The Nation Newspaper

Category: Energy

  • Sahara Group, Cherie Blair QC discuss SDGs in Africa

    Sahara Group  has said that  it is set to explore opportunities with Cherie Blair in a bid to enhance sustainable development in Africa through access to technology, education and food security.

    Group Managing Director, Sahara Power Group, Kola Adesina, Director, Governance and Sustainability, Pearl Uzokwe and Head, Corporate Communications, Bethel Obioma, met with Cherie Blair and her Omnia Strategy team in Davos at the recent 2019 World Economic Forum.  At the forum, both parties acknowledged the need for sustained collaboration and involvement of the private sector in the quest to leapfrog Africa into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

    Speaking at the meeting, Adesina said Sahara Group, in line with its vision of bringing energy to life, was constantly seeking opportunities to partner reputable institutions in its quest to give wings to the aspirations of individuals and businesses in Africa.

    According to him, “Sahara has a remarkable precedent of being at the forefront of private sector participation in driving sustainable development.We are currently working with the United Nations on promoting food security in addition to our interventions through the Sahara Foundation. We are strongly focused on building an ecosystem that will make Africa competitive, improve the quality of life of our people, and create wealth through alignment with global partners who share our vision and passion. We look forward to exploring possible intervention projects with Cherie and Omnia Strategy.”

    Mrs. Blair noted that Africa would need to embrace technology to accelerate development and create systems that will sustain transparency in business and empower the people, especially women. She added that a commitment to good corporate citizenship and focusing on the relationship between business and human rights is increasingly critical to not only companies but consumers and politicians.

    “I think technology plays a huge role in the development of Africa. We have witnessed a marked improvement in the ease of doing business since the inception of mobile money platforms in Africa. This has improved access to funds for small businesses and seamless payment for services without the intervention of middle men. Enhancing access to funds through technology is critical to achieving economic development and prosperity. I believe there are many interventions we can establish working with the Sahara Group,” Mrs. Blair said.

    She also said the fact that the development of mobile apps is becoming commonplace in everyday activities is indicative of the role technology can play in driving sustainable development in Africa. ‘’I have seen through my own foundation (Cherie Blair Foundation for Women) how mobile technology is helping farmers till the land better in Africa and find the best price for their produce using mobile apps. These apps are also being used to deliver primary health care options and information to mothers, making people healthier and more productive.”

    Blair said the three most pressing issues Africa needs to focus on include education, infrastructure development and food security

    Uzokwe said the above were issues that Sahara Group remained passionate about, adding, “we believe that more than ever before, cooperation is needed to transform Africa and Sahara Group is delighted to explore how we can deliver the SDGs in Africa, working with Cherie Blair and her Omnia Strategy team, as well as other stakeholders.”

    Both parties will have follow up meetings to determine the terms of reference for the partnership amongst other deliberations.

  • The problem with Ogoni clean-up, by ex-MD

    Former Managing Director, Treasure Energy Limited, Rivers State owned Oil and Gas Company, and former Manager in Shell, Eddie Wikina, has queried the Federal Government’s sincerity in implementing the clean-up in Ogoniland.

    Wikina observed the contracts awarded had less than one per cent Ogoni content, wondering how the exercise that involves the whole of Ogoniland would have little or no indigenous participation in its implementation.

    Speaking with The Nation on telephone, he noted that the Federal Government through its agency, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), had handed over about four of the polluted sites to the contractors that won them.

    “But to be honest, there’s a lot of suspicion by the Ogoni people about what the government is doing, but then when you talk to the people in the HYPREP, they will tell you that things are going according to plan,” he added.

    According to him, the contracts processes were hijacked by those in authority such that the owners of the land were denied the opportunity to be part of the contracts. Just a little less than one per cent of the contracts belong to Ogoni people, how do you intend to help the people to gain from the exercise, he asked, adding the idea of the whole exercise is to help the people deal with the issues of unemployment and militancy, how does the government want to achieve that, he asked.

    Wikina argued the government agency (HYPREP) even though they claimed they did a tendering exercise in choosing their contractors yet all the exercise was done by the Federal Ministry of Environment and they did not give the Ogoni people the opportunity to be part of the tendering exercise.

