Business

NCDMB Promises Oil Industry Synergy With Safety Boots Firm

Published

12 months ago

July 11, 2025

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has promised full support to ensuring that ‘world-class’ safety boots manufactured by a firm, Yikodeen Company Limited, were utilised in-country.

The Tide learnt that the firm recently inaugurated its expanded safety footwear manufacturing plant in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State, a 120,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility capable of producing 5,000 pairs of safety boots per day.

In his remarks, Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the Director of Capacity Building, Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, described the inauguration as a landmark event that aligned with the Board’s core mandate to promote local content across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain and beyond.

“Enterprises like Yikodeen are at the heart of what we stand for at the NCDMB. The ‘D’ in our name stands for Development, and the ‘M’ means Monitoring, which describes our dedicated effort to ensure Nigerian-made products are not just produced, but utilised”, he said.

Ogbe said the NCDMB will continue to support the company, especially as its products meet global standards, and are already being adopted in the oil and gas industry.

“I’ve the mandate to inform you of our full support to ensure that these world-class safety boots are utilised in-country”, he said.

The Board’s Chief Scribe cited the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy, stressing its implications across all sectors.

“The President, through the Bureau of Public Procurement, has directed that all safety footwear procured with public funds must be made in Nigeria. Yikodeen stands to benefit immensely from this directive if strategically positioned”, Ogbe noted.

He commended the founder’s determination, saying from all indications the firm’s boss started from a relatively young age.

“A shoemaker is now a billionaire shoemaker. I urge Nigerian youths to channel their energy into entrepreneurship. The Yikodeen journey is one that inspires national pride”, the NCDMB’S helmsman added.

In his remarks, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, lauded the company’s achievement, describing it as symbolic of Lagos’ industrial vision.

“From a modest workshop in 2016, Yikodeen has emerged as the largest footwear manufacturing company in West Africa. This is not just a factory, it is a movement, a demonstration that Lagos can produce, compete, and export globally”, he said.

Sanwo-Olu affirmed that the factory directly aligned with the State’s industrial policy (2025–2030), which seeks to double the manufacturing sector contribution to the state’s Gross Domestic Product from 7.5 per cent to at least 15 per cent by 2030, reduce dependence on imports for basic consumer goods, and foster an ecosystem where local industries can thrive through forward and backward value chain integration.

“Yikodeen is not only producing shoes, it is producing livelihoods, opportunities, and dignity”, the Lagos Governor added.

Recounting his entrepreneurial journey, founder and CEO of Yikodeen, Mr. Atunde Shamsideen, described the venture as a stubborn dream born in 2015.

“This vision started in a room, with just 20 pairs of shoes. Today, we produce over 2,000 pairs daily to ISO, ASTM, and Nigerian industrial standards”, he said.

He commended the NCDMB for its pivotal role in his company’s growth, noting how the Board helped facilitate years of product testing and eventual adoption by oil and gas companies like Saipem and Daewoo.

“Their enforcement ensured our products got through. Today, those same companies are our biggest customers”, the firm’s CEO added.

He stressed on the potential for job creation if local procurement policies were enforced, claiming that only about two percent of safety boots used in Nigeria were locally manufactured.

“If we enforce local purchase in the oil and gas and public sectors, we can create over 35,000 jobs.Yikodeen’s production ecosystem already engages women in raw material recycling and trains over 1,000 people yearly.

“Buying Made-in-Nigeria goes far beyond commerce. it is about creating value chains, livelihoods, and national dignity”, Shamsideen noted.

Also speaking, Director-General of the Standards Organizationnof Nigeria (SON), Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, represented by the Director for Lagos Operations, Mrs. Teresa Ojomo, praised Yikodeen’s adherence to national and international safety standards.

“This is not just a facility, it’s a declaration that Nigerian manufacturing can lead globally. The Standards Organization of Nigeria will continue to support companies like Yikodeen who take quality seriously”, he said.

Okeke underscored SON’s partnership with the firm since 2006, culminating in the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme certification, which assures consumers of quality and safety, citing the company’s certification under critical standards such as NIS ISO 20346:2004 and ISO 20345:2022.

“Standards are not obstacles, they are enablers. They are the bridge between ambition and market access”, he added.

In his remarks, the Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Atuwatse(111), represented by the Ogwa-Olusan, Chief Brown Mene, described Yikodeen as a beacon of hope for Nigeria.

