NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, April 17, 2022 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) started its activities for the week with a tour of the Port Harcourt Refinery, to ascertain the level of ongoing rehabilitation of the plant.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and members of Board of Directors, NNPC Ltd. who were also on the tour expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the refinery site in, Rivers State.

Sylva who was elated at the level of progress recorded on the project, said he was particularly impressed with the high sense of time management exhibited by the project team.

He said that the Federal Government was interested in the prompt delivery of the project to achieve energy security for Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the Board members, the Chairman of the NNPC Board, Sen. Margery Chuba-Okadigbo, pointed out that the rehabilitation was aimed at boosting in-country refining capacity and cost reduction.

Chuba-Okadigbo said that the rehabilitation also signals the company’s intention to exit from petroleum products importation and associated challenges of foreign exchange issues, adding that she was impressed by the quality of work done so far.

On his part, the Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari explained that the project was uniquely designed with efficiency and sustainable maintenance culture in mind to enable the refinery generate funds.

He assured that the whole process was well thought-out and will enable the company introduce a new business model for the operation of the refinery.

Earlier in his technical report to the visiting team, the Managing Director of the PHRC, Mr Ahmed Dikko stated that the company was determined to deliver on the mandate by all means.

He acknowledged the support of the NNPC leadership, its Board, the National Assembly and other stakeholders towards achieving the current milestones.

Dikko emphasised that the progress made so far could not have been possible without their cooperation and timely approvals.

Project Manager, who spoke on behalf of the contractor handling the rehabilitation, Tecnimont SpA, Mr Davide Broggini, said they would deliver the project in record time.

The visit saw the tour of areas one, two and three of the refinery that housed some major plants including, crude distillation and vacuum units.

Other plants visited were the naphtha hydro-treating unit, catalytic reform and kero hydro-treating units, fluid catalytic cracking and gas unit, and gas treatment and merox units.

It is expected that the PHRC, which comprised of the old and new refineries with a combined refining capacity of 210,000bpsd, would commence partial operation from the first quarter of 2023 by processing 60,000 barrels per stream day into the market.

The refinery would commence full operation on completion of the rehabilitation project scheduled for the last quarter of 2024.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives said it was committed to ensuring that the new NNPC Ltd. took off on a solid foundation without any encumbrance from the old NNPC.

This was said by the House of Representative Ad-hoc Committee set up to investigate the inventory, assets, liabilities and joint ventures of the old NNPC during an oversight visit.

The visit was to the Frontier Exploration Services Division of the NNPC and the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) recently.

Speaking during the visit, Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Uju Chima, said the exercise was not a probe but a measure intended to help the new NNPC Ltd. to take off on a solid footing.

He explained that the Committee’s duty was to ascertain the assets of the old NNPC and ensure that those that were supposed to be transferred to the new entity, as envisioned in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), were properly documented.

“We are only here to help you ascertain those assets in order to make sure that valuable assets that are supposed to be transferred or reverted to NNPC Ltd. are not left out and at the same time to help you ascertain the value of those assets”.

He said the exercise was not only focusing on assets but also on liabilities.

The committee chairman demanded information on the total worth of PHRC’s houses, assets, monetary value of liabilities and total amount expended so far on the rehabilitation of the plants.

Chima urged NNPC to sustain the tempo to ensure that the target for the completion of the rehabilitation was not missed.

In his response, the Managing Director of PHRC, Mr Ahmed Dikko commended the National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives, for their support for PHRC.

He said the visit of the committee demonstrated support, not only for the PHRC, but for the NNPC Ltd.

“This support, we hope, will translate to overall success of the rehabilitation for the benefit of Nigerians in view of the current energy crisis”.

Dikko assured the committee that the job would be delivered on time and to specification, stressing that efforts were already at an advanced stage to introduce an Operations and Maintenance model to guarantee maintenance of the refinery.

Earlier in a similar visit to the Frontier Exploration Services Division of NNPC in Abuja, the Committee sought to know the activities of the Division and its assets and liabilities

The Chairman of the Committee said they were interested in the sustainability mechanisms which the Frontier Exploration Services Division had put in place for the transition.

The Group General Manager, Frontier Exploration Services Division, Mr Abdullahi Bomai, took the lawmakers through the operations of the division, explaining that the division was in the business of deploying high standard technology for seismic data collection.

He said that the seismic data collected in the course of the division’s operations were part of NNPC’s assets.

On the liabilities of the division, Bomai said there was need for the upgrade of technology to enable it scale up its capacity and expressed hope that the provision of 30 per cent exploration fund in the PIA would be able to help address the challenge.

The Ad-hoc committee at the end of the visit expressed confidence in the ability of NNPC to implement a successful transition to a limited liability company.

Also in the week, the NNPC said it would deliver the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Pipeline Project (AKK) on schedule with the first gas to be delivered in the first quarter of year 2023.

Speaking at the project site at Abaji, Abuja, during a tour of the project, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, said efforts were on to ensure that the project was completed on schedule.

He stated that a critical deliverable of the AKK project was the injection of over eight billion standard cubic feet (scf) of gas injected into the domestic pipeline to revive the moribund industries.

Kyari said it would also open up economic opportunities for the country.

He described the AKK Gas Pipeline as a signature project and hinted that it was time for Nigeria to take advantage of its gas reserve in Africa to develop its economy.

“There is no country that has access to this volume of gas that did not develop”.

In her remarks, the Chairman of the NNPC Board, Sen. Margery Chuba-Okadigbo, expressed optimism that the project could deliver its first gas by the first quarter of 2023 based on the magnitude of work done so far.

She noted that the country could leverage on the Russia-Ukraine situation to provide solution to the global gas supply challenge.

On the feasibility of achieving the 2023 target, the Chairman of Oilserv, the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor for the project, Mr Emeka Okwuosa, confirmed his company’s readiness to deliver the project on schedule.

He said NNPC’s interventions at various periods of challenge helped in getting the job to the current appreciable level.

He also assured that the project managers and teams were more than competent to deliver the project within record time.

Also speaking at the KP 171 Welding Site during the tour, the Managing Director of the Oilserv, Mr Chigozie Obi, and General Manager, AKK Project, NNPC, Mr Barwa Muhammed, explained that apart from deployment of modern technologies that guarantee durability, the project had great economic effects for the nation.

The construction of the 614km AKK Pipeline project was flagged-off simultaneously in Kogi and Kaduna states by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020 to encourage gas utilisation and serve as a springboard for the nation’s industrialisation.

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Edited by Ismail AbdulAziz

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, April 10, 2022 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) started its activities for the week with a call for support of stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to tackle crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.

The stakeholders were the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), among others.

The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of the NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, made the call at the 5th quadrennial delegates’ conference of the NUPENG held in Asaba, Delta State.

The theme of the conference was, “Just Energy Transition: For oil and gas workers’ social welfare and security”.

Kyari said the theft of crude oil impacted negatively the revenue due to the Federal Government and had denied the country the much-needed fund to boost economic development.

“It is also a big threat to the NNPC Limited’s quest for energy security for the country,” he said.

The NNPC GMD also told participants at the conference that the impact of pipeline vandalism had reduced the capacity of the country to meet its oil production quota.

Kyari said as major stakeholders in the oil and gas business, the time had come for NUPENG and NARTO to collaborate with the NNPC in bringing the issue of crude oil theft to an end.

He said everybody must be involved in the fight in order to save the industry from collapse.

In a related development, the House of Representatives within the week under review pledged its support to the fight by the NNPC against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Musa Sarkin-Adar, gave the assurance at an investigative hearing on the state of crude oil production and the price in the country.

Sarkin-Adar said the legislature would support NNPC by passing adequate legislations to help tackle the challenges facing the oil and gas industry.

He lauded the company for the initiatives it had taken so far to address the twin menace of oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

Earlier in a presentation to the Committee, the GMD/CEO of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, identified oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal refineries as the major factors responsible for the low oil production in the country.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had introduced strategic and coordinated measures to arrest the trend to ensure a boost in crude oil production.

Kyari said that national crude oil production would rise to between 2.2 and 2.4 million barrels per day by the time all the measures instituted to tackle the challenges began to yield results.

NNPC GMD also called for the establishment of an independent judicial system (a special court) to promote speedy prosecution of oil theft and pipeline vandalism cases.

