level discussions, REAN also highlighted the need for stronger regulatory coordination to address emerging challenges in the renewable energy space.

According to him, the issues include inconsistencies in standards, affordability issues linked to certification processes; and the increasing presence of substandard solar and renewable energy equipment in the country.

“The association further raised concerns about delays in product testing and approval, calling for the establishment of more testing laboratories and certification facilities to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks in the system,’’ he said.

Lloyd-Dietake urged closer collaboration among key regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the Rural Electrification Agency.

He said such team work would ensure harmonised standards and more effective enforcement against fake renewable energy products in the Nigerian market.

In response, SON acknowledged the important role REAN continued to play in supporting standardisation within Nigeria’s renewable energy industry and reaffirmed its willingness to deepen collaboration with the association.

SON further confirmed that REAN would be actively involved in future standard review processes and upcoming stakeholder engagements related to renewable energy and electric mobility standards development.

Lloyd-Dietake said REAN affirmed its willingness to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He said the MoU is aimed at deepening cooperation, promoting quality assurance, and accelerating Nigeria’s transition towards reliable and standardised renewable energy solutions.

Nation

Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

Published

2 months ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme, implemented by Self Help Africa, has expanded access to safe water and sanitation services for more than 320,000 people in Kano and Cross River States.

The organisation disclosed this on Tuesday at the WS4H National Results and Learning Workshop in Abuja, where stakeholders reviewed achievements and lessons from the intervention.

Speaking at the event, Self Help Africa Country Director, Joy Aderele, said the programme demonstrated that sustainable WASH improvements require strong institutions, effective governance, adequate financing and collaboration.

Aderele said the UK-funded programme was designed to strengthen systems that support sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

According to her, the intervention focused on improving governance, planning, financing, accountability and sector coordination to ensure resilient service delivery.

“More than 320,000 people now have improved or restored access to water services through programme-supported interventions,” she said.

She added that more than 5,520 household toilets were constructed in Yala and Makoda Local Government Areas, boosting sanitation, public health and efforts to end open defecation.

Aderele said the programme also strengthened public investment in WASH, with Cross River increasing its sector budget by 211 per cent in 2026 and Kano by 169.07 per cent.

She added that dedicated WASH budget lines had been established across 40 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in both states, strengthening accountability and institutional commitment.

According to her, both states reviewed and adopted updated WASH policies, while key planning documents were developed to guide future investments and service delivery.

She said Cross River also recorded a major legislative milestone through the passage of the Water Law and Open Defecation Prohibition Bill.

Aderele added that lessons from interventions in Yala LGA were already informing expansion efforts in Obubra Local Government Area.

While commending the achievements, she noted that capacity gaps, resource constraints and climate-related pressures remained challenges to sustainable WASH services.

“The sustainability of these gains will depend on continued government leadership, adequate financing, strong partnerships and investment in institutional capacity,” she said.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager of WS4H, Mr Timothy Ibeawuchi, said the intervention focused on strengthening systems needed to sustain gains and attract future investments.

According to him, the programme engages stakeholders in developing strategies that preserve achievements and support long-term service delivery.

“System strengthening work takes time because it addresses the fundamental issues responsible for sustainable and resilient service delivery,” he said.

Ibeawuchi said the programme strengthened policy development, planning, financing, monitoring and evaluation systems across the WASH sector.

He said two pilot local government areas were supported to develop WASH strategic plans outlining sector goals, targets and activities between 2026 and 2030.

According to him, the plans will guide future interventions and improve service delivery in the affected councils.

Earlier, the representative of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Chidera Chukwu, reaffirmed support for Nigeria’s development efforts in spite of the programme nearing completion.

Chukwu commended the Self Help Africa-led consortium for delivering the programme with professionalism and a strong focus on systems strengthening.

He said the consortium contributed greatly to strengthening Nigeria’s WASH sector through policy reforms, improved coordination and enhanced accountability.

“Together, we have advanced key policy and legislative reforms, including open defecation-free laws and strengthened state WASH frameworks,” he said.

According to him, the reforms represent enduring system-level changes that will continue delivering benefits beyond the programme’s lifespan.

In his remarks, Mr Jamilu Habu, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, commended the programme’s achievements.

Habu, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said the intervention strengthened governance, coordination, evidence-based planning and institutional capacity in the WASH sector.

He described the workshop as an opportunity to review achievements, share lessons and identify pathways for sustaining and scaling successful interventions.

According to him, the programme’s innovations and best practices will guide future policies and investments aimed at expanding access to safe WASH services.

Habu stressed the need for continued collaboration among governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities.

He said stronger partnerships remained essential to achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and meeting Sustainable Development Goal 6.