The Nation Newspaper

Category: Energy

  • NEITI, Auditor-General partner on data sharing

    The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has pledged to work closely with the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation to promote integrity in data collation, validation and management on revenues from extractive industries.

    The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio, gave the assurance in Abuja while receiving the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Anthony Ayine, on a courtesy   visit to seek collaboration and partnership.

    Adio expressed concerns over poor sectoral linkages in data generation, collation, management and dissemination on revenues generated or expended from oil, gas and mining sector.

    The Executive Secretary identified poor linkages among relevant agencies as major constraints in national planning, natural resource governance and public finance management. He said: “Our doors are quite open; NEITI is ready and willing to work with sister agencies on information and data sharing, capacity and manpower development. We are also ready to collaborate and partner with the Office of the Auditor General in particular and other similar agencies in general to promote data integrity, openness, standards and uniformity in data collation, validation management and utilisation.”

    He explained that “It is not just enough to be transparent; it is about being comprehensively transparent to ensure that the information is understood. Anything that will bring about transparency in the management of revenues we will give you all the support”.

    “We are working for the same purpose, we have to leverage on the strengths of the different agencies. We have done this for fifteen years and we have the information that will guide you in the extractive industry.” Adio added.

  • ‘Skills development’ll drive local content in oil, gas sector’

    Investing in training facilities, Research and Development (R&D) will help enhance the capacity of indigenous operators in the oil and gas industry thereby deepening the local content initiative, the Executive Director, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), Mr Jide Jadesimi, has said.

    He said there was the need to enhance the capacities of local businesses and operators in the nation’s oil and gas industry in order to execute major projects in the extractive industry.

    Jadesimi spoke to The Nation ahead of the “3rd Africa local Content & Sustainability Summit” scheduled to hold in Ghana in October. He said increasing local content by expanding the opportunities for indigenous enterprises and communities to participate in the extractive industry’s value chain required up-skilling national workforces to increase their competitiveness.

    The LADOL director said this could be done through partnerships, joint ventures and/or other alliances between local businesses and mining companies to enable indigenous companies broaden their knowledge of the extractive industry and promote technology and skills transfer.

    He added that a multi-sectoral approach was critical to skills development so that competencies gained can be transferred to other economic sectors.

    According to him, such approach will also help indigenous businesses access market information on opportunities in the extractive sector and build their capacity over time to effectively participate in and link with mining, oil and gas companies.

    Jadesimi stated that without the necessary capacities, indigenous oil and gas firms will continue to miss out on available opportunities.

    “Substantial benefits can be realised from close collaborations with companies, hence the importance of facilitating alliances between local and foreign businesses,” he said.

    The LADOL boss added that the participation of the private sector and civil society will also be critical to raising community awareness and building the capacity of local enterprises to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the industry.

    He further stated that investing in skills development through training is not just about driving local content, but doing business sustainably, profitably and responsibly. “It can lower supply chain costs by creating jobs and prosperity for local communities and using local suppliers, goods and services,” he added.

    While insisting that local content matters a great deal, Jadesimi said businesses must comply with a country’s local content laws to be able to operate.Secondly, investing in skills, sourcing locally and building capacity in the short-term, he said, means businesses can operate more efficiently and profitably in the long-term.

    He also said companies will strengthen their brand and protect their long-term licence to operate by contributing to the development of the host country. Jadesimi said for local content to be sustainable, a long-term, end-to-end localisation approach must be followed from exploration through to decommissioning phases in the typical oil and gas lifecycle.

    “To become more competitive to international mining firms, governments must seek to create a more investor-friendly business environment. But these actions should not override the reasonable consideration of retaining as large a proportion of resource wealth as possible in-country,” he said.

  • NEPAL Oil expands into aviation sector

    NEPAL Oil and Gas services Limited, one of the leading indigenous companies operating in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas industry, has ventured into the Aviation business with the introduction of its newest subsidiary, NEPAL Fly Limited.

    According to the company, the expansion is line with its plans to extend business operations to every part of Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. Nepal Fly limited is currently operating its aviation tank farm along the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.

    NEPAL Oil and Gas Services Limited is renowned for its importation, warehousing and distribution of petroleum products such as automotive gas oil (AGO), dual purpose kerosene (DPK), premium motor spirit (PMS), aviation turbine kerosene (ATK), low pour fuel oil (LPFO) and lubricants, among others, in Nigeria.