He said time had come for all stakeholders to join the advocacy for the full wrath of the law to be visited on all those found to be involved in the crimes of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

On rise in the price of petroleum products, NNPC explained that though prices were determined by a mix of international and local factors, the Company’s intervention had led to relative price stability in the country.

In allaying the fears and doubts of the lawmakers’ about the positive influence of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) on the nation’s oil and gas industry, NNPC assured that the fiscal and regulatory frameworks of the PIA would definitely bring about higher value in the industry in due course as the full implementation of the law gets underway.

Also in the week, the NNPC Ltd. applauded Nigerian Security Agencies for their respective roles in ensuring the smooth business operations of the company, especially during the recent fuel supply crisis.

NNPC gave the commendation at the 2022 1st Quarterly Security Stakeholders’ Meeting organised by the Group Security Department (GSD) of the Company at the NNPC Towers, Abuja.

In her opening remarks, the Group Executive Director (GED), Corporate Services, Mrs Aisha Ahmadu-Katagum, expressed appreciation to the various security agencies for all the efforts made to secure NNPC’s businesses, personnel and facilities.

Ahmadu-Katagum, who was represented by the Group General Manager Information and Technology Division (ITD), Danladi Inuwa, stated that NNPC acknowledges the agencies’ support in ensuring the maintenance of law and order during the recent fuel supply glitch.

She added that the company would continue to collaborate with them to ensure smooth distribution of the company’s products across the country.

Also speaking at the meeting, the General Manager, Group Security Division (GSD), Mr Abba Mohammed, called for deeper collaborations noting that the current security situation in the country required the cooperation of all the stakeholders in the security sector.

In attendance at the meeting were representatives of the Nigerian Police Force, the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Federal Fire Service.

In the meantime, the Association of Professional Women Engineers (APWEN) in collaboration with the NNPC Ltd. constructed, commissioned and donated a multimillion Naira well-equipped science and technology laboratory with a motorised borehole to the Sarki Ahmadu Primary School, Misau, Bauchi State.

Speaking at the inauguration of the project which took place in Misau, Bauchi State, GMD/CEO of NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari, said that the programme was targeted at promoting the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) among primary school girls between 8 years and 10 years.

Kyari, represented by the company’s Chief Innovation Officer, Mrs Betty Ugona, described the project as one of the largest and most ambitious attempts to encourage more girls across the country to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

In her welcome address, President of APWEN, Dr Elizabeth Eterigho, said that scholarships were awarded to 21 best pupils from 10 primary schools in Misau after conducting series of hand-on experiments with everyday materials.

She added that the scholarships sponsored by the NNPC Ltd., would cover the awardees’ tuition fees from primary school to tertiary level.

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NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, April 5, 2022 (NAN) Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) started its week on a positive note as its corporate service unit acquired ISO certifications in Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) and Quality Management System (QMS).

The corporate service unit of the NNPC known as the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), acquired the certifications as part of its commitment to emplace automation and set global standards for the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

It also launched an Electronic Materials Management Solution (e-MMS), a platform aimed at enhancing synergy among operators in the upstream to save cost, enhance production and ensure process standardisation, industry-wide.

Speaking at the event which held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, Chairman, Board of Directors, NNPC Ltd, Sen. Margery Chuba-Okadigbo, said that the new NNPC was focused on strategic positioning that would enable it compete at global level.

She pointed out that NAPIMS’ attainment of ISO certifications in BCMS and QMS further attests to the Company’s commitment to the principles of Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) agenda.

She stressed that automation of the system would reduce cost, ensure seamless cross-inventory exchange among industry players and encourage revenue-generation-auction system.

In his remarks, the NNPC GMD/CEO, Malam Mele Kyari, stated that the company’s operation was experiencing massive disruption in the form of pipeline vandalism.

He said that significant ISO certifications around NNPC’s businesses and e-MMS solution by NAPIMS should be able to respond positively through provision of containment measures to address the industry challenges.

Kyari said that with current situations around the world, there was need for NNPC to take advantage of the abundant hydrocarbon resources of today to build energy of tomorrow.

He emphasised that the NNPC would continue to give priority to gas development and utilisation in its journey of becoming an energy company of global excellence.

Also speaking at the event, the Group Executive Director, Upstream, Mr Adokiye Tombomieye, pointed out that NNPC Upstream identified the processes of standardisation and digitisation as key elements required to achieve cost optimisation, production and national reserve aspirations.

Tombomieye maintained that the Directorate would continue to emplace automation in line with industry’s best practices to eliminate the impact of discretion in decision-making processes.

He stated that NAPIMS had become the first government-run organisation in West Africa to receive the ISO-22301:2019 certification for Business Continuity Management from RINA, Italy.

Some of the industry stakeholders at the event, included the representative of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Famous Eseduwo, Director of Human Resources, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr Cosmas Iwueze who represented the Chairman of OPTS, Mr Rick Kennedy.

The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Simbi Wabote, pledge their support for NNPC’s initiatives to move the oil and gas sector forward.

Mr Bala Wunti, Group Managing Director of NAPIMS, said acquiring the certifications had become a means and not an end because the objective was to institutionalise best processes and standards to achieve cost efficiency and value creation for the benefit of Nigerians.

He said the e-MMS solution provides a transparent exchange platform that leverages on data management to service the material assets need of players in the oil and gas business, adding that the milestones achieved in the areas of certification and automation were as a result of the functional collaboration and support from all stakeholders.

The highpoint of the event was the virtual and physical presentation of the ISO certificates by the Managing Director, RINA, Mr Alessandro Momei, and Mr Richard Omale of the 3FM Solution, respectively.

Still in the week under review, NNPC Ltd. restated its commitment to investing heavily in the development of infrastructure, especially roads, with a view to building a vibrant national economy.

The Company stated this at the 7th Edition of the Africa Road Builders Trophee Babacar Ndiaye Conference held in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Abuja.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, “Building Roads, Building Economies”. President Muhammadu Buhari, represented by the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), emphasised the importance of road construction to the Nigerian economy.

He listed the efforts of the Federal Government in road infrastructure development across the country.

In his presentation, the GMD/CEO, NNPC Ltd. Malam Mele Kyari, who was represented by the Group Executive Director, Downstream, Mr Yemi Adetunji, said NNPC was committed to building a strong economy for Nigeria.

Kyari said that it was doing so through intervention in the construction of critical roads across the country under the Federal Government’s Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.

He said the intervention was in furtherance of its primary mandate of guaranteeing energy security through efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country, an activity that is heavily dependent on road transportation.

Stakeholders like the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the Infrastructural Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) made presentations towards ongoing road projects.

The Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd. (NLNG), Dangote Group and other partners also made presentations highlighting projects geared towards job creation and promotion of economic activities in the country.

Highpoint of the event was the announcement of President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2021 Great Builder Super Prize, the Babacar Ndiaye Trophy during the inaugural Africa Road Builders conference held in Cairo, Egypt in May 2021.

The Africa Road Builders – Trophy is named after Dr Babacar Ndiaye, the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) from 1985 – 1995 who initiated the conference.

The conference is sponsored by the (AfDB), to promote the development of road infrastructure and transport in Africa as well as to encourage African countries to improve road and transport.

It is also organised to celebrate good examples and reward an African Head of State that achieved exemplary road and transport successes in his or her countries each year.

In another development, the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) described the GMD/CEO of NNPC Ltd., Kyari as an innovative and transformational leader.

This commendation was given at the 6th Combined Convocation Ceremony of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where Kyari was awarded a Doctor of Science degree (honoris causa).

Conferring the award on Kyari, the Chancellor of the university and Emir of Keffi, His Royal Highness Alhaji Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, said the NNPC boss had demonstrated excellent leadership in the oil and gas industry through his transformation of company into a profit-making entity.

Kyari was represented by the Group Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hajiya Aisha Farida Katagum.

Also, at the occasion was the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who as the Special Guest of Honour launched the N4 billion endowment fund for some projects in the university.

The projects include: The Research Centres in Chemical and Production, Finance and Enterprise Studies, Sugar, ICT, Agricultural Value Chain and Climate Change.

The Vice President reiterated the need for concerted efforts in the advancement of science and technological research just as he applauded the zeal and determination of the University for venturing into innovations and robotics.

Other dignitaries who were honoured with Doctorate Degrees alongside Kyari include: the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, immediate past governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Almakura, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chief Peter Eloka, and Alhaji Ali Abdulrazak Balarabe.

