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FG’s Inaction Threatens $37bn LNG Projects
The Federal Government has been accused of undermining the take-off of the $12 billion Nigeria LNG’s Train 7, $10 billion Olokola LNG and the $15 billion Brass LNG projects.
A business intelligent firm, Oxford Business Group, had in a recent report estimated the total cost of the three LNG projects at $37 billion, and experts had expressed worry that continuous political interference from the Federal Government would further jeopardise these projects.
Though the $12 billion NLNG Train 7 project is considered as the most economical of all the three LNG investments, sources identified government interest in Brass NLNG located in Bayelsa State as the factor delaying the entire $37 billion LNG projects.
The Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, owns 49 per cent each in NLNG and Brass LNG, and experts have said the President Goodluck Jonathan-administration might be more disposed to having Brass LNG take off before NLNG’s seventh train.
The Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, NLNG, Mr. Babs Omotowa, had recently said $10 billion had been lost to the delay in reaching a final investment decision for the train seven project.
When completed, he said the seventh train would enable the company to add some eight million metric tonnes to its current production capacity and increase annual output to 30 million metric tonnes.
He said, “The Train 7 is potentially capable of mopping up and exporting some more of the currently flared gas, and yielding an estimated $2.5 billion in revenues.
“On balance, it is clear to us at NLNG that Train 7 is an enterprise which all shareholders and stakeholders should support and pursue with vigour, for the simple reason that its outcome will be good for Nigeria and for our business,” he said.
The NLNG boss, however, did not give specific details as to when the FID for the seventh NLNG train would be taken.
NLNG is jointly owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (49 per cent), Shell (25.6 per cent), Total LNG Nigeria Ltd (15 per cent) and Eni (10.4 per cent).
Backed by NNPC (49 per cent), Agip/ENI (17 per cent), Total (17 per cent) and ConocoPhillips (17 per cent), the $15 billion Brass LNG facility was planned to consist two trains with a capacity of 5.5m tonnes per year (with an additional two-train option).
The FID on the Brass LNG project suffered major setbacks when ConocoPhillips, in 2013, announced the intention to divest its Nigerian assets.
“As a result, Brass LNG is now seeking third-party investors to take on the remaining 17 per cent stake” OBG said.
The source said, “With the exit of ConocoPhillips from the Brass LNG project, it has been challenging finding who will replace ConocoPhillips and take over its shareholding. The shareholding of ConocoPhillips has been marketed globally and no company has shown an interest.”
Before ConocoPhillips’ exit, the Chairman, Board of Brass Liquefied Natural Gas, Dr. Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, had expressed the hope that the project would take off on or before the end of the first quarter of 2013.
It was, however, not to be as the exit of ConocoPhillips created a vacuum that must be filled before the project could take off.
The FID on the Brass LNG project had suffered several postponements as it should have been taken in December 2006 and later in December 2008. It was also postponed to the first quarter of 2011 with construction expected to start by mid-2011. It was later postponed in 2012 to the first quarter of 2013.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2006, facilitated the $10 billion Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas project overlapping the states of Ondo and Ogun and adjacent to the OK-Free Trade Zone under development.
The 12.6m-tonnes-per-annum facility, consists of four trains backed by the NNPC (49 per cent), Chevron (19 per cent), Shell (19 per cent) and the United Kingdom’s BG Group (13 per cent).
A Final Investment Decision was delayed after BG pulled out of the project in May 2012.
OKLNG’s fate was further put on hold when Chevron Nigeria Limited and Shell withdrew from the project.
Chevron had blamed its exit on the lack of progress on the project, eight years after its inception.
The General Manager, Policy, Government & Public Affairs, CNL, Mr. Deji Haastrup, confirmed in a statement that the company effectively pulled out of the project on July 31, 2013. The statement also confirmed that Shell pulled out of the OKLNG project on July 31, 2013.
The source, who reiterated that political interference was one of the major challenges facing the projects, said that OKLNG projects were on the front burner during the Obasanjo administration, but argued that attention shifted to Brass LNG since the former president left office.
Obasanjo, who seemed to have lent credence to this in his recent open letter to Jonathan, said, “some of our development partners were politically frustrated to withdraw from the Olokola LNG project, which happily was not yet the same with the Brass. I initiated them both. They were viable and would have taken us close to Qatar as LNG producing country.
Nigeria, which is the Saudi of Africa in oil and gas terms, is being overtaken by Angola only because necessary decisions are not made timely and appropriately.”
The Hausa Community in Rivers State has dissociated itself from media reports credited to one MaiwadaAdamu that the Arewa Community in Rivers State has appointed Alhaji Musa Saidu as the acting SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt, following the inability of the former SarkinHausawa, Alhaji Isa Madaki to carry out his functions.
MaidawaAdamu, who is also the spokesman of the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-existence, had briefed journalists on the change, but in a swift reaction, the Office of Alhaji Isa Madaki, has come out to say that the only recognised body which has the powers to appoint the SarkinHausawa, PortHarcourt is the Council of SarkinHausawa in PortHarcourt headed by Alhaji Isa Madaki.
The statement also said Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki is the only recognisedSarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, adding that his appointment follows the proclamation and endorsement by the council members of SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The statement further called on the general public and all authorities concerned to give Alhaji Hussani Isa Madaki maximum co-operation and support,as he discharges his duties as SarkinHausawa, Port Harcourt.
The Suspended Rivers State Commissioner for health, Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh, has described as baseless allegations in some quarters that she was responsible for the purported disruption of the Nigerian First Lady’s empowerment program in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh, who said this in a statement personally signed by her and a copy made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt also described the allegation as a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers
According to Dr Oreh, “they are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord”
In her words,”the allegations levelled against me, Dr. Adaeze Oreh, regarding the supposed disruption of the First Lady’s empowerment programme on Friday 2nd May, 2025, are entirely unfounded, completely false, and a product of the sick imagination of rumour mongers and conflict entrepreneurs.
“They are nothing more than a feeble and mischievous attempt to tarnish my reputation and sow discord.”
The suspended commissioner challenged those behind the allegation, especially the Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation to show proof of its assertion adding “It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I challenge the “Concerned Rivers Youth Organisation” (assuming such a body really exists) to provide tangible proof to support their assertions.
“It is essential to base criticisms on facts rather than speculation or puerile political agendas.
“I have neither sponsored nor will sponsor any activities aimed at embarrassing or disrupting the activities of the administration appointed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to oversee the affairs of Rivers State following his declaration of a state of emergency on Tuesday, 18th March, 2025, and have rather spent the time of my suspension from office focused on other endeavours and my doctoral studies.
“I reaffirm my commitment to working tirelessly for the progress and development of Rivers State.
“Furthermore, I believe that it is crucial for all stakeholders to promote a culture of truth, integrity, and respect in public discourse.
“Unsubstantiated wild claims undermine trust and hinder constructive engagement, and this is not what the state needs at this difficult and delicate time.
“I urge everyone to focus on issues that unite us and foster a positive, solution-driven dialogue for the betterment of our State, and urge everyone to work together to build a brighter future for Rivers State, grounded in truth, transparency, and collective effort,”she said.
By: John Bibor
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has called on key regulators, asset owners and other stakeholders to continue to support the agency toward the goal of remediating the Ogoni environment and restoring the livelihoods of the people and building structures for peace.
The Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who made the call during the Project’s first quarter meeting with regulators, asset owners and stakeholders in Port Harcourt, urged the stakeholders to remain resolute in supporting HYPREP’s work.
“We particularly expect each regulatory agency and asset owner to deepen their involvement and continue to provide strategic support to the project”, he said, stressing that the quarterly meeting platform remains instrumental in providing a structural avenue for regulators, asset owners, and implementation partners to offer feedback to HYPREP on project performance and deliberate on ideas that move the project forward, as well as strengthen collaboration, deepen synergy and reinforce collective responsibility.
Zabbey disclosed that the socio-economic study of Ogoni has started, as HYPREP has contacted the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organisation(WHO) to commence in the next quarter a three-year human health biomonitoring in Ogoniland.
He noted that work on several fronts of the cleanup project is progressing steadily, adding that as key project partners, the insights and shared experience of the regulators and asset owners have always enriched HYPREP’s operations.
He said the policy thrust of HYPREP for 2025 is clear, as the Project is intensifying efforts to complete within stated timelines, the various ongoing projects, including remediation works and mangrove restoration, potable water facilities, the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, the Ogoni Power Project, Ogoni Specialist Hospital, and Buan Cottage Hospital, among others.
Zabbey, however, announced that HYPREP would commence new set of shoreline cleanup, mangrove restoration and livelihood projects, to sustain the momentum of implementing the Ogoni cleanup, adding that the agency would also conduct detailed site characterisation of the high-risk complex sites, leading to remediation works at the sites.
He noted that HYPREP’s collaboration with Rivers State Ministries of Health, Power and Environment, and civil society organisations remains vital, stressing that the technical and administrative support of all relevant government agencies and funding partners is indispensable in helping HYPREP overcome operational bottlenecks, especially those encountered in interfacing with host communities.
He further indicated that “the people of Ogoni and the nation are looking to us with hope and expectation, and expect tangible results from the remediation initiative”, assuring the participants that the Project Coordination Office is committed to delivering positive results.
“We must, therefore, continue to work with diligence, transparency, and a renewed sense of purpose”, he declared, saying, “ the completion and commissioning of projects this year must reflect not only our technical ability but also our collective commitment to environmental sustainability and sustainable development in Ogoni.”
During the interactive session, the Project Coordinator briefed the participants on the progress made so far by HYPREP to conclude the distribution of starter packs to the 5,000 Ogoni trainees, and called on contractors who had already collected huge chunk of money for the project, to deliver without further delay.
In all, the regulators, asset owners and stakeholders commended HYPREP for the good works it is doing, and urged it to do more.
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency(NOSDRA) was represented at the event by Deputy Director, Oil Field Assessment, Dr Abam Komommo Omini, while Dr Vincent Nwachukwu, Director of Medical Services, represented the Rivers State Ministry of Health.
The Rivers State Ministries of Water Resources, Power and Environment were represented by Dr Bealo Brownson; Engr K. J. Osele; and Mr James Ordu respectively, while the Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA); and the Stakeholder Democracy Network(SDN); among other civil society organisations were also at the event.
By: Donatus Ebi