    According to Wikina, the project office should have been located in Port Harcourt where decisions were taken, and not in the Federal Ministry of Environment in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Again, all the contracting processes should also have been located in Port Harcourt, and tenders open in the state so that if you have any question, you  can go to the Port Harcourt office, you don’t have to go to the federal capital.

    ‘’Also there should be a clause that would specify that a minimum number of contracts should go to the people. There should be specific aspects of the contracts that should be left completely to the Ogoni people, we did that in Shell and it succeeded, he added.

    ‘’If you give some of these contracts to the Ogoni people, you would have empowered them, and created direct jobs for them and by so doing, most of the boys on the streets would be absorbed directly and get them out of the streets and that would help to reduce militancy in the area, he added.

    When you give all the jobs to outsiders in the name of business, they will come with their own group of people because they want their own people, how does that help the owners of the land the exercise is meant for, he asked.

    “How do you tell a poor contractor in Ogoni who probably wants to supply sand to go to Abuja to send contract documents, you are not being fair to him, where will he get the money from, that’s why the people are suspicious of what the government is doing,” he said.

    ‘’When you look at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, the key things that were recommended were neglected, for example, it was recommended that the government should provide good drinking water in all the areas, they haven’t done that. The government should build a centre of excellence in Ogoniland and they have not done that, and these are the things recommended clearly written in the UNEP report’’.

    UNEP, in its report, had recommended that a Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration should be established in Ogoniland to promote learning in other areas impacted by oil spills in the Niger Delta. Offering  a  range  of  activities  and  services,  the  Centre  could  run  training courses in environmental monitoring and  restoration  and  ultimately  become  a  model for environmental restoration, attracting international attention.

    However, the Coordinator, HYPREP, Dr. Marvin Dekil, on telephone with The Nation, said the agency was set up following the report of the United Nations Environment Programme. According to him, the reason the UNEP was chosen to do the assessment was because the best international capacity and competence was required to carry out the assessment,  adding  the recommendations for implementation was also intended to be done by the best international hands as well as the locals.

    Dekil said the option of the international competitive bidding was applied while advertising for companies for the clean-up, adding the international option was needed because the people wanted the best hands in the exercise.

    “Another key component of the clean-up, he said, was the development of local capacity of the indigenous companies. So what that means is that the local people as well as local companies are trained to prove the competence to carry out the remediation work.

    “It means that we have to think of the best strong hands and also train more of the local companies so that subsequent bidding of the project would include more of the indigenous contractors having been trained on the skills.

    “The process that brought about the companies we are using is an international competitive process which is also provided by the Nigerian procurement Act of 2007. So, we went through a very robust and transparent process in doing the work and in selecting those companies, again, there’s a provision for training for other local companies to participate in the project”, he explained.

    He stressed a proper understanding of the process was required for the people to know  that the project was actually intended to empower and train more of the local companies, and local people in the remediation and other deliverables of the project.

    Dekil disclosed  that HYPREP was also doing training for the youths. According to him, HYPREP had also engaged the youth at different levels with regards to how they could capture the business opportunities that the project provides through training.

    He added that the agency would still  do more of such training to enable the youth and the business communities in Ogoniland understand the procurement processes as regards their own national loss and the best way they can comply and be involved more in the process.

    Meanwhile, HYPREP is a government project and the provision of the procurement law also applies, he stated.

  • Total names 15 finalists for Startupper challenge

    Oil giant, Total, has concluded the process of shortlisting the entries submitted for the 2018-2019 Startupper of the Year Challenge in Nigeria.

    The 15 shortlisted candidates include Amoo Rebecca, Eliminating Post-Harvest Waste;  Ayegba Victor, Unique Multiaxial Enterprise;  Ezenwere Emmanuel Arone, Aerial logistics; Hanson Anietie, Saint Hanson HealthCare; Ijir Aondosoo, My Waste, My Energy;  Izah Nelson, WorkLoad NG; Momoh AbdulJabbar, AMPZ; Nwakanma Obiageriaku Agatha, Tripp; Nwose Kingsley, Bewla; Obaoye Justus, Carido Automobile Service Tech; Ogunbanjo Olumide, AgroData Network; Okoroafor Chukwudifu, Drone/UAV Services;     Olatunde Victor, Fortified Foods Initiatives; Omotosho Oghenekevwe, I Sabi Work; and Orok David, Multi-Dro 311

    Their projects were selected out of more than 5,212 entries, through a questionnaire and a “Share for Likes” voting phase, before being reviewed by social business professionals.

    The 15 finalists will receive coaching over two days before pitching their projects to the local jury, made up of: Ayodeji Megbope, CEO, No Left overs; Bayo Rotimi, CEO Quest Advisory Services Limited;           Bosun Tijani, CEO of Co-creation Hub; Etop Ikpe, CEO Cars45; Funke Opeke, Founder/CEO MainOne Cable Company Limited; Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Partner, Future Collectives; Mosunmola Abudu, CEO/Founder EbonyLife TV; Nasir Yammama, CEO/Founder Verdant AgriTech Limited; Obinna Ralph Ekezie, CEO/Founder Wakanow.com and Yewande Zaccheaus, CEO/Founder Eventful Limited.

    When the final selection process closes on February 12, 2019, the jury will announce the names of the three winners of the 2018-2019 Startupper of the Year by Total Challenge in Nigeria. These young entrepreneurs will receive financial support of up to N6miilion personalised support and coaching from Total Nigeria and a communications campaign to publicise their project. There will also be a Top Female Entrepreneur award for one of the finalists to support her project. The prizes will be awarded at an official ceremony on February 13.

    The 2018-2019 Startupper of the Year by Total Challenge, held simultaneously in 55 countries, 37 of which are in Africa, 11 in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East region, four in the Americas and three in Europe -reaffirms Total’s commitment to social and economic development in host countries worldwide. By helping innovative young entrepreneurs to realise their projects, the Challenge strengthens the local social fabric.

  • NERC screens 108 potential meter providers

    Efforts by the Federal Government to improve metering is yielding results as the companies that applied to be part of the meter asset provider (MAP) policy are going through the process of being certified by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    Power, Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola, told The Nation on the sideline of the inuaguration of the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency’s (NEMSA’s) upgraded and remodelled chemical and engineering laboratory at Ijora-Olopa, Lagos State that meter issue will soon be addressed.

    Fashola said: “We have a policy on metering, which is the meter asset provider (MAP) policy, which allows new businesses to enter the metering area. Just the way generation (GenCos) and distribution companies (DisCos) were licensed, we will license them as MAPs in the value chain of power supply.

    “This will relieve the pressure on the finances of DisCos to supply meters, but it does not discharge theDisCos of the contractual obligation that they have to do but we know they (disCos) are challenged by financing.

    “We think we can open this business up for new operators to come in. At this moment 108 companies have applied and are going through the process of being certified by the NERC, among others. The policy is now playing out and the distance and transition between policy and impact you will see as we go on as supply of meters begin to trickle down.

    “When those companies begin to operate they will employ a lot of people – fitters, technicians, installers and those into wiring will be trained. Many of them have been trained by our training institute, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN).

    “Nigerians will see economic renaissance in the electricity sub-sector when MAPs come into operation just like what happened in the retail telecoms sector–telephone sales, repair and vending, among others.”

    On the laboratory, the Minister said: “We have an upgraded and properly fitted laboratory to help the agency in charge of enforcing safety compliance to actually do its job. They now have tools to offer better service delivery.”

    Managing Director/CEO and Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, Mr. Peter o. Ewesor, said laboratory upgrade is a major milestone for NEMSA in the enhancement of its functions and mandate at enforcing technical standards and regulations as they relate to electrical materials, power equipment and industry-related chemicals by providing quality chemical and engineering tests and analytical services to the generation, transmission and distribution companies, hydro power stations and other related companies in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and the nation at large.

    Ewesor said: “The chemical and engineering laboratory is one of the vintage assets in NEMSA, currently being strategically positioned to ensure that only the right type, quality and specification of insulating oil/chemicals, electrical materials, lubricants of various grades, among others, are used in the NESI and other allied industries.

    “This laboratory has been operating as a reference quality control laboratory for the entire power industry since the era of the defunct NEPA and PHCN, and now in the post-privatisation era when NEMSA took it over in a dilapidated state in 2014.  NEMSA, in realisation of its key role in furthering its mandate as enshrined in NEMSA Act-2015, embarked on the upgrading and remodelling of its chemical and engineering laboratory Ijora-Olopa, Lagos to provide accurate tests and analyses of insulating and cooling oils, lubricants and electrical properties of materials used in electrical equipment deployed or to be deployed in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry and in other allied industries and workplaces in Nigeria.

    “In line with NEMSA’s mandate as per NEMSA Act – 2015, the agency is to amongst others provide sustained technical inspection, testing and certification of all electrical materials, (including transformer oil and chemicals) or equipment, power systems, networks (generation, transmission and distribution), or electrical installations to be used in the power sector, to ensure a stable system to deliver safe, reliable, regular power supply, guarantee safety of lives and property, and avert loss of lives and property in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry. The effective performance of these services will enhance and sustain power supply stability in Nigeria.”

    He continued:“This laboratory is equipped with a wide range of world class test equipment, instruments, and devices including Dissolved Gas Analyser (DGA) – a diagnostic equipment for detecting, identifying and evaluating incipient faults occurring within transformers and reactors; Dielectric Strength Tester – to determine the insulation levels; Kinematic Viscometers – which determines oil viscosity & flow rate of the sample at specific temperatures; Potentiometric Titrator for determining the acidity/acid number present in an oil sample which is used as a measure of oil degradation and deterioration; Interfacial Tension Test Meter for determining the interfacial tension of an oil sample in an oil – water interphase; Cube Strength Testing machine for determining the strength of the concrete used for the manufacture of electric concrete poles; CoulometricTitrator for moisture content analysis, pH meters, Muffle furnace, Multimeters, among others.

  • We are committed to human capital growth, says group

    The Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) has said it is committed to human capital development in Nigeria’s oil and industry to maximise value from the industry.

    Its President,  Dr Mayowa Afe, who stated this at the Association’s pre-conference briefing in Lagos, noted that with the absence of substantial investment in human capital development of  in any country,  sustained economic growth and development will only be a mere wish.

    He said: “Human capital development is a key prerequisite for a country’s socio-economic and political transformation. Among the generally agreed causal factors responsible for the impressive performance of the economy of most  developed countries is an impressive commitment to human capital development.”

    According to him, the lack of adequate human capital development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector necessitated the theme of the forthcoming OGTAN annual international conference entitled: “Human capital development as a driver for national transformation,” scheduled for April 14-16, Eko Hotels, Lagos.

    Human capital development, Afe said, is undoubtedly the pivot for any meaningful programme of economic development for Nigeria and indeed, any country, adding that practitioners and social researchers understand the essence of human capital development in the achievement of significant and sustainable economic growth.

    Afe said: “Petroleum sector contributes the highest revenue to Nigeria’s GDP, but suffers a dearth of skilled personnel for sophisticated roles as the traditional educational curriculum hasn’t sufficiently accommodated the demands of the highly-skilled industry.

    “Part of the objectives of OGTAN has been to identify ways by which Nigeria’s human capital can be improved via training and retraining in order to significantly contribute to the growth of in-country value retention in the oil and gas sector, which leads to enhancing peoples’ livelihoods and overall quality of life. These indicators translate to positive impact on nation building and national development.

    “At this second annual conference, discussions shall revolve around sub themes like: Unlocking Nigeria’s potential through comprehensive human capital development; management and integration of human capital for Africa’s development; technology and knowledge transfer through international collaboration; the role of government and private sector; and development of Africa’s certification and standardisation scheme: possibilities.”

    The OGTAN chief said the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has projected that $14 billion out of the $20 billion spent yearly in the oil and gas industry would be retained in Nigeria by 2027 and OGTAN will work with the Content Board to achieve that target.

    He said the human capital development is at the core of the 10-year strategic plan of NCDMB, adding that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector will be a catalyst for the industrialisation of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors in the next 10 years.

    According to him, the 10-year strategic plan will Increase local content level in the oil and gas industry from 26 per cent to 70 per cent by 2027 and also double the value domiciled in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

    He said research and development (R&D) is the backbone of a globally competitive, knowledge-driven economy, adding that investment in R&D helps develop new products and services that drive growth, create jobs and improve the national welfare. He called for more collaboration between the academia and the oil and gas industry on research, to attract investments into country.

  • Sahara Group, South Africa to collaborate on energy

    Enhancing the capacity, accessibility, reliability and safety of energy in its various forms were the key issues, which dominated discussions between South Africa and Sahara Group at Davos, Switzerland.

    The meeting had South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, Minister of Energy, Jeff Radebe, Group Managing Director, Sahara Power Group, Kola Adesina and Director, Governance and Sustainability, Pearl Uzokwe in attendance.

    Both parties decried the insufficient harnessing of the continent’s energy sector potential, adding that achieving a robust energy sector remained the most critical component of the levers Africa requires to leapfrog into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.The South African Energy Minister said a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders on the continent should be adopted and driven by an empowered public private partnership. “The energy potential of Africa is immense and so much is being done to exploit this potential. However, what we  need is properly defined machinery that would address the issue from a micro and macro level across the continent through cooperation. South Africa will be willing to partner  Sahara Group and other  stakeholders to achieve this.”

    Adesina said Sahara Group had since been leading the cooperation conversation and believes that South Africa has a lot to offer the continent as a frontline economy that has continued to demonstrate strategic leadership in the energy sector.

    He explained that with an estimated 130 million African households still dependent on charcoal, kerosene, lantern, candles, fossil fuels, and over half a billion Africans without access to electricity, the continent would need to declare a state of emergency on the energy sector. “Energy is a critical component of driving economic growth and prosperity. Africa needs to have a common energy sector agenda that addresses the peculiarities of the various markets across the entire energy value chain. Sahara Group would be delighted to partner South Africa to drive this agenda, working alongside all stakeholders.”

  • Samsung trains female welders

    Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has trained another set of  internationally-certified female welders in Nigeria.

    The firm is a major partner in the building of the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel for the production of 200, 000 barrels of crude oil per day from the Egina deepwater field.

    A beneficiary of the training scheme, Chinonye Okonkwo, told The Nation that the training is highly impactful as she became one of the globally certified welders in the country.

    She said through the training, Samsung has brought out the welding skills in her, adding that she has now become a home-grown engineeri in the oil and gas industry, adding that she started in the administration department of Samsung Heavy Industries in Nigeria in 2015, and later moved into technical segment of the firm.

    “I spoke to  my manager  on whether I could become a welder in Korea and he replied in affirmative that I could be trained as a welder in any part of the country. This prompted me to apply for the training in Nigeria. In the beginning, I faced hurdles as many came around to see whether I would succeed or not, but at last, I succeeded in being trained as a welder. According to her, she now trains others in the area of welding, noting that the knowledge she received has helped a lot.

    The training, she said, has helped her to contribute her quota to the construction of  Egina FPSO, which was partially fabricated in Lagos.

    She urged existing and prospective welders to take a cue from the trainees, adding that there is beauty in being trained as a globally certified welder for the oil and gas and other industries.

    Samsung, she said, has confidence in Nigerian workers and firms, because they meet their standards.

    “Records were broken during construction.  This is the first ever project to meet Nigeria’s demanding new standards for “local content”, which in simple terms means Nigerian-owned businesses delivering work in Nigeria.  Over 9.7 million hours were spent by the Nigerian workforce, with over 6,000 Nigerians in employment on the project at its peak via Samsung and its partners and sub-contractors,” she added.

  • Why we invested in refinery, by Dangote

    The ongoing investment by Dangote Group in refining, petrochemicals, fertiliser and gas is driven by the desire to bring innovation and efficiency into all aspects of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, President/Chief Executive, Aliko Dangote has said.

    He spoke at the ongoing Nigeria International Petroleum Summit in Abuja, saying that the company is committed to the concept of energy efficiency and innovation in the oil and gas sector.

    Dangote, who was represented by the Group Executive Director, Government and Strategic Relations, Dangote Industries Limited, Ahmed Mansur, told participants that the conference theme: “Shaping the future through efficiency and innovation”, was apt, given Nigeria’s quest for economic transformation, adding that Aliko Dangote is passionate about efficiency and innovation in the oil and gas industry through value addition across the value chain.

    Mansur said the company’s passion and drive are seen in the building of the project, which will become the world largest single train refinery with a capacity to refine 650,000 barrels per day on completion, therefore, it will not just be the largest in Africa, but will boost Nigeria’s economy.

    He said: “The  refinery can meet 100 per cent of the domestic requirement of all liquid petroleum products (gasoline, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel), leaving the surplus for export.

    “This high volume of petrol output from the Dangote Refinery will transform Nigeria from a petrol import-dependent country to an exporter of refined petroleum products. The refinery is designed to accommodate multiple grades of domestic and foreign crude that can be processed into high-quality gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation  fuels that meet Euro V emissions specifications, plus polypropylene.”

    Mansur disclosed that Dangote is also constructing the largest fertiliser plant in West Africa with capacity to produce 3.0 million tonnes of Urea per year as part of the gigantic economic transformation project. He explained that Dangote Fertiliser Complex consists of Ammonia and Urea plants with associated facilities and infrastructure.

    “Nigeria will be able to save $0.5 billion from import substitution and provide $0.4 billion from exports of products from the fertiliser plant. Thus, supply of fertiliser from the plant, which is set for commissioning before the second quarter of 2019, will be enough for the Nigerian market and neighbouring countries,” he added.

    He said at a time when the oil and gas industry and the global economy is in a state of flux, it is most appropriate that attention should be given to the future, especially given the incredible speed and quantum of change taking place in every facet of human endeavour.

    “Our economy in particular cannot afford to ignore these massive changes.  Our decades of dependence on this industry for our economic well-being and the urgent need for diversification have been widely recognised and are clearly the most critical challenge for our policy makers.”

  • Aiteo’s founder bags FIN African Icon award

    AITEO Group founder, Benedict Peters, has been awarded African Icon of the Year at the Foreign Investment Network (FIN) and Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources Honorary Patrons Dinner and Awards Night, which held at the Nigeria International Petroleum Summit in Abuja.

    According to Aiteo Group’s Corporate Communications Manager, Ndiana Matthew, the award is an acknowledgement of Peters’ significant contribution to oil and gas development in Africa, his visionary leadership, distinguished service and transformational disruption of a sector dominated by international oil companies (IOCs).

    The Aiteo Group’s 20 year evolution through Africa’s oil and gas sector has been exemplary as well as revolutionary – going from a downstream start-up to becoming a leading integrated energy conglomerate with strategic investments in hydrocarbon (or commodities) exploration and production, he added.

    Speaking at the award ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of Foreign Investment Network, Michael Dragoyevich, said: “Mr. Peters has earned a unique honour to stand out among his peers as winner of the coveted FIN African Icon of the Year Award.”

    Dedicating the award to all Aiteo employees worldwide, Peters said: “The award by FIN as its African Icon of the Year is awe-inspiring. It’s an honour to receive this type of recognition. Our modest efforts to provide Africa’s market places with top-quality energy solutions while being a reference point for indigenous capacity in oil and gas have clearly paid off, and we are proud of the fact that we continue to receive such prestigious distinction.”

    Peters ventured into the oil and gas sector as an entrepreneur in 1999 and initially traded mainly in the downstream sector. In 2015, his company, Aiteo, won the bid for the largest onshore oil block in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Beyond oil, Mr Peter’s group has investments in mining, agriculture, infrastructure development, electricity generation and distribution, with a fast-developing retail distribution  network. It  is focused on serving the needs of communities across the continent, by leveraging a unique combination of a strategic asset base, technology, innovation, and some of the best technical and business minds across the industries it serves. The group has been expanding rapidly, extending its transformational operations to different countries across Africa and Europe.

    Peters is passionate about youth empowerment and has donated generously to support football on the African continent. Through Aiteo, he has sponsored the Nigerian Football Federation, Aiteo  CAF Awards, Aiteo Cup (The Federation’s foremost Cup in Nigeria) and a team in his company’s host community. He has also assisted thousands of internally displaced persons in northern Nigeria while also supporting clean water sanitation initiatives in Africa in partnership with Face Africa, improving the lives of over 25,000 people in rural Liberia and more. Peters has a keen interest in social and environmental issues in the agricultural sector. He chairs the Joseph Agro Foundation, which seeks to tackle high levels of unemployment and water shortage by creating job opportunities for farmers in Africa.

    In recognition of his ground-breaking contribution to development, Peters was one of four recipients of the Marquee Award for Global Business Excellence at the Africa-US Leadership Awards in 2014. In the same year, he won the “Leadership CEO of the Year” award.  In  2015, Peters received the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award in the “Economic Empowerment” category.

  • Oando officials donate to Niger Delta flood victims

    Employees of Oando Plc  began  the year by putting smiles on the faces of thousands of people affected by the 2018 floods in Rivers and Bayelsa states, The Nation has learnt.

    Last year, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) confirmed that flooding across 16 states and 87 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Central and Southern Nigeria  caused 199 deaths and 1,036 injuries. In addition 176,299 people were internally displaced; 3,544 houses destroyed; 150,285 hectares of agricultural land destroyed and a further 826,403 of the population were to varying degrees negatively impacted.

    Dealing with the impact of urban flooding is always challenging, and this instance was no exception. Affected communities were left to pick up the pieces after the devastation of having their crops destroyed; leaving the population vulnerable to food shortages and negatively impacting the livelihoods of already struggling farmers. The floods also affected other livelihoods, such as fishermen and women, who were hardest hit. The flood was so severe that some communities were cut off from each other and schools closed.

    In an interview with newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Coordinator, Emergency Operation Centre E, Rivers/Bayelsa Territory of NEMA, Mr. Yakubu Suleiman, disclosed that several homes, farmland, schools and churches were submerged in the affected communities across eight Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

    In their bid to identify with the victims,  Oando employees have donated food and non-perishable items such as bags of rice; cartons of noodles; disinfectant; mosquito treated nets; clothing to over 2,000 displaced families in some communities as well as those in government-approved camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) in their host communities of Rivers and Bayelsa States.

    The initiative was hinged on their realisation that the government cannot achieve an inclusive and sustainable society alone. “Citizens and organisations must work alongside governments to support the building of the society we all desire,” they said.

    The initiative, they noted, is rooted in the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, which builds upon the collective strengths of its people and partners as good corporate citizens to power, prosperity and long term growth within its host communities.

    Speaking on the initiative, an employee, Olayemi Olomo, said: “I believe strongly in helping people in need. Initiatives of this nature have been my passion for over five years, and that’s part of the culture here at Oando.”

    Inikpi Okutachi, another employee, said: “I appreciate how Oando encourages and stands behind its communities, it’s inspiring. I couldn’t help but follow in the steps of the company by making a donation when the need arose.”

    General Manager Commercial, Oando Energy Resources,  Akinbambo Ibidapo-Obe said: “It’s not very often that you find yourself in a company with people who share the same values as you do. I’ve participated in all employee philanthropy that the company has embarked on and I pledge to continue to do so. Natural disasters do not discriminate; any one of us…our family, our friends could be in the same situation one day and I hope people will rally to support me or them, the same way the Oando team is doing today.”

    In a letter to Oando, Chairman, Bayelsa State Emergency Management Agency, Major Zedekiah T. Isu, appreciated the efforts of Oando employees. “The state government through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) says thank you.”

    In 2018, Oando employees, as part of its ‘Month of Love’ initiative donated school supplies such as educational books to encourage learning and reading, school bags, school furniture, raincoats in preparation for the rainy season, and other items to aid educational development to three public primary schools in Gbagada Schools Complex.

    In commemoration of World Blood Donor Day of same year, Oando staff donated blood to save lives in partnership with LifeBank an e-health company connecting blood banks with hospitals. The objective of the blood drive was to bridge the blood shortage gap in Nigeria and dispel myths around blood donation.