    The company is effective in distribution of petroleum products to meet the demands of the Nigerian market through the use of its motorised tanker trucks, and intends to bring this same efficient delivery service to bear in its aviation operations.

    NEPAL has been responsible for the coastal supply of petroleum products to several establishments including renowned oil majors within the country. The company owns a state of the arts modern tank farm facility located in Oghara, Delta State, which is capable of warehousing over 60,000 metric tons of different petroleum products.

    The company said it also has plans to expand its aviation business to other locations within and outside the country. Presently being considered are Abuja, Owerri and Port-Harcourt and other locations within the sub-Saharan Africa in the nearest future.

    NEPAL is also looking into the future and is a shareholder in Genesis Electricity Limited with active participation in independent power generation in Africa, especially within the Calabar Free Trade Zone. Nepal has not only acted as a major energy supplier for the independent power plant but also as a major stakeholder in Nigeria’s power sector. Nepal has been in the board of Genesis Electricity Limited since 2010.

  • Slow match to energy diversification

    To improve electricity generation and supply for domestic and industrial use, Nigeria began the diversification of her energy sources through the implementation of a nuclear energy programme. But, almost two decades down the line, electricity supply has not improved. Supply hovers around 3,500 and 4,300 megawatts. Experts say this is hurting the industrialisation drive and frustrating consumers. Energy Correspondent AKINOLA AJIBADE reports.

    By now, stakeholders in the country’s struggling energy sector must have come to terms with the reality that the envisaged growth in the nuclear energy segment of the power industry has woefully failed to manifest.

    The stakeholders, including electricity consumers, power utility firms and industry regulators, are disappointed that the plan to diversify the energy sources through the nuclear energy programme has not boosted electricity supply across the country.

    For instance, with supply hovering around 3,500 and 4,300 megawatts (mw), it means that the push to add nuclear energy to the country’s energy mix and, hopefully, improve power generation and supply, has not delivered the desired result almost two decades after the country began the implementation of the nuclear energy programme in 2004.

    It also means, by extension, that Nigeria, according to experts, may need to rework the programme and walk the talk on its implementation.

    The administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo had in 2004 set the tone for what promised to change the dynamics of the power sector and deliver a robust energy mix. That was when it inaugurated a reactor provided by the Research Department of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State.

    Tagged Nigeria Research Reactor (NRR 1), it was developed to improve the skills of Nigerians who intend to go into the production of nuclear energy and allied areas. Apparently excited by the move, the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan also developed interest in the use of nuclear energy.

    In 2007, Jonathan, at a Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague, Switzerland, said Nigeria was ready to tap into opportunities in nuclear energy to engender the growth of the power sector in particular and the economy generally. Nigerians, he said, saw nuclear power as a means to provide electricity to its teeming population.

    Jonathan went a notch higher, announcing that the then Federal Government was committed to negotiating and signing a treaty with multi-lateral orgnisations.

    The government of the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua was no less enthusiastic over the prospects of leveraging a vibrant nuclear energy programme to  diversify energy sources and improve electricity supply.

    At various fora, he urged the country to embrace nuclear energy to meet its growing energy needs, stressing that the idea would help to end the problems in the sector.

    Experts, stakeholders back nuclear energy

    The Chairman, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Prof Simon Presco Mallam, was emphatic that nuclear energy remained the only option, which the Federal Government must explore to end problems in the power sector and also achieve the much-needed economic growth.

    The option, the Mallam explained, has helped South Africa, Russia and other countries to improve electricity supply, as well as their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He, therefore, advised Nigeria to toe a similar path, if she wanted to achieve significant economic growth.

    According to Mallam, Nigeria has set up a roadmap on how to achieve growth in the nuclear energy segment of the power industry, adding that the country has resolved to improve generation through this energy source.

    Mallam said: “Nigeria has a roadmap and that is by mid 2020, the country hopes to get a commercial plant and add three more plants in five to 10 years. If all go according to plans, the Federal Government would certainly add nuclear energy to its energy mix in no distant future.”

    He said Nigeria has signed both operational and project development agreements with Russia on the generation of nuclear energy. He, however, stressed that both countries were yet to sign any commercial contractual agreements.

    The immediate past President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs, also weighed in on the matter. He said Nigeria must diversify energy sources to hasten the growth of the electricity sector. According to him, Nigeria has a lot of options to choose from in order to improve the quality of life of its people, including nuclear energy.