The Governor of Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule, who congratulated all graduands and awardees for the deserved recognition by the university, assured citizens of government’s commitment to the development of education in the state.

Other dignitaries at the event were the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congresses, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, members of the state and federal legislature and traditional rulers.

On hand to felicitate with the GMD were the Managing Director of PPMC, Mr Isiyaku Abdullahi; MD of NMSL, Dr Mohammed Zango; GGM/SBA to the GMD, Mr Abubakar Nuhu Mohammed; GGM, GPAD, Mr Garba Deen Muhammad; GM, Shared Services, FES, Mr Ahmed Ardo; and the Business Adviser to GMD, Ahmed Ibrahim.

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Feb. 27, 2022 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) gave Nigerians especially those in the Niger Delta cheering news that it had achieved a 30 per cent reduction in gas flares across its operational areas over the last five years.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari said this within the week while speaking as a panelist at the 2022 International Energy week.

Kyari who spoke in a virtual session on Energy transition, acknowledged the level of energy poverty in the country particularly around cooking fuels.

He added that NNPC had begun plans to replace bio- mass fuels with cleaner sources of energy.

According to him, NNPC is working on increasing the level of gas consumption in the domestic markets by replacing diesel, fuel oils and other heavy distillates with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

On renewable energy, he said NNPC was exploring alternative sources such as wind and solar power which required huge financial investment, to close the energy gap, but opined that natural resources could be used to bridge the gap.

“The only framework we can get is to see if we can convert our resources on ground to value. This value can then be used to close some of the infrastructure gap while also investing in renewable sources of energy,” he said.

On reaching net zero emissions, he maintained that though NNPC’s strategy and timing might differ from its partners, the company was in alignment with them on achieving this and understood the steps required to achieve this.

Meanwhile, Duke Oil, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) cleared the air regarding its role in the importation of methanol-laden petrol into the country.

The Managing Director of Duke Oil, Mr Lawal Sade, gave the clarification at an investigative hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream).

Sade said the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) it imported met all specifications and standards required by the NNPC.

He said that the PMS imported by the company was tested both at load port and discharge port, and it was found to have met all the requisite specifications and standards.

Sade further said that discharge of the product could not have been possible if it was not certified to be of standard quality by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the joint inspection team.

The company assured the lawmakers and indeed all Nigerians of its commitment to the nation’s energy security, stressing that it was not possible for it to deliberately import sub-standard fuel.

Duke Oil also assured the lawmakers that all hands were on deck by key players in the industry to rectify the situation, adding that remedial actions have been taken to ensure consistent, smooth and safe supply of petroleum products going forward.

The Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Abdullahi Gaya, on his part said members of the committee would study the written response submitted by Duke Oil on the matter and contact the company if there was need to do so.

Also in the week, the ongoing rehabilitation works on the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) was applauded by three former Managing Directors (MDs) of the Company.

The MDs who visited the refinery on an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation advised PHRC Management to ensure that members of staff use the opportunity of the rehabilitation to acquire specific expertise on key operational areas.

The three former MDs are Dr Bafred Enjugu, who was in-charge from 2014 to 2017; Mr Shehu Malami, who was the MD from 2017 to 2018 and Engr. Abba Bukar, the immediate past MD who retired in March 2020.

They expressed delight at being able to inspect the ongoing works and advised the management to manage cost and ensure a successful completion of the rehabilitation.

In his remarks Mr Abba Bukar thanked PHRC management for the opportunity to see firsthand, the ongoing works and staff who worked with him when he was at the helm of affairs at the refinery.

To manage the overall cost of the project, Bukar advised PHRC management to evaluate all the warehoused spare parts to determine those that can be used in the ongoing rehabilitation as a way of saving cost.

On his part, Mr Shehu Malami called on the management and staff of PHRC to ensure the successful completion of the rehabilitation project within budget, as it was in the interest of all PHRC staff, whether serving or retired.

He commended PHRC for achieving ISO recertification and enjoined the management team to ensure that proper processes and procedures were adhered to especially in the course of the rehabilitation.

In his remarks, Dr Bafred Enjugu advised PHRC management to use the opportunity offered by the ongoing rehabilitation to build skills and expertise in specific areas like rotating equipment, electrical and mechanical engineering.

He noted that subject matter experts that would be developed through exposure to the rehabilitation would serve as reservoirs of knowledge that can be used for the provision of solution in other locations and as resource persons across the company.

Furthermore, he said PHRC Management should pay attention to the rehabilitation project by ensuring that products that would later be refined in the plants would be of standard in quality and to specification.

Earlier, the serving MD of PHRC, Dikko described the visiting former MDs as professionals who gave their best to NNPC and the refining sector in the country as they all worked both in Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and PHRC.

He said that by coming to see the ongoing rehabilitation, the former MDs had demonstrated the spirit of camaraderie, as their visit and support for the project would boost the spirit and morale of staff.

Dikko said the visit showed that staff who retired from the system still had pivotal roles to play in the activities of the company.

He briefed the former MDs on the progress made on the refinery rehabilitation and the Corporate Social Responsibility efforts being made for host communities.

Dikko said these efforts had led to relative peace and assured that PHRC would continue to work with hosts communities through honest engagements and social investments that would create mutual benefits.

In the meantime, the Managing Director (MD) of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, Mr Ahmed Dikko won the Swift reporters 2021 Man of the year Award.

Speaking at the award presentation in Abuja, the publisher of Swift Reporters Mr Adewole Kehinde said Dikko was recognised for his contributions, humility and dedication to the on-going rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery.

He noted that the aim of the awards was to recognise the extra efforts of individuals and to encourage good behavior and inculcate a competitive spirit.

Responding, Dikko thanked Swift Reporters for considering him for the award of Man of the Year.

He said all thanks should go to his boss, NNPC CEO, Mele Kyari who found him worthy of the responsibility to champion the rehabilitation of PHRC.

Dikko also thanked the CEO for the support especially with the funding of the project and the GED R&P whom he said had given him all the needed backing in the course of the rehabilitation.

He dedicated the award to management and staff of PHRC whom he praised for their dedication and commitment.

The refinery boss said the award would spur him to remain focused on the rehabilitation of PHRC, adding that the refinery would run profitably after the exercise.

He assured that the rehabilitation was moving as scheduled and that Nigerians would reap the benefit of the exercise.

In the week under review, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva assured that Nigeria was doing a lot currently to meet its OPEC production quota by the end of this year.

Sylva who gave the assurance in Abuja during a press briefing on the ongoing Nigerian International Energy Summit (NIES), expressed dissatisfaction that Nigeria was not able to benefit from the current high prices of crude oil.

The minister said that the high prices of crude also encouraged other producers and that it was not beneficial to crude oil producers.

Briefing on the NIES, Sylva said the Federal Government was hosting the summit with its partners.

They include the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and all its parastatals including the NNPC, and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

Others are the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NURPC), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and Petroleum Training Institute (PTI).

According to him, the objective of the summit from inception was to deliver the biggest and best African Petroleum Technology and Business Conference that would be the definitive platform, not just for Nigeria, but also for Africa to engage the global energy community.

“I believe that we have delivered on that with every edition.”

The event was formerly known as the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS).

The first edition was held in 2018. Thus, this year’s edition will be the 5th edition.

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Feb. 20, 2022 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited started its week with an assurance to Nigerians that the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would soon normalise after it recalled the bad product imported into the country last week.

The NNPC Group Executive Director (GED) Downstream, Adetunji Adeyemi, gave the assurance at a briefing in Abuja, while concerted efforts were being made to end the challenges in the supply of petrol.

Adeyemi stated that the company was expecting over 2.3 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the country by the end of February and that over 1 billion litres of the product were currently being distributed nationwide.

He assured that the product being dispensed at various filling stations in the country was safe, as the expected 2.3 billion litres would restore the sufficiency level above the national target of 30 days.

Adeyemi explained that in order to accelerate PMS distribution across the country, the company had commenced 24 hours’ operations at its depots and retail outlets.

He disclosed that NNPC had constituted a monitoring team, with the support of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and other security agencies to ensure smooth distribution of PMS nationwide.

In the meantime, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Rep. Abdullahi Gaya, assured Nigerians that his Committee would handle companies who imported methanol-blended Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) into the country.

A statement by Mr Garba Deen Muhammad, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC Limited, quoted Gaya as responding to a question from one of the committee members in that regard.

Gaya spoke during an engagement with Management of the NNPC organised by his committee on the current fuel situation in the country.

While briefing the committee, the NNPC CEO/GMD, Malam Mele Kyari, explained that the situation came about as a result of the discovery of methanol in the PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria under the subsisting commercial contract operated by NNPC and its partners.

According to Kyari, tests did not reveal methanol presence because Nigeria’s specifications do not include methanol.

“We are a law-abiding company. There is no way we could have known about the methanol presence.

“The only way we could have known about it is if our suppliers, in good faith, made the disclosure to us.

“In this particular instance, the discovery was made by our inspection agents who noticed the emulsification at the filling stations and brought it to our attention.

“Subsequent investigation revealed that the four cargoes which are all from the same source also contained methanol-blended PMS,” Kyari said.

He said NNPC moved swiftly to trace all the affected products and quarantine same.

While assuring the Committee and Nigerians that measures have been put in place to accelerate fuel supply and distribution in the country, the NNPC CEO said the company had placed significant orders of over 2.1billion liters of methanol-free PMS to ensure the queues vanish in few days.

He pledged that NNPC would co-operate with the committee and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to get to the root of the matter.

The NNPC CEO also expressed deep empathy with Nigerians on the current situation and assured that adequate measures have been put in place to maintain supply sufficiency and prevent future occurrence.

Also in the week, the ongoing rehabilitation works on the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) was applauded by three former Managing Directors (MDs) of the Company.

The MDs who visited the refinery on an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation advised PHRC Management to ensure that members of staff use the opportunity of the rehabilitation to acquire specific expertise on key operational areas.

The three former MDs are Dr Bafred Enjugu, who was in-charge from 2014 to 2017; Mr Shehu Malami, who was the MD from 2017 to 2018 and Engr. Abba Bukar, the immediate past MD who retired in March 2020.

They expressed delight at being able to inspect the ongoing works and advised the management to manage cost and ensure a successful completion of the rehabilitation.

In his remarks Mr Abba Bukar thanked PHRC management for the opportunity to see firsthand, the ongoing works and staff who worked with him when he was at the helm of affairs at the refinery.

To manage the overall cost of the project, Bukar advised PHRC management to evaluate all the warehoused spare parts to determine those that can be used in the ongoing rehabilitation as a way of saving cost.

On his part, Mr Shehu Malami called on the management and staff of PHRC to ensure the successful completion of the rehabilitation project within budget, as it was in the interest of all PHRC staff, whether serving or retired.

He commended PHRC for achieving ISO recertification and enjoined the management team to ensure that proper processes and procedures were adhered to especially in the course of the rehabilitation.

In his remarks, Dr Bafred Enjugu advised PHRC management to use the opportunity offered by the ongoing rehabilitation to build skills and expertise in specific areas like rotating equipment, electrical and mechanical engineering.

He noted that subject matter experts that would be developed through exposure to the rehabilitation would serve as reservoirs of knowledge that can be used for the provision of solution in other locations and as resource persons across the company.

Furthermore, he said PHRC Management should pay attention to the rehabilitation project by ensuring that products that would later be refined in the plants would be of standard in quality and to specification.

Earlier, the serving MD of PHRC, Dikko described the visiting former MDs as professionals who gave their best to NNPC and the refining sector in the country as they all worked both in Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and PHRC.

He said that by coming to see the ongoing rehabilitation, the former MDs had demonstrated the spirit of camaraderie, as their visit and support for the project would boost the spirit and morale of staff.

Dikko said the visit showed that staff who retired from the system still had pivotal roles to play in the activities of the company.

He briefed the former MDs on the progress made on the refinery rehabilitation and the Corporate Social Responsibility efforts being made for host communities.

Dikko said these efforts had led to relative peace and assured that PHRC would continue to work with hosts communities through honest engagements and social investments that would create mutual benefits.

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NNPC Weekly: NMDPRA, NNPC reassure Nigerians on fuel supply

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Feb. 13, 2022 (NAN) The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) during the week informed the  public of the discovery of methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification in the supply chain of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.

Methanol is a regular additive in Petrol and usually blended in an acceptable quantity.

In the statement, the Executive Secretary of the Authority Engr. Faruk Ahmed said that to ensure vehicular and equipment safety, the limited quantity of the impacted product had been isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit.

CEO, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed

He said that the Authority’s technical team in conjunction with NNPC Ltd. and other industry stakeholders would continue to monitor and ensure adequate supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

Faruk also revealed that the source supplier had been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions shall be taken by the Authority and NNPC Ltd.

He said that NNPC Ltd. and all Oil Marketing Companies have been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of Petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Ltd. intensified efforts at increasing the supply of petrol into the market in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap as it rallies marketers to normalise fuel supply and distribution.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari said this at the end of a meeting with major oil marketers to resolve the issues generated by recent supply and discharge of methanol blended petrol in some depots.

Kyari stated that defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and that the NNPC Ltd. was working with the NMDPRA to take necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.

He noted that cargoes quality certificates issued at loadport (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicated that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.

Kyari noted that as a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the said cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the NMDPRA.

In the meantime, the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Jason Gbasa, has tasked security task force team “Operation Awatse” manning the system 2B pipelines, to redouble their efforts to stem the incessant products losses on that axis.

Gbasa made the call while playing host to the Group Executive Director (GED), Downstream, NNPC, Engr. Yemi Adetunji who was on a working visit to Lagos on an inspection of downstream petroleum facilities.

Gbasa reiterated that its mandate of ensuring zero products losses was yet to be achieved.

He urged the team to re-strategise and refrain from any acts that would destabilise its operations.

Earlier, Adetunji said that between September and December 2021, the NNPC lost 44 million litres of petrol on that pipeline axis, describing it as a failure on the part of the security team to fulfil its mandate of securing national assets.

The system 2B pipeline stretches from Atlas Cove, Lagos to Ilorin, Kwara State and it is the major artery for transporting products from Lagos to the north, through llorin Depot.

Operation Awatse is made up of the Nigerian Armed Forces – Army, Navy and Air Force, Directorate of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NCDSC) and a private security company.

Adetunji had visited the Atlas Cove Jetty for an on the spot assessment of the optimisation project and rehabilitation of the facility.

Addressing the contractors, Adetunji commended the Lee Engineering team on the progress of work and urged the firm to ensure that the March 2022 delivery period was achieved.

He also called for constant interface and collaboration between the contracting company as well as the Engineering and Technical Division (ETD) of the NNPC for effective monitoring and supervision of projects.

It would be recalled that the rehabilitation and upgrade of System 2B facilities code named Atlas Cove Depot Optimisation Project (ACDOP) started on May 17, 2017, when the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the project.

The Engineering Design, Procurement Construction Installation, Testing and Commissioning of the three PMS Storage Tanks, of 50,000m3 capacity were awarded to Messrs. LEE Engineering and Construction Company limited.

The NNPC Ltd. posted a total of $224.29 million receipt from crude oil and gas export in August 2021 as against $191.26 million in July 2021.

This is contained in the August 2021 NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR) released on Wednesday.

A breakdown of the figures captured in the report indicated that export of crude oil amounted to $7.77 million while gas and miscellaneous receipts stood at $65.26 million and $151.26 million respectively.

According to the report, the total crude oil and gas export receipt for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at $1.84 billion.

It noted that in the Gas Sector, a total of 233.57 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the month of August 2021.

This, it said translated to an average daily production of 7,534.67 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

For the period of August 2020 to August 2021, it stated that a total of 2,890.67bcf of gas was produced; representing an average daily production of 7,303.61mmscfd during the period.

It noted that Period-to-date production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) contributed about 57.51 per cent, 20.88 per cent and 21.62 per cent respectively to the total national gas production.

The report also indicated that out of the 208.64bcf of gas supplied in August 2021, a total of 131.35bcf was commercialised, consisting of 40.22bcf and 91.13bcf for the domestic and export markets respectively.

This, it said translated to an average total supply of 1,297.54mmscfd to the domestic market and 2,939.31mmscfd of gas to the export market for the month.

The report further noted that the total gas supply for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at 2,792.28bcf out of which 537.51bcf and 1,245.93bcf were commercialised for the domestic and export markets respectively.

In the Downstream Sector, the report stated that a total of 1.532 billion litres of white products were sold and distributed by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a downstream subsidiary of the NNPC, in the month of August 2021.

A breakdown of the figure indicates that petrol accounted for 99 per cent of total sales, while Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel, accounted for the rest.

Total sale of white products for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at 20.032 billion with petrol accounting for 99.81 per cent.

In terms of value, it said a total sum of ₦203.43 billion was made on the sale of white products by PPMC in the month of August 2021.

“Total revenues generated from the sales of white products for the period of August 2020 to August 2021 stood at ₦2.619 trillion.

“Petrol contributes about 99.76 per cent of the total sales with a value of ₦2.613trillion,’’ it said.

The report also states that in August 2021, 21 pipeline points were vandalised representing 50 per cent decrease from the 42 points recorded in July 2021.

According to the report, Port Harcourt area accounted for 10 per cent, while Mosimi Area accounted for 90 per cent of the vandalised points.

The August 2021 MFOR, the 73rd in the series, highlights NNPC’s activities for the period of August 2020 to August 2021.

In line with the Company’s commitment to the principles of accountability, transparency and performance excellence, the NNPC Ltd. has continued to sustain effective communication with stakeholders.

This is through the publication of the MFOR on its website, in national dailies, and on independent online news platforms.

Still in the week under review, the National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO), a subsidiary of the NNPC Ltd. empowered 13 youths of Iruland, Lagos State, with various skills.

The empowerment was done as part of efforts to reduce unemployment in Nigeria was a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy of NETCO aimed at adding value to its host communities.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony recently in Iru, Victoria Island, Lagos, the Managing Director of NETCO, Engr. Johnson Awoyomi, said that the NETCOPRENEUR programme was designed to equip the youth with requisite skills.

Awoyomi said that the skills would enable them to create job opportunities and render quality services for societal development.

The MD, who was represented at the ceremony by the Executive Director, Services, Mr Ahmad Kigo, stated that the training was one of the company’s many CSR initiatives.

He stressed that NETCO would continue to identify with its host community by building the capacity of youths in various fields.

He emphasised the need for active citizens’ participation in nation-building, as government alone cannot handle the issue of job creation for Nigerians.

In his remarks, the Rector, Oluponna Fish Farming and Resource Foundation (OFFER) Centre in Iwo, Osun State, Rev. Fr Bernard Azeez, confirmed that the graduands received rigorous business development training required to help them run small and medium-scale businesses successfully.

The representative of the Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese, Rev. Fr Felix Akinyode, urged the beneficiaries to emulate the act of giving back to society.

Speaking earlier, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr Garba Deen Muhammad, stated that NNPC and its subsidiaries would continue to embark on CSR programmes that impact the lives of millions of Nigerians.

The NNPC spokesman, who was represented by the Manager, Community Impact Investment, NNPC, Mrs Doris Ohia, commended the OFFER Centre for the quality training given to the graduands in preparation for the task ahead.

In a similar vein, the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Gbolahan Lawal, who was represented by Chief Bashir Afolami, lauded NETCO’s positive connection with the community, saying that the community was interested in capacity building initiatives for its youths.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Sodiq Malik, thanked NETCO and the OFFER centre for the opportunity given to them, while promising to use the skills acquired to develop themselves and that of the society at large.

In a similar development, over 10,000 Students benefited from the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Limited annual scholarship Scheme for students in tertiary institutions in its host communities.

Dahiru Abubakar, Manager Community Relations, NPDC, said this in Warri during the recently held examination to select beneficiaries for 2022 edition of the flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.

Abubakar who was represented by the Supervisor, CSR, Noble Imabibi, stated that the number of beneficiaries would increase to 11,000 before the end of the year.

Abubakar also said that the 2022 edition had 337 students spread across three centres in Warri with 170 candidates, Port Harcourt 143 and Egbema with 22 candidates.

The annual scholarship scheme was designed by NPDC to provide access to quality education and capacity development opportunities for students in the host communities.

The programme had fostered peaceful co-existence between NPDC and the host communities.

The Programme Coordinator, Prof. Tawari Fufeyin, who is the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Federal University of Petroleum Studies, Effurun, commended the NPDC for the initiative.

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ENO/EMAF/ISMA

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Feb. 6, 2022 (NAN) The Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited had a busy week following the award of honourary doctorate degree on its Group Managing Director (GMD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Malam Mele Kyari.

The award was bestowed on the awardee by Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna.

Other prominent Nigerians who received the award with Kyari for their selfless service and contributions to national development include Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former head of state, Prof. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) and former Minister of Agriculture, Abdul Samad Rabiu, President of Bua Group was also honoured.

The awards were the climax of the University’s 38th founder’s Day and 30th convocation ceremonies which took place at the university’s main campus, Minna, Niger.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdullahi Bala said that the awardees deserved the awards.

In his acceptance speech, Kyari pledged to continue to be an advocate and ambassador of the University in every ramification possible while calling on youths and graduands to embrace technology.

The NNPC GMD who was accompanied to the event by some members of the company’s top management team also took time out to commission the Twin Lecture Theatre of the School of Physical Sciences of the institution.

The occasion was graced by some top dignitaries including Niger Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Etspu Nupe and Chairman of Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Yahaya Abubakar, and the Emir of Minna, HRH (Dr) Farouq Bahago.

Also in attendance were the Chancellor of the institution, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi-Odundun II, Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure Kingdom and the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the institution, Prof. Olu Obafemi among others.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Limited has positioned itself to lead Africa in energy transition following the increasing conversation around the transformation of global energy sector from fossil-based to zero-carbon by the second half of this century.

Explaining the Company’s strategy for a smooth and realistic energy transition, NNPC CEO, Kyari said the NNPC had set the necessary machineries in motion to lead Africa in transition to low-carbon energy and renewables.

Kyari spoke at the 30th Convocation Lecture of FUT, Minna, while delivering a lecture titled “Energy Transition & Energy Accessibility – The New Paradigm”.

He noted that as transition to cheaper energy gains momentum, especially across the developed countries, oil companies must continuously improve operational efficiency and reduce their costs to remain on the playground.

This, he said would guarantee affordable and reliable energy for rapid industrialisation and improve the economic well-being of the people.

He also said that the NNPC Ltd. had started deepening natural gas utilisation under the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) and was currently extending natural gas infrastructure backbone from Ajaolkuta in Kogi to Kano through Abuja and Kaduna, under the AKK Gas Pipeline Project.

The mega AKK pipeline would be fed by both Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) and Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas pipelines through Oben node in Edo and deliver 2bscf of natural gas to power plants and industrial off-takers along Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

“As a National Oil Company and a global player, NNPC Ltd is ready to shift to renewable energy; efforts are ongoing to take a firm position in this transition process by institutionalising the necessary enablers for desired success.

“It is against this background that the company advised against putting Africa in the same energy transition speed as the industrialised nations.

“Any attempt to do this, can result in unanticipated collateral damage that can spark energy crisis and deny developing countries access to available and cheaper energy for growth,” Kyari said.

Kyari further explained that in furtherance of its efforts at taking the lead in Africa’s energy transition, the NNPC Ltd had established a Renewable Energy Division and had completely transformed its erstwhile Research &Development (R&D) Division to NNPC Research, Technology and Innovation Division.

“The company is also currently transiting into Energy Company of Global Excellence and therefore welcomes beneficial relationship with the academia and industry experts who demonstrate capacity for productive research and innovation in the energy sector.

“Considering the financial stretch required to transit at the same pace with the rest of the world, what Africa needs is energy transition that addresses energy poverty across the continent and supports the use of comparative and cheaper available energy resources in Africa.

“Attaining this vision will however, require substantial finance which may have to come from diverse sources globally

“Africa is especially endowed with abundant sunshine that can support massive development of renewable energy enough to put the continent on the map of energy sufficient regions of the world,” he added.

In the meantime, the NNPC Ltd. commenced the process of selecting competent Operations and Maintenance (O & M) firms to manage the Port-Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries upon completion of the ongoing rehabilitation work.

This became realistic with the public opening of bids from the five firms that applied for the contract.

Mustapha Yakubu, Group Executive Director (GED), Refineries and Petrochemicals, NNPC, said at the virtual bid opening that the exercise was part of ongoing efforts by the NNPC Limited to achieve the objective of boosting in-country refining capacity to guarantee energy sufficiency for the country.

Yakubu who was represented by the Managing Director, Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company (WRPC), Babatunde Bakare, expressed confidence that the ongoing investments in the refineries would benefit all Nigerians.

Also at the event, the Group Executive Director, Corporate Services, Mrs Aisha Katagum, urged the bidding firms to have faith in the foolproof evaluation process, stressing that all stages of the selection would be carried out transparently.

The Group General Manager, Supply Management, Mrs Sohpia Mbakwe, said the tenders were “double envelop submission” that contained both technical and commercial bids from the participating companies.

She emphasised that each firm’s entry would be evaluated based on the strength of its ability to address the technical and commercial peculiarities of the preferred refinery.

It would be recalled that upon the public advertisement of the exercise on Oct. 8, 2021, a total of 52 companies sent in entries out of which, eight were prequalified and five firms successfully submitted according to specifications.

The five firms that bidded for the O &m service contract are Dovewell/Aramis, Daewoo, Petrofac, Technimont, and Pivot/EPROM.

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ENO/EMAF/ISMA

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Jan. 30, 2021 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited started its week with the securing of a 5 billion dollars corporate finance commitment from the African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank) to fund major investments in Nigeria’s upstream sector.

For NNPC, securing the facility is a milestone achievement, especially in its bid to scale up investments in the oil and gas industry.

The loan will provide a veritable platform for the NNPC Limited to successfully implement the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in the Industry.

The new legislation has provided business opportunities that will enable the NNPC earn more revenue for the country and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the Nigerian energy sector.

The loan will therefore serve as a facilitator for the upcoming projects.

Additionally, the PIA has raised stakeholders’ expectations on the company, even as it has given it a wide room to stimulate investments in the oil and gas industry.

Under the NNPC Ltd funding strategy for selected upstream investments, the Company would be raising between $3.5bn and $5bn as corporate finance to fund major upstream investments.

A major outcome of this partnership with Afreximbank is to support upstream capacity to boost energy supply.

There will be acquisition of interests in quality upstream oil and gas producing assets, just as it is projected that this will help facilitate energy supply and transition.

The NNPC by this funding prospect will take over ownership from non-investing partner through acquisition of pre-emption rights in the Sample Joint Venture.

Furthermore, the NNPC’s strategy will also enable the company invest in assets that will address and reduce the issues of integrity, bottlenecking and growth challenges; it will also support the promotion of rig-less activities and drilling campaigns in the Oil industry.

On funding repayment, it is expected that this will be done within a four to eight years’ period with the objective of ensuring major fiscal obligations and appropriate discharge of operating expenses.

Meanwhile, a fall out of the collaboration will be to explore the innovative idea of establishing a Pan-African Energy Transition Bank; NNPC Limited and Afreximbank have agreed to work out the modalities of achieving this objective.

The importance of an African Energy bank cannot be over stated as there is a need to cultivate a pool of investors who understand and appreciate the importance of oil and gas to the economic development of African nations.

Whilst Foreign Capital is desirable, it has hitherto not been reliable in funding oil and gas investment in Africa.

The establishment of institutions as the African Energy Bank will therefore enable local oil and gas companies boost new and existing projects developments, ensure reliable financing channels for oil and gas and position the continent as a net exporter of hydrocarbons, while creating capital opportunities for renewable energy projects.

Afreximbank is a Pan-African multilateral trade finance institution created in 1993 under the auspices of the African Development Bank with the mandate to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade using three broad services.

The services are credit (trade finance and project finance), risk bearing (guarantees and credit insurance) and trade information and advisory services.

Afreximbank has 50 African member-countries; as of June 2020, the bank had four regional locations and is in the final stages of establishing a fifth regional office for Central Africa.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Limited Malam Mele Kyari and the Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of Afreximbank, Prof. Benedict Oramah, sealed the epoch making agreement on behalf of their respective institutions in Cairo, Egypt.

Kyari was accompanied on the trip by the Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya; the Group Executive Director, Upstream, Engr. Adokiye Tombomieye; the Group General Manager, NAPIMS, Mr Bala Wunti; the Managing Director, NNPC Trading, Mr Lawal Sade, and others.

In another development, the Federal Government has proposed to extend the subsidy removal implementation period by another 18 months, in a demonstration of concern for economic wellbeing of its citizens.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said this during a special briefing on fuel subsidy at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Sylva said that the extension would provide all stakeholders with the needed time to put in place necessary steps and palliatives that would cushion the effects of the subsidy removal, in line with prevailing economic realities.

Whilst allaying fears of a possible gradual increase in fuel prices in the coming months, Sylva noted that every measure will be put in place to protect Nigerians from hardship.

Sequel to the Ministerial briefing the Senate President, Sen. Ahmad Lawan had convened a meeting of the critical stakeholders, where he urged the Leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to cancel the planned protest on subsidy removal.

Speaking at the same meeting, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said that the Federal Government reconsidered the planned subsidy removal due to the already heightened inflation.

According to her, removing fuel subsidy at this time would impose more hardship on Nigerians.

This, she said was against the wish of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The minister said before the removal of subsidy, a number of measures would be put in place to cushion the effects of the removal.

This includes deploying an alternative to petrol and increasing the country’s refining capacity among others.

Ahmed also stated that based on the reconsideration of the subsidy removal, the ministry would make appropriate budgetary provision for subsidy after June 2022.

On his part, the CEO of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari restated the commitment of the NNPC to the energy security of the country.

Stakeholders at the meeting were Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi; Deputy Whip Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed;  and CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, an engineer.

Others are the Special Assistant to the President on Natural Resources, Habib Nuhu; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Aliyu Shehu Shinkafi, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo.

Still in the week under review, the Federal Government announced plans for the full deployment of autogas in filling stations and the conversion of 200,000 commercial vehicles to run on gas this year.

This is part of measures to cushion the impact of the proposed removal of subsidy on petrol.

Speaking at the meeting with key stakeholders in Abuja by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva unveiled the 2022 Framework for the deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) popularly called autogas in Nigeria.

The minister stated that the government was out to ensure that it made available the alternatives required before the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), stressing that the deployment of autogas was one of such key alternatives.

He also stated that the government would be supporting them with 50 per cent of the conversion kits to fast-track the process, adding that additional support as required would be given, going forward.

In the framework, the minister explained that with abundant gas reserves of about 206.53 trillion cubic feet, a population of about 200 million people, and the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, which eliminated the continuous absorption of petrol subsidy, it was now vital to deploy autogas.

Three implementation options were highlighted in the document, as the government stated that in the first option, its target was to convert one million public transport vehicles and install 1,000 refueling centres within 36 months.

For the first 18 months it plans to achieve 500,000 conversions and 580 refueling centres supplied by five Original Equipment Manufacturers, among other targets.

In the plan, the government plans to convert 200,000 commercial vehicles this year, including tricycles, cars, mini-buses and large buses.

The cities captured in Phase 1 of the project include Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Niger, and Rivers.

Cities under Phase 2 were listed as Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Osun, Ekiti, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Cross River, Abia, Akwa Ibom and Plateau.

The Phase 3 would take care of cities like Kebbi, Zamfara, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba, Adamawa, Benue and Ebonyi.

On the selection criteria for network operators, the government stated that the marketer must own and/or operate a minimum of 21 stations nationwide.

The dealer must own and/or operate a minimum of five stations in each proposed city and must be willing to demonstrate credit worthiness and the ability to pay back within the stipulated timeframe.

Officials of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, as well as other key players in the downstream sector attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the CEO/ GMD of NNPC, Kyari has expressed willingness to partner with the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd. (NIGCOMSAT) to secure the oil and gas facilities of the company through the various technological innovations of the Satellite Company.

Kyari made this commitment when he hosted the management staff of NIGCOMSAT in his office led by the MD/CEO, Ms Abimbola Alale.

The CEO/GMD of NNPC had during the discussion reiterated the need for a safe and reliable security services for the NNPC facilities especially those in the remote areas.

The GMD also gave assurances that with the new status of the organisation as a limited liability company, NNPC, under his stewardship and the present administration, would ensure that the company work for the good of all Nigerians and the country.

Some of the key projects proposed by NIGCOMSAT includes Communications on the Move (COTM) solutions that allows vehicles with flat panel antenna connecting to NIGCOMSAT Satellite to deliver services in very remote locations

Communications on the Go that allows field workers to deploy Satellite communications in a backpack.

Dedicated Single Channel Per Carrier link; SCPC, as redundancy (business continuity) the NNPC links

And that NNPC migrates their satellite-based private network to NIGCOMSAT Satellite on the C/Ku bands in a managed-services agreement.

