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Nestoil, Julius Berger Sign N24bn Contract

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An indigenous oil firm, Nestoil Plc, has awarded the contract for the building of its new ultra-modern office headquarters to Julius Berger Nigeria at a whopping cost of N24 billion and a completion time frame of 25 months from date of signing. The office building is to be located on Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

In October 2010, the Nestoil Group entrusted ACCL Ltd in cooperation with JBN/Bilfinger Berger Nigeria on the basis of a preconstruction agreement with a design conception of a combination use development of offices, parking and living.

The approximately 75 meters high building offers Nestoil a gross floor area of 32.300m2. The site is located in the centre of Victoria Island, at the junction of Akin Adesola Street, which connects Bar Beach in the South with Falomo Bridge in the North, and Saka Tinubu Street.

The Lagos Nestoil Tower is based on a combined pile raft foundation bored piles with a maximum depth of 54 meters and a foundation slab with a thickness of 1.8 meters.

Due to the high ground water level a secant bore pile wall and a jet-grouting plug are necessary to prevent the building pit from flooding.

The 15 floors provide 9 stories of parking, 19 apartments on 5 levels and 14 office floors including one executive office floor all topped by a helipad and a building crown, which turns the highrise- building to a real landmark in the Victoria Island skyline.

The Nestoil Group wants to achieve a LEED certification for the Nestoil Tower. This will increase the attractiveness especially for international tenants as the LEED certification brings the sustainability and awareness of responsibility for the present but also for the future generations to Nigeria.

The President/ Chief Executive Officer of Nestoil, Dr Ernest Azudialu, and the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria, Wolfgang Goetsch, formerly signed the contract at the Julius Berger headquarters in Abuja.

In his brief remarks before the signing of the contract papers, Azudialu revealed that the idea of building a befitting headquarters for Nestoil started many years ago but never really took off until a few years ago when the idea began to take form.

“The board of Nestoil decided to build something different and befitting, a building that will show the Oil & Gas industry in Sub-Saharan Africa in a different perspective.”

According to him, in the quest to get the best, the company went to great lengths “from what we can see from the model of the building it took a lot for us to get to this level and even to the construction stage where it is today. It took a lot of trips to Wiesbaden Germany for reviews, to choose materials and also to examine what it takes to build a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED certified structure (LEED is an internationally recognized green building programme).

“Today is a signing ceremony and is not going to be a speech making day but for us on the Nestoil side this is a very big milestone to have been able to get this project to this stage. We are looking forward to making sure that at the end of the day this building is delivered both on schedule and to world-class standards.

“From the construction work progressing on site which has been visited by other directors and shareholders of Nestoil, we can say that we are very pleased and we commend Julius Berger having done a good job so far to continue in that line for the next 20-25 months when the building should be completed. We expect that the building we be completed by the 1st quarter or before the middle of 2015”.

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Pipeline Explosion In Abua Odua, LGA Chair Calls For Calm

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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
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Fidelity Bank Collaborates YEIDEP To Empower Nigerian Students

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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
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NPA Launches Multi-Agency Taskforce To Combat Apapa Traffic Gridlock

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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
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