    It is easy to see why Jacobs was pushing for energy diversification. Operators in the manufacturing sector where he holds sway have been agonising over the heavy blow on their productivity and competitiveness dealt by unreliable electricity supply.

    The manufacturing sector relies on steady electricity for production of goods and services. But the lack of this critical infrastructure has continued to affect the sector’s capacity utilisation and push up cost of production, forcing many manufacturers to either downsize or lay off their workforce.

    Others who could not stand the heat were compelled to relocate to other countries, such as Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo and others, in the sub-region, where electricity supply is relatively steady and regular.

    Ambitious nuclear energy targets

    According to the NAEC boss, Nigeria targets 4,800 megawatts (mw) of electricity from nuclear energy between 2020 and 2025.

    Delivering a speech at a nuclear energy conference in Russia last year, he said Nigeria targeted 1,200 mw by 2020, adding that the country hoped to generate 1,200 mw in four phases, to bring the total to 4,800 mw.

    “Our plan right now is for us to be able to generate between 1,000 mw to 1,200 mw, and then up it to four plants of the same capacities. Hopefully, by the time we are done, we would be talking of about 4,800 mw. It is not easy to start all the plants at the same time, considering the capacity to build them and other factors,” he said.

    According to Mallam, Nigeria has concrete plans to build its first nuclear plant by mid 2020, stressing that the country was still putting logistics in place to make this a reality.

    He said the government had carried out feasibility studies on several areas, before settling on Geregu in the Ajaokuta area of Kogi State and Itu in Akwa-Ibom State.

    He added that factors such as possibility of earthquake, flood or volcanoes, easy access to water and topography were considered before the Commission settled on the areas.

    Struggling power sector justifies targets

    At the current capacity of between 3,500 and 4,300 mw, which is barely enough to power an economy as big as Nigeria’s, the need for the Federal Government to look for means of doubling the production of electricity has never been more compelling.

    The former Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, lent credence to this at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos, recently. According to him, the country has 2,000 mw of stranded electricity, adding that the issue was affecting supply of power across the country.

    A report by US-based Energy Information Administration (EIA) also said Nigeria has one of the lowest net electricity generation per capita rates in the world. It noted that electricity generation in the country has fallen drastically, resulting in load shedding and blackouts.

    The issue, EIA said, informed the Federal Government’s decision to privatise the power sector in 2013, by unbundling the assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). It, however, said despite privatisation, the sector was yet to return to optimal performance.

    The EIA said this was what informed the Federal Government’s decision to explore opportunities in nuclear energy.

    Slow match to nuclear energy

    However, as it turned out, the push to explore opportunities in nuclear energy to increase power generation and also achieve growth has not resulted in any significant improvement, let alone give impetus to the economy.

    The nation learnt that this may not be unconnected with the huge capital required for nuclear energy. For instance, a nuclear energy plant, according to experts, costs between $15 billion and $20 billion. Besides, because of its huge size, a nuclear plant can only be erected on a huge expanse of land.

    The Chief Executive Officer, Rosatom Central and Southern Africa, Dmitry Shornikov, confirmed this. He told The Nation that the cost of building a nuclear energy plant is enormous, adding that there is a need to study the market well before venturing into it.

    Rosatom, a state-owned nuclear energy institution in Russia, organised the 2019 edition of Atomic Conference and Exhibition. The event attracted more than 3,600 participants across the world, exposing them to new technologies.

    Themed “Nuclear for Better Life,” the conference also provided the opportunity for people to keep abreast of developments in the nuclear world. Participants were taught the rudiments of using technologies to improve the operations of sectors in the economy.

    Unfortunately, Nigeria was not adequately represented at the conference, a development seen by not a few critical stakeholders as indicative of her lack of commitment to the implementation of a nuclear energy plan.

    The former Minister of Science and Technology, Chief Ogbonaya Onu, who represented the country, left unceremoniously minutes later. Other African countries, such as Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa, were fully represented at the event.

    Speaking with The Nation, Shornikov said the nuclear energy market was determined by the vagaries of demand and supply, adding that the cost of procuring components of the plant changes a lot.

    Listen to Shornikov: “Since nobody has control over the situation in the market, one can, but only buy the components of the plant at a price offered by the producer(s) or supplier(s) of the plant. The price is denominated in dollars and that tells you how expensive the materials are.’’