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ENO/EMAF/ISMA

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Dec. 19, 2021 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, started the week on a good note with the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum, Downstream, Rep. Abdullahi Gaya, expressing optimism that rehabilitation of Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) plants would be completed on schedule.

Speaking during an oversight visit of the Committee Members to the refinery, Gaya said the visit was necessitated by the need for the lawmakers to assess firsthand the level and quality of work done so far.

This, he said was to ensure that there was value for money in the execution of the project.

Gaya said that members of the Committee also wanted to ascertain if the work was progressing according to timelines to facilitate timely completion of the project and to check if there was need for further intervention for the general benefit of the nation.

He said that the committee was excited at the appreciable level of activity going on in the plant, especially when compared to level of work during the committee’s visit in 2020.

The Committee Chairman said that with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) now in force, and the presidential directive for its full implementation within a year, it is expected that the downstream sector would now be independent.

Earlier, the Managing Director, PHRC, Ahmed Dikko, who took members of the committee on a tour of the plants, said the rehabilitation project was aimed at restoring the plant to a minimum of 90 per cent nameplate capacity utilisation.

According to the MD, the scope of the rehabilitation project which will last for 44 months cuts across Process Areas 1, 2, 3 (NPHR) and 5 (OPHR); Power Plant and Utilities; Offsites; Jetty; Wastewater Treatment Plant; Distributed Control System (DCS); Emergency Shut Down (ESD) and Fire & Gas System (FGS); Technical Buildings; Non-Technical Buildings and Pipelines Repairs, etc.

On Health Safety and Environment (HSE) statistics, Dikko said that over 150,000 man-hours have already been achieved on the project with zero lost time injury, zero fatality and zero damage to property.

The Managing Director also informed the lawmakers that the contractor was complying with the provisions of the Nigerian Content Development Act as there was active participation of Nigerian companies as sub-contractors in the project.

Furthermore, he said MoU was signed between the contractor and the Community Leaders to boost cordial relationship between the company and the host communities, detailing expectations by the communities from the contractor.

Dikko said there was zero unrest so far due to the robust community relation engagement between Owner/Contractor and the host communities.

The PHRC Rehabilitation is in three phases.

The First Phase is the Old Refinery, Area 5 scheduled to be completed in April 2023.

The Second Phase is Area 1 and 2 scheduled to be completed in December 2023 and the Phase 11 scheduled to be completed by December, 2024.

Meanwhile, NNPC has pledged to increase supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas, in order to bring down its price across the country

The Group Managing Director (GMD)/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, announced this at the inauguration of a 120-metric tonnes LPG storage and bottling plant by Emadeb Energy Services Limited in Abuja.

He, however, explained that the hike in cooking gas price is international issue.

Kyari said the commissioned plant would help to reduce the cost of energy since LPG was cheaper than any other alternative fuel.

He stressed that the Federal Government was committed to providing gas for its citizenry.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Emadeb Energy Services, Mr Adebowale Olujimi, urged the government to support LPG investors considering the capital intensive nature of the sector.

In the meantime, the GMD of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, has tasked the management of the National Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO) to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the PIA to increase its profitability.

Kyari gave the charge at a two-day Management Retreat organised by NETCO in Lagos with the theme: “Repositioning NETCO for Growth and Profitability in PIA Times”.

He noted that NETCO and other subsidiaries of the NNPC must key into the new mandate of the organisation following the signing of the PIA by President Muhammadu Buhari on Aug. 16, 2021.

The NNPC helmsman said the national oil company has been transformed into a more competitive and commercial entity which would continue to deliver value and dividends to its shareholders.

He said the oil and gas industry was facing huge challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the global energy transition which has reduced investment in the upstream sector.

Kyari, however, noted that the PIA had provided a lot of opportunities to attract investment to the sector which NETCO and other NNPC subsidiaries should take advantage of to increase their profitability.

Also speaking, the Group Executive Director, Downstream of the NNPC and Board Chairman, NETCO, Adeyemi Adetunji, said that the PIA had codified the regulatory, administrative and fiscal framework for the industry.

He said NETCO’s involvement in the NNPC refinery rehabilitation project had put the company on the world map as one of the reputable companies in refinery rehabilitation.

On his part, the Managing Director of NETCO, Johnson Awoyomi, said the retreat was aimed at brainstorming on how to move the company forward in the PIA era.

Awoyomi noted that to align with the reality of the Act, NETCO would focus on cost optimisation in project execution and expand its business portfolio through diversification into other viable sectors of the oil and gas industry.

He said that the company would also intensify construction management activities, technical collaboration to expand its business frontiers and seek more opportunities outside of NNPC, within Nigeria and overseas.

The MD, who commended the leadership ability of the NNPC GMD, said the declaration of N287 billion profit in 2020 by the corporation was a testimony to the management’s cost effective initiatives.

The Executive Director, Operations, Mr Kanayo Odoe and his counterpart, Executive Director, Services, Mr Ahmad Kigo, also spoke about the retreat.

Still in the week under review, the NNPC Limited recorded ₦141.96billion trading surplus for June 2021, compared to a deficit of ₦37.46Billion in May 2021.

This huge leap was contained in the June 2021 Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR)  of the company.

A trading surplus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period under review.

In June 2021, NNPC Group operating revenue as compared to May 2021, decreased by 9.07 per cent or N89.27billion to stand at N894.64billion.

Similarly, expenditure for the month decreased by 29.32 per cent or N299.44billion to stand at N721.93billion.

Thus, in the period under review, expenditure as a proportion of revenue was 0.81 per cent compared to the figure in May which stood at 1.04 per cent.

The report also indicated that the increase in trading surplus was due mainly to the increased sales of crude oil and gas by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), an upstream subsidiary of the NNPC, and the increased gas sales and depreciation postings by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC).

The positive outlook was further bolstered by the performance of Duke Oil and the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC) which also added to the improved bottom line.

Trading surplus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period under review.

According to the report, plus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue for the period under review.

To ensure continuous supply and effective distribution of petrol across the country, a total of 1.63bn litres of PMS translating to 54.50mn liters/day were supplied in June 2021.

In June 2021, 47 pipeline points were vandalised representing 26.56 per cent decrease from the 64 points recorded in May 2021.

Port Harcourt Area accounted for 43 per cent, while Mosimi and Kaduna Areas accounted for 51 per cent and 6 per cent respectively of the vandalised points.

In the gas sector, a total of 223.77billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas was produced in the month of June 2021 translating to an average daily production of 7,459.88million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

The 71st edition of the MFOR highlights NNPC’s activities for the period of June 2020 to June 2021.

In line with its commitment to transparency and accountability, NNPC had continued to sustain effective communication with stakeholders through this report via publications on its website, independent online news portals and in national dailies.

Also in the week, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timpre Sylva charged members of the PIA Implementation working Group not to rest on their oars in the execution of their mandate.

Speaking at the formal inauguration of the group which commenced work immediately after the Presidential accent of the PIA on Aug. 16, 2021, Chief Sylva said that the team must work had to deliver the desired outcome on schedule.

The PIA Implementation working Group which is an offshoot of the PIA Steering Committee is headed by Dr Bello Gusau, the Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, with members drawn from the agencies and parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

APPRECIATION

As Christmas approaches, the NNPC Ltd wishes to express its appreciation to Nigerians for always heeding its advisories not to engage in panic buying of petrol.

The NNPC is once again giving Nigerians strong assurance that they have product sufficiency that would last far beyond the festive period.

Indeed, stock had risen from a reserve of 1.7 billion litres to over two billion litres within the last one month.

Thus, NNPC once again urges Nigerians not to engage in panic buying but to fully enjoy the spirit of the festive season as they continue to work tirelessly to ensure sufficient supply of petrol to every part of the country.

Once again the NNPC extends sincere appreciations to all Nigerians for their understanding and support.

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ENO/EMAF/ISMA

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

NNPC weekly: Kyari advocate tackling global energy crises with more investment in oil, gas

NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Dec. 12, 2021 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited started activities for the week with its Group Managing Director (GMD), Malam Mele Kyari, advocating for more investments in the oil and gas sector to effectively tackle the current global energy crises.

Kyari who made the call while speaking at the 23rd edition of the World Petroleum Congress held in Houston, United States, spoke on the theme: “Building Partnerships”.

He described the choice of the topic as apt because partnership remained an essential component for creating synergy in the delivery of value to various stakeholders and guaranteeing of energy security.

“Our industry is faced with a multitude of challenges, one of which is the requirement for a careful balancing of the aspirations of energy transition and energy security.

“This balance directly impacts energy investments and capital attraction for the development of fossil fuels. The lack of investment capital for oil and gas is already creating energy crises around the world.

“Who would have ever thought that the price of natural gas could sell as high as $60 per MMBtu.

“It is important to pinpoint the fact that the energy and economic security of many resources rich countries is heavily dependent on the development of their hydrocarbon resources.

“This is an important source of generating revenue, providing employment and alleviating energy poverty in these countries while ensuring that the world never lacks the energy it requires to function effectively.”

Kyari told participants at the event that the challenges facing the sector was stifling supply sources, adding that this was what was creating shortage of global energy supply.

He said time had come for all players in the global oil and gas industry to collaborate in creating partnerships for the development of the technologies and funding required to achieve energy transition, energy security and value to shareholders.

The NNPC GMD further explained that the national oil companies as resource owners, needed investment to derive economic value from those resources while investors needed stable markets and regulations to make healthy returns.

He added, “Today, regulation is creating a capex gap, especially to those of NOCs where we see about 50 per cent reduction in investments.

“As technology, innovation, stiff competition for capital and market volatility continue to generate huge waves, the strength in our partnerships, as we transit, will remain our key survival strategy today and in the future.”

Speaking on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, he said through the legislation, Nigeria has renewed its commitment to attracting investments in the oil and gas industry.

“The Act provides the needed improvements in fiscal and governance frameworks, emphasizes transparency and accountability as well as provides a level playing field for all players.

“This is indeed a new dawn for investors as well as our National Oil Company, NNPC, that is transiting to a commercially oriented limited liability company,” he added.

Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Dr Sanusi Barkindo, has said that any talks about oil and gas going into extinction in the coming decades are out of order.

Speaking at the 23rd World Petroleum Congress Plenary Session on “Energy Transition: Scenarios for the Future”, in the United States, Barkindo said that neither science nor statistics support that position.

He said that public discourse around energy, climate and sustainable development continues to be extremely emotive, adding that it was evident in Glasgow, with many voices from the petroleum industry excluded from speaking.

“At times, the narrative around the energy transition has been overtaken by emotional outbursts, with rational discussions based on facts, hard data and science, taking a back seat,” he said.

The secretary general stated that the complexity of the challenge calls for an inclusive approach; not the pursuit of a single ‘one size fits all’ panacea, insisting that to reduce emissions required a delicate balancing act, with all voices heard, and listened to.

He argued that focusing on only one of the issues, while ignoring the others, could lead to unintended consequences, such as market distortions, heightened price volatility and energy shortfalls.

Describing climate change and energy poverty as two sides of the same coin, Barkindo noted that the world needed to ensure energy was affordable for all and a more inclusive transition.

According to him, the world will need more energy in the future, with OPEC’s recently released World Oil Outlook (WOO) 2021 seeing global energy demand expanding by 28 per cent by 2045.

“For oil and gas, there are some who believe that these industries should not be part of the energy future, that they should be consigned to the ‘dustbin of history’, and that the future is one that can be dominated by renewables and electric vehicles.

“It is important to state clearly that the science does not tell us this, and the statistics related to the blight of energy poverty do not tell us this either,” he added.

While admitting that renewables were coming of age, with wind and solar expanding quickly, Barkindo said that even by 2045, it is only estimated to make up around 24 per cent of the global energy mix.

He reiterated that oil and gas combined were forecast to still supply over 50 per cent of the world’s energy needs by 2045, with oil at around 28 per cent and gas at just over 24 per cent.

In terms of electric vehicles, the OPEC helmsman stated there was no doubt that they would continue to see expansion in the transportation sector, but that the share of electric vehicles in the total road transportation fleet was projected to expand to only close to 20 per cent in 2045.

He argued that OPEC fully believed that the oil and gas industries can be part of the solution to tackling climate change, and evolving the energy transition.

He listed carbon capture utilisation and storage as well as blue hydrogen and the promotion of the circular carbon economy, to improve overall environmental performance as key to energy sustainability.

Still in the week under review, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said Nigeria would require investments of up to 410 billion dollars to achieve net-zero by 2060.

He was quoted as saying this by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande who delivered on his behalf, the keynote address at the World Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association (WLPGA) Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The week-long event, themed “Energising Tomorrow”, provided the Vice President the platform to further elaborate on critical role of the natural gas, especially Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) would play in addressing the clean cooking challenge, as well providing grid stability to integrate renewables at scale.

In his address, Osinbajo said LPG and natural gas were sustainable energy fuels that could address both climate change and energy poverty simultaneously.

He said the Federal Government had developed an energy transition plan “which showed that achieving net-zero by 2060 would require investments of about 410 billion dollars, above business as usual.”

“The world should not have to choose between energy poverty and climate change as this could be addressed with both natural gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas as transition fuels alongside other renewable sources.

On Energy transition, Osinbajo disclosed that Nigeria’s energy transition plan was tied to adopting and domesticating all forms of cleaner energy, adding that the use of LPG as a transition fuel was the viable option for the country to address climate change and energy poverty.

He argued that for a gas-rich country like Nigeria, the most viable option in terms of balancing energy security with environmental sustainability would be the use of LPG as a transition fuel.

To this end, he said Nigeria had developed an integrated energy plan with a clean cooking model, which showcased the clean cooking opportunities across technologies such as electric cooking and LPG.

He noted that for countries like Nigeria, which had ample natural resources but was still energy-poor, energy transition fuels must possess certain qualities including affordability, reliability, equity, and inclusiveness.

He emphasised that the implementation of various initiatives and legal frameworks on LPG elevates it as the fuel of choice compared to other competing fuels.

Osinbajo further explained that the government has “consummated collaboration with the European Union (EU) through a study on CO2 savings based on the National LPG Expansion Implementation Programme for clean cooking.”

He therefore urged that “The world should not have to choose between energy poverty and climate change as this can be addressed with both natural gas and LPG as transition fuels alongside other renewable sources.”

In another development, the NNPC has enlisted 17 assets of its upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) for carbon emission reduction under the Leak Detection and Repair Programme (LDRP).

The development comes ahead of the Federal Government’s commitment to attainment of Net Zero by the year 2060.

The exercise which is being executed under the auspices of the European Union Emission Trading system through the European Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) has the potential of earning about €30million cumulatively at net zero cost.

Engr. Jubrin Lawal, Group General Manager, Renewable Energy Division of the NNPC said that the NNPC, through the Division had lined up a bouquet of innovative solutions to support Nigeria’s quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its operations to meet global standards and achieve the net zero target by 2060.

He listed some of the 17 NPDC assets to include Oziengbe-South OML 111, OML40 Onshore, Kukaku/Yeye OML 64, and OML 66 Onshore among others.      

Also in the week under review, the host communities of the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company (NGMC), northern operations, have commended the company for its sustainable development and empowerment programmes.

The commendation was given at the handing over of starter packs to beneficiaries of the women’s skills acquisition programme organised by the NGMC in Lokoja, Kogi state.

Speaking at the ceremony, Otunba Victor Atteh, from Obajana community, said the NGMC’s commitment to the development of its host communities was unprecedented and urged other corporate bodies to emulate the company.

He thanked NGMC for redeeming its pledge to the communities while urging the management to undertake regular monitoring of the progress of the beneficiaries to ensure the programme’s sustainability.

Speaking also, the Managing Director of NGMC, Justin Ezeala advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the materials while restating his company’s commitment to the continuous economic empowerment of its host communities.

Represented by the Deputy Manager, Services, Mr Idorenyin Ekpo, the MD expressed gratitude to the traditional leaders and people of the communities for the cordial relationship with NGMC and protection of NNPC’s facilities in their domain.

On his part, the Lead Consultant, Bernard Emekpe, noted that NGMC had given the beneficiaries a life changing opportunity which should be used to change and improve the economic well-being of their respective families.

He thanked NGMC for living up to its mission statement by responding positively to its host communities.

Some of the beneficiaries also bared their minds on the development.

Other community leaders present at the event were Baba Ismaila–Ofunene, Ajaokuta community and Abdulmalik Muktar, Geregu community leader.

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ENO/EMAF/ISMA

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz