L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Income Electrix Limited, Matthew Edevbie; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, Chiedu Ugbo; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Managing Director, Savannah Energy, Nigeria, Pade Durotoye, and Head of Finance, Savannah Energy, Nigeria, Funmilola Ogunmekan during the visit of the Minister of Power to Savannah’s gas processing facility in Uquo, Akwa Ibom State recently.

The Honourable Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, has commended Savannah Energy, the British independent energy company focused around the delivery of Projects that Matter, for its investment in Nigeria’s energy sector, as well as its contribution to the growth of the domestic gas market to support national development.

The Minister made the commendation during a recent visit to the Uquo Central Processing Facility (“CPF”) in Akwa Ibom State, which is owned by Accugas Limited, a subsidiary of Savannah Energy.

Chief Adelabu described the Uquo gas facility as a huge investment and evidence of Savannah Energy’s confidence in Nigeria’s economy. He appealed to other companies in the gas industry to emulate Accugas so that Nigeria’s power challenges can be addressed.

Chief Adelabu said: “We are calling on other companies to emulate the activities of Accugas so that the unreliable supply of gas that we have will be a thing of the past. They have been tried, they have been tested and they are trusted. One other thing I also noted is their investment in a new gas compressor to boost pressure for gas supplies. It is a significant investment. We really appreciate it, and we will continue to be partners”, the Minister said.

Regarding the company’s social impact projects, Chief Adelabu said: “I want to also thank you for the jobs you have created directly and indirectly, the CSR projects executed and for the safeguarding of the environment. We don’t want you to relent. We want you to do more to continue your expansion plans, so that you can supply more gas.”

The Managing Director of Savannah Energy, Nigeria, Pade Durotoye, said that the company supports the Federal Government’s adoption of natural gas as a transition fuel in Nigeria’s net-zero pathway, particularly power generation. This is why Accugas has invested in building a nameplate 200 MMscfpd processing facility, supported by a ~260km pipeline network solely for the domestic market.

Durotoye said: “All our gas is consumed domestically, with 80 percent being sold to power generation companies, which account for approximately 20 percent of Nigeria’s thermal generation capacity for the grid. In addition, the gas supplied by Accugas enables about 10% of the country’s cement production.”

He stated that Accugas has invested an additional US$45 million in a new compression system at the Uquo facility that will allow the company to continue to provide reliable gas supplies to customers for years to come. The system comprises two parallel trains with a capacity of 160 MMscfpd each and is designed to increase the gas export pressure to a maximum of 81 bar gauge. The project is expected to be completed and operational later this year.

In furtherance of its long-standing support to African oil and gas producing countries and development of local content in the continent, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Monday in Lagos began a five-day knowledge sharing programme with the Petroleum Commission of Ghana.

The engagement seeks to establish technical co-operation between the NCDMB and the Ghanaian Commission through capacity building and learning from the Board’s rich experiences, best practices and procedures in local content development.

Part of the objectives are to foster the Petroleum Commission of Ghana’s efforts to institute an effective framework that will enhance compliance and deepen local content in their nation’s oil and gas industry.

The opening day’s activities included a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, at the Board’s liaison office in Lagos.

The NCDMB’s helmsman welcomed the delegation to Nigeria and relayed the Board’s unwavering commitment to the development of African local content.

In his opening remarks, the Director Monitoring and Evaluation NCDMB, Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu emphasised the need for close cooperation among African oil-producing countries, noting that the technological and financial challenges facing the industry cannot be solved when countries operate in silos. He canvassed that African oil producing countries should develop unique and specialised capabilities that would facilitate effective trade amongst themselves, and grow the African economy, as envisaged by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA).

Thereafter, other key officials shared NCDMB’s strategies and operating templates covering supplier development initiatives, Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks Scheme (NOGaPS) and the structure and operations of the agency.

Presentations in the later days of the week would focus on the operating framework for Nigerian Content planning, research and statistics, succession planning processes, Nigerian Joint Qualification System (NJQS), Biometrics system, human capacity building, institutional strengthening, Nigerian Content Equipment Certification (NCEC) and other templates.

Other themes that would be explored as part of the engagement include the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF) operating framework, the Projects Certification and Authorisation Division (PCAD) templates and implementing framework, the Monitoring and Evaluation implementing framework and the Community Content Guidelines and Stakeholder Management strategies and many more.

The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Project 100 companies and the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), which is the umbrella body of leading international and indigenous oil producing companies in Nigeria would equally make presentations at the sessions.

The engagement would end on Friday with NCDMB and the Commission reviewing a draft memorandum of understanding and protocols for data sharing.

The engagement with the Ghana Petroleum Commission agency follows similar sessions the Board has had with the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) and the Mozambique’s national oil company, Empresa Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos (ENH), earlier in the year.

The Board’s support to the African petroleum industry is propelled by the Nigerian Content 10-year strategic roadmap, which has sectoral and regional linkages as one of its five pillars.

A key initiative of the pillar on sectorial and regional linkage is the Board’s close collaboration with the African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO).

Under the collaboration, NCDMB has organised several workshops in partnership with APPO, with the inaugural edition held in 2021 at the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where the idea for an African Energy Bank, was mooted by the NCDMB.

The Energy Bank has now become fully established under APPO, with the headquarters approved for Abuja.

GCEO, NNPC Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari (9^th from right) and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (10^th from right) in a group photograph with the NNPC top management and senior military officers at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

The Group CEO of NNPC Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari, has called on the military to sustain the war against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism saying the current onslaught against the menace has yielded improved growth in the nation’s crude oil production.

Kyari made this appeal when he received in audience the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa who led senior military officers on a courtesy visit to the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Tuesday.

“I personally call for enhanced and sustained security engagement. This is because we have reached a new peak in production that we haven’t seen in the last three years. This is clearly related to the sustained efforts by the armed forces and other security agencies to protect our critical assets, particularly the pipeline infrastructure in specified areas where we are working closely with these agencies. We are already seeing the results transforming into increased production,” Kyari stated.

The GCEO, who commended General Musa and his team for their unwavering commitment to securing the nation’s critical hydrocarbon assets especially in the Niger Delta region in recent months, emphasized that these achievements are not only crucial to Nigeria but also to the global energy community.

He expressed confidence that the CDS and his team will deliver on the Presidential mandate to mitigate security-related challenges affecting the nation’s crude oil production.

“Components of this effort that depend on security are being effectively managed by you. Your co-ordinated and focused response is paving the way for improved security engagement, particularly in the Niger Delta,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, General Musa said the visit was intended to introduce the Monitoring Team to the NNPC Limited, which will be responsible for interfacing with the Company and other stakeholders in the oil-producing regions to secure the nation’s critical hydrocarbon infrastructure.

While pledging commitment towards improving security and the performance of his troops, the CDS said the military will sustain the onslaught and analyse the troops’ capabilities to enhance their performance and bolster productivity.

He stressed the need to ramp up production for a prosperous economy and reassured collaboration with intelligence agencies, private security, state governments and host communities for enhanced performance.

“Working in silos won’t give us the best results. I want to assure you that we will collaborate with the necessary stakeholders to achieve our set targets as mandated by Mr. President.”

L-R: Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo arriving the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State with the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, during the Minister’s visit to the NCDMB’s headquarters and other facilities.

Amidst the clamour for good governance and reduction in the cost of living in the country, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo has asserted the Federal Government’s firm determination to advance the nation’s gas resources as the surest pathway to economic prosperity.

The Minister stated this in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State when he visited the facilities and projects of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), where he serves as the co-chair of the Governing Council.

He stated that Nigeria is endowed with vast natural gas resources of about 209 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, emphasising the necessity to harness these resources effectively to drive economic development.

He underlined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unalloyed support to the gas sector, with initiatives extending to the entire value chain, notably gas development, distribution and penetration. Federal Government’s drive according to him is geared to lower the cost of transportation, the cost of living and impact every part of the country positively.

He listed some of the key initiatives his ministry is pursing to include investments in critical gas infrastructure development to support the transportation and distribution of natural gas across the country, promotion of domestic gas utilization for power generation, industrial applications, and transportation as well as strengthening NCDMB’s capacity to build capacity and enforce local content policies.

Other laudable initiatives reeled out by the Minister include encouraging and supporting gas-to-power projects to ensure a reliable and sustainable supply of electricity, expanding Nigeria’s capacity to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to international markets, to generate revenue and position Nigeria as a key player in the global gas market and strengthening the policy and regulatory frameworks governing the gas sector to create an enabling environment for investment and innovation.

The Minister remarked that 60 percent of NCDMB’s investments are gas based and advised that new projects by the agency should focus on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) because of the direct impact on transportation and cost of living.

He lauded NCDMB for the remarkable strides it had made in promoting local content and for constructing the magnificent 17-storey headquarter building, which signifies the impressive growth and depth of local capacity.

Ekpo added that the visit provided him an opportunity to meet with management and staff of the Board, learn more about the agency’s operations, and discuss how to continue driving local content development in our nation’s gas sector.

In his welcome remarks, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe thanked the Minister for visiting the Board’s facilities and assured him of the commitment of the management and staff of the Board to supporting the Federal Government’s economic aspirations.

The Minister and his entourage toured NCDMB’s facilities, including the Technology Innovation and Incubation Centre (TICC) and listened to presentations from three incubates on their technology solutions and how NCDMB is supporting them from concept to commercialisation. The team also visited the NCDMB Conference Hotel project, which is undergoing construction, the NCDMB gas hub at Polaku, Yenagoa as well as the 10 megawatts gas-power plant, which supplies electricity to the Nigerian Content Tower and selected offices of the Bayelsa State Government.

The Minister also made a brief visit to the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who welcomed the Minister to the state and solicited for key investments in the gas sector. He argued that since Bayelsa State supplies a substantial percentage of the gas feedstock used by the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) plant, it deserves to host one of the company’s gas processing facilities. He also demanded for accelerated development of the Brass methanol project as a plank for enhanced economic development of the state.