    He said the cost of a nuclear plant is extremely high, despite the fact that the cost of uranium, which serves as nuclear fuel, is comparatively low, when compared with fossil fuels used in powering gas and coal turbines.

    On nuclear power plant’s lifespan, Shornikov said the lifespan is usually longer than that of a gas turbine used in generating electricity in Nigeria.

    According to him, “Even though the cost of constructing a nuclear power plant is quite high, the cost implications of operating them are quite low. The average lifespan of a modern nuclear reactor is 60 to 80 years.”

    The energy expert said a nuclear energy can be modified in order to increase its output, adding that things can be done after the expiration of the plant.

    Nigeria, Shornikov said, would save a lot of money yearly on off-grid diesel generation method, when the plant is operational in the country.

    Community resentment also sore point

    The Nation also learnt that the people of Itu in Akwa-Ibom State, one of the areas chosen for the construction of a nuclear plant, are not buying the idea. They have continued to kick against the government’s decision to do so.

    The President, Akwa Ibom Community, Abuja, Tommy E. Okon, said his people have rejected anything that is not in the interest of the state.

    “We reject the plan to build nuclear plant in Akwa Ibom State. We have rejected it before. We are rejecting it now. And we will continue to reject it. The reason is because the negative effects of building of a nuclear plant is higher than the gains,” he said.

    Nuclear power myth persists

    Shornikov also said there is still much scepticism about nuclear technologies globally. He, however, said the positive perception of nuclear technologies and its beneficial impacts are constantly growing and nuclear technologies are constantly developing.

    He said criticism in general stems from the perceived lack of free information about the technology, adding that the myths about disasters and radiation are not based on facts

    The expert said the fear of so-called nuclear waste has been debated for 50 years and it is a fact that the nuclear industry is subject to incredibly stringent international and national standards and regulations.

    “Moreover, nuclear power is the only energy industry which takes full responsibility for all its wastes and builds this cost directly into the product. International co-operation and systems are also in place to effectively control and track the movement of many materials, including radioactive materials,” Shornikov clarified.

    The consensus of experts is that there is nothing wrong with a country like Nigeria having energy mix but in doing so, it should consider economics, security of supply and environmental impact, which are the three important factors necessary when designing the optimum energy mix.

    Funding also

    Nigeria currently has three nuclear energy research centres in the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and University of Port Harcourt. In February, the three centres graduated six nuclear engineers.

    In late March, nuclear scientists working for Nigeria’s Centre for Energy Research and Development, Obafemi Awolowo University, the Centre for Energy Research and Training and Ahmadu Bello University threatened to picket the NAEC over unpaid salaries.

    Because of this and other aforementioned challenges, a stakeholder in the energy value chain, Professor Eusibus Obiajunwa, warned that “If the trend is not checked now, Nigeria will be lagging behind in the next few years in nuclear programme. The few professionals we have in the sector will migrate to other countries where they are already looking for them.”

    Russia sets the nuclear energy pace

    Russia’s nuclear energy supply is put at about 149 Tera Watt Per Hour (TWh), which is 15.7 per cent of total Russian electricity output and 5.4 per cent of global nuclear energy production. The total installed capacity of nuclear reactors is 21,244 Mw.

    Tera watt offers volumes of electricity that are higher than the ones offered by either giga watt or mega watt of electricity.

    The Russian Government has also moved a notch higher, with Rosatom signing technical agreements with countries in Africa, Europe, Middle East and Asia. For instance, Russia, through Rosatom, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigeria in 2017, on how to generate nuclear electricity for the country.

    Not only has the MoU improved partnership between the two countries, it has culminated in the exchange of ideas on how to adopt, build and use nuclear energy technologies to generate electricity, among using them for other things.

    Shornikov, who made this known, said the Russian corporation was aware that Nigeria had been working with the International Atomic Energy Agency as regards nuclear energy development.

    He said: “Nigeria is most certainly following all the correct steps to be ready for nuclear power. The Nigerian government has shown firm commitment to introduce nuclear power into its energy mix. We are aware and we commend Nigeria for its work with the agency

    “It is a phased and comprehensive method designed to assist countries that are considering or planning their first nuclear power plant. The method splits the activities necessary to establish the infrastructure for a nuclear power programme into three progressive phases of development, with the duration of each dependent on the degree of commitment and resources applied in the country.”

    According to him, the completion of each phase is marked by a specific ‘milestone’ at which progress can be assessed and a decision can be made about the readiness to move on to the next phase.

    Shornikov stated that his firm had been working with Nigeria for about five years. “A great deal has already been done in terms of the legal framework and educating specialists, both of which are part of the nuclear infrastructure development programme,” he said.

    On October 30, 2017, Russia and Nigeria signed project development agreements on construction and operation of a nuclear power plant and a research centre housing a multi-purpose nuclear research reactor on the territory of the country.

    The success or otherwise of the agreement with Russia will, however, depend largely on the level of political will on the part of the Federal Government.

  • How we’re eliminating transmission losses, by TCN chief

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is working to reduce technical losses from the transmission segment of the power value chain, it was learnt.

    Its Managing Director, Mr Usman Gur Mohammed, who disclosed this during energy reporters’ visit to his office, in Abuja, said part of what TCN management did to fix the transmission losses was restructuring the grid metering department.

    “Before, this department is controlled from the headquarters, we have now ceded the grid metering to regional managers. Inspectors from the headquarters visit the regions from time to time to inspect them to ensure they are doing the right thing.

    “We will also meter all our lines and our substations and we are beginning with Lagos so that at any point in time, we will know who is contributing the highest losses to the system. We are starting with 200 meters for Lagos because Lagos has between 30 to 40per cent of our transmission capacity. If we intervene in Lagos, we have intervened in about 30 to 40per cent. We have started Automatic Meter Reading (AMR). Human interface created a lot of problems that will give us credible data to monitor our losses.”

    Read Also: How to get prepaid meters, by Ikeja Electric

    On how the TCN will secure funds to finance operations for quality and satisfactory service delivery to Nigerians, Mohammed said: “The best option should be our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), but unfortunately it is not so because of our tariff. When we came in 2017, we made a case for tariff review, and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) agreed that our tariff is less than what we are supposed to get. Unfortunately, they could not review the tariff.

    He said before now, TCN was getting less than 30 per cent of its tariff, which is not sustainable to raise money in the industry for investment. “We don’t get appropriation for our operations. Appropriations are for those contracts included in the National Assembly budget, which are mostly tied to constituencies of members of the National Assembly. We need sustainable money to finance the network. The only option that we have is to go to multinational donors because they have long gestation period,” he said.

    He continued:“Most times, they have five year moratorium period and 20 years repayment period. That would give us enough time to be able to do other development activities that will make the TCN to be able to pay this money by itself. And that is why we have gone to the multinational donors and we have raised $1.661billion. Those monies are – World Bank’s $496million, which are to be used for existing substation lines and targeting brownfield projects.  In terms of implementation, we have completed pre-qualification for the projects 1&2, project 3 is still at prequalification. We have not touched the money yet.

    According to him, the next project is Abuja scheme, the only one whose contract agreement has been signed. “The contract is effective, it is $170million sponsored by AFD (French Development Agency,” he said.

    Mohammed also stated that the company has installed over 40 power transformers in less than two years, expanded the grid capacity from 5000Mw to 8100MW as at December 2018, when the management did the last simulation. “We have removed 775 containers out of 830 containers that have been hanging in the ports for over 15 years. Some of them have been auctioned. We have expanded the grid by adding 3100Mw and we have achieved frequency control that has not been achieved in the history of Nigeria,” he said.

    We have secured 280Mw into our spinning reserve which was the first time spinning reserve has been created.

  • Ikeja Electric, Mojec roll out meters, sensitise customers on registration

    Ikeja Electric Plc (IE) has begun the roll out of meters to customer across its network, under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

    In the first phase, which ended last month, metering was restricted to customers in Ikorodu, Abule-Egba and Shomolu Business Units. However, from the beginning of this month, the exercise has been extended to customers in Ikeja, Akowonjo and Oshodi Business Units.

    The MAP scheme is in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to bridging the metering gap. It entails the empowerment of third party companies’ identified Meter Asset Providers by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to procure and install meters for consumers under this scheme.

    Ikeja Electric, and one of its MAPs, Mojec Metering Asset Company, held a Customers’ Engagement Forum to sensitise customers in the Shomolu Business Unit, on the registration process, survey, payment and installation of meters.

    Its Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Folake Soetan, who spoke at the forum in Gbagada, reiterated the company’s commitment to leverage the opportunity provided by the MAP scheme to close the metering gap across its network and remove estimated billing.

    Read Also: Ikeja Electric, PEP Stores partner on bills’ payment

    “The scheme will ensure accelerated meter deployment to unmetered customers and totally eliminate every form of controversy regarding the accuracy of electricity bills. We have taken concrete actions in terms of planning and manpower deployment for adequate metering” she said.

    In order to ensure a seamless meter registration under MAP scheme, she advised unmetered customers to register through IE website, map.ikejaelectric.com, using their Ikeja Electric’s account number on the bill to update their KYC (Know Your Customer) details after which a survey will be carried out to determine the type of meter that will be suitable for their premises.

    Mojec Meter Asset Company, Managing Director, Ms. Chantelle Abdul, in her remarks, said her company has adequate meters in stock for the MAP scheme. According to her, the cost of single phase meter is N38, 850, while the three-phase meter is N70,350, both inclusive of VAT.

    She revealed that all processes have been put in place, including bank loans for customers who cannot afford the meter outrightly. Some of the banks partnering Mojec where customers can get soft loans spread over a long time to pay for their meters, according to her, include Unity, Sterling, Zenith, First Bank, and First Option Micro Finance Bank.

    Soetan also pointed out that the company has set up a debt resolution panel in its six Business Units to address disputed outstanding bills and ensure reconciliation. She also stated that customers must always pay into the designated bank account provided on the online MAP portal and quote their Application Reference Number (ARN) when making any payment, urging new customers to visit the nearest Ikeja Electric office for account creation  to enable them start their registration for meter.

    As part of the registration process, customers will be required to provide a valid email address and telephone number as they will be contacted through the information provided. She urged customers to always ensure that they provide accurate data during the process.

    She advised tenants sharing the same service cable to separate their them by engaging the service of Licensed Electrical Contractor Association of Nigeria (LECAN).

    The event was attended by dignitaries, including the Baale of Bajulaye, Alhaji Ralialau Alabi Yunusa,  who represented Oba of Shomolu, Adedapo Oduguwa; Shomolu Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman, Alhaja Olawumi Osiefa; Bariga  CDC Chairperson and Mrs Susie Onwuka, Head, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council, Lagos Office.

  • NNPC chief, DPR director, others to speak at 2019 NAEC confab

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Managing Director, Mallam Mele Kyari, will lead other speakers to the 2019 edition of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria’s (NAEC’s) annual conference.

    The theme of this year’s conference is titled: “Harnessing Oil and Gas potential for National Development”. The conference will also have two panel sessions with sub-themes entitled: “Effects of sanctity of contracts on commercial operations’ for the first session and “Commercial viability in gas- to- power value chain’ for the second session.

    The event, which is scheduled for Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos on August 22, 2019 will x-ray topical issues in oil and gas industry and will have in attendance chief executives of International Oil Companies (IOCs) and indigenous oil firms. Chief executive officers of power firms, including generation, transmission and distribution will also be attendance.

    Read Also: ‘ExxonMobil, NNPC pact ‘ll be profitable under Kyari ‘

    Kyari confirmed to attend the event in person when NAEC executives led by the Chairman, Mr. Olatunde Dododanwa, paid him a courtesy visit at the NNPC Towers in Abuja last week. The NNPC chief also agreed to deliver the keynote address.

    Also, ExxonMobil Nigeria Managing Director, who doubles as chairman of Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI),  Mr. Paul McGrath, will  chair the conference and moderate the first panel session.

    Speakers and panelists include the Director of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Ahmad Rufai Shakur; Group Managing Director of Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu; Managing Director of Aiteo Group, Victor Okoronkwo; Managing Director of Total Nigeria, Mr. Mike Sangster; Managing Director of Nigeria LNG, Mr. Tony Attah and President of Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Mr. Debo Fagbami.

    Others are: Managing Director/CEO of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Mr. Chiedu Ugbo; Managing Director of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Mr. Adeoye Fadebiyi; Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mohammed Gur;  Executive Secretary of Association of Power Generation Companies, Dr. Joy Ogali and President, Nigeria Gas Association (NGA),  Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, among others.

    The highlight of this year’s conference will be the conferment of ‘NAEC’s Award of Excellence’ on the Group General Manager (GGM), Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD), NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, and ‘NAEC’s Lifetime Achievement Award’ on General Manager, Corporate Communications, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Alhaji Yakubu Lawal.

    Other recipients were Shell Nigeria, Chevron, Total, and ExxonMobil, among others.

  • Enyo, Bosch strengthen pact for automotive parts, services

    Enyo Retail and Supply and Bosch, a global supplier of technology and services, have deepened their relationship through the signing of a partnership agreement. The agreement will entail the operation of Bosch standard centers as in Germany, South Africa and in all Enyo Vehicle centres throughout Nigeria.

    “The partnership is in the early stage, but we are now at the stage where it is clear to us that we must deepen the relationship beyond equipment purchase where we get better trained by them. It is a full gamut of services,” said Enyo Chief Executive Officer, Abayomi Awobokun.

    “Bosch is number one globally. We want to be one of the best in the country so our aspirations led us to the best company in the space. The Bosch benchmark Enyo is targeting is not just about its quality spare parts, but trained mechanics, first-class centres, great diagnostics and whatever you expect to get anywhere in the world is what we hope to deliver locally and we feel that Bosch is the best partner and teacher. You will get Bosch service quality in all our locations,” Awobokun said.

    Before now, Bosch has been using export model where local companies from Nigeria deploy their products and services in the market with plans open a full-fledged office in Nigeria with local content and local invoicing in naira by October 2019.

    “Nigeria is one of the biggest markets with high population in the continent and we want to explore the potentials. We are glad to have Enyo as our local partner. They have competency and the sites and we bring the technical competency and the spare parts so there is a lot of synergy between Enyo and Bosch,” said Julien Lacoste, Regional Director, Automotive Aftermarket, West and Central Africa.

    The number one manufacturer of automotive parts worldwide and the largest manufacturer of OE systems said they bundle all their spare parts and OE systems in their after-sales services.

    “Our deployment come under three main pillars; spare parts, workshop equipment and workshop services. Within the scope of workshop services, we have soft wares, technical hotlines and technical trainings. This is what we are going to roll out in Nigeria”, said Thomas Winter, President, Automotive Aftermarket, Sales Workshop Concept and Services.

     

     

  • ‘ExxonMobil, NNPC pact ‘ll be profitable under Kyari ‘

    Exxonmobil Chairman and Managing Director  in Nigeria Mr. Paul McGrath is optimistic that its pact with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will be fruitful under the Mallam Mele Kyari-led management.

    McGrath spoke during a visit to NNPC Group Managing Director Mallam Mele Kyari, in Abuja.

    According to him, early signals, based on the study of Kyari’s rich action plans, anchored on collaborative approach with stakeholders, indicated that the future would not only be profitable, but would usher in new levels of investments and growth in the industry.

    He pledged the support of ExxonMobil companies and affiliates in Nigeria to ensure a smooth sail and desired outcomes for Kyari’s vision and aspirations.

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    Welcoming the delegation to NNPC Towers, Kyari described ExxonMobil as one of NNPC’s best partners, noting that the corporation would work assiduously with the oil firm to ensure that it returned to its position as the biggest producer of crude oil in Nigeria.

    On the liquidated NNPC outstanding cash call obligations to ExxonMobil, the NNPC chief commended the company’s management for its support through the period of indebtedness while assuring that the corporation would never go back to that path.

  • Shell, Chevron, others bag 2019 SPE awards

    Through an evaluation by PricewaterhouseCoppers (PwC), CypherCrescent, Shell and Chevron emerged 2019 winners at the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Nigeria Council award night  to mark the end of its 2019 Annual International Conference and Exhibitions at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

    While Shell was adjudged the best overall exhibitor, CypherCrescent bagged double awards as the second overall best exhibitor and the best Nigerian company – a position that has not been won by a Nigerian technology and service provider since inception of the awards.

    Chevron was second runner-up. Tenaris won the best first timer exhibitor.

    The theme of 2019 SPE NAICE was Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Mobile Technology: Changing the Future of the Energy Industry.

    SPE NAICE is the largest oil & gas industry technology exhibition event in Africa. Its serves as an annual hub for exploration and production (E&P) companies, oil & gas services and petrotech companies, consultants, academia, regulators and ancillary service providers to showcase their innovations, projects and services to the oil and gas industry.

    While the E&P companies showcased the adoption of advanced technologies to enhance their operations and strategic projects, the service providers displayed their new solutions, geared towards improvement of operational efficiency to the industry.