The monarch likened the company to a stubborn vision that refused to be beaten by headwinds, proving that Nigeria was on an upward trend, urging the team to remain visionary and expand globally, while also assuring that the name of Yikodeen will blaze bright and proud.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Business

Pipeline Explosion In Abua Odua, LGA Chair Calls For Calm

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fresh explosions have hit oil and gas pipelines in Odau Community, in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, triggering a major security and environmental crisis that has forced residents to abandon their homes.

The first incident occurred along the Kolo Creek – Rumuekpe crude oil pipelines, operated by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.

This was followed by a gas pipeline explosion on the Ogboinbiri – Obirikom Gas Pipeline, operated by Oando Plc, in the same week.

In a statement by the Abua/Odual Council Chairman, Hon. Owolobi Michael Ofori said the blasts, suspected to be the handiwork of militants, have unleashed persistent gas leakage in the area, raising fears of fire outbreaks and toxic exposure as residents of Odau have largely deserted the community due to the dangerous situation.

According to him, some residents of the area have been hospitalised after inhaling the leaking gas, adding that the impact has spread to neighbouring communities, including Obedum, Emirikpoko, and Anyu in Abua/Odual LGA, as well as Oruma and Ibelebiri in Bayelsa State.

Hon. Ofori expressed deep concern over the plight of the affected residents and urged the operating companies to act swiftly.

The Council expressed its deepest sympathy to all affected persons and communities and remained gravely concerned about the safety, health, and welfare of residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by these incidents.

“We call on Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited and Oando Plc to immediately deploy all necessary technical and emergency response resources to contain the fires, halt the gas leakage, secure the affected pipeline corridors, and mitigate further environmental and public health risks.” the Council Chairman Said.

The chairman also appealed to the two oil firms to provide immediate humanitarian assistance and relief materials to the displaced residents while work continues to restore normalcy.

The Council Chairman said he is working closely with security agencies and emergency responders to monitor the situation and coordinate necessary interventions.

The Council Boss advised Residents of the Local Government Area to remain calm, cooperate with authorities, and adhere strictly to safety directives.

Ofori further called on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), the Rivers State Government, and other relevant bodies to intervene urgently to prevent loss of lives and environmental damage.

Hon. Ofori assured that the council remains committed to the protection and welfare of its people and will continue to engage all stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

Enoch Epelle

Business

Fidelity Bank Collaborates YEIDEP To Empower Nigerian Students

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

Fidelity Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment, financial inclusion and entrepreneurship through a strategic partnership with the Youth Economic Intervention and De-radicalization Programme (YEIDEP), a Federal Government-backed initiative aimed at equipping young Nigerians with the skills, support and opportunities needed to build sustainable livelihoods.

Under the partnership, the bank will support the enrolment of students and young people into the YEIDEP programme, which is designed to tackle youth unemployment, promote enterprise development and expand economic participation among Nigeria’s growing youth population.

The next phase of the initiative is scheduled to end today at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, where the enrolment exercise for students and youths across the South-East that started since July 1st would be concluded at the university’s Convocation Arena.

The exercise is expected to reach more than 60,000 regular undergraduate students.

Speaking on the partnership, Fidelity Bank’s Divisional Head, Product Development, Osita Ede, said youth empowerment remains central to the bank’s vision of building a more inclusive and prosperous society.

He noted that Nigeria’s youths represent the country’s greatest asset and stressed that providing them with the right skills, opportunities and financial support is critical to unlocking their potential and driving national development.

According to Ede, the bank continues to provide young Nigerians with tools for success through its digital banking platforms, financial literacy initiatives, youth-focused products and strategic partnerships.

He added that Fidelity Bank recognises that limited access to funding, mentorship and business development support remains a major challenge for many aspiring entrepreneurs, and is committed to creating pathways that will help them overcome these barriers.

The bank said its support for YEIDEP aligns with its longstanding commitment to empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which it described as key drivers of economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.

Interested students and youths have been encouraged to open Fidelity Bank accounts and register for the programme through the bank’s dedicated online portal.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Business

NPA Launches Multi-Agency Taskforce To Combat Apapa Traffic Gridlock

Published

3 days ago

July 3, 2026

The Tide

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos Port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in Port efficiency.

The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.

At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.

According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).

“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the Port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.

He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.

To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.

On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.

He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.

He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.

Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing Port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s Port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.

“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos