Tag: Lokpobiri

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo yesterday called for collaborative approaches to strengthen local content implementation in the oil and gas.

Speaking at the Nigerian International Energy Summit (NIES 2026) in Abuja, Lokpobiri described local content as basic to the attainment of the growth of African energy and by extension the economy.

He said:  “We had the privilege of becoming Ministers. I hear that today’s edition is dedicated to local content. And local content is so fundamental to Africa’s achievement of our energy, you know, growth as a country.”

The theme of the session was “Local Content: Beyond Compliance: Building African Industrial Powerhouses.”

He recalled that on assumption of office, one of his initial challenges was local content because the cost of the project was higher in Nigeria than elsewhere in Africa.

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Lamenting, Lokpobiri said: “And so we had to find a solution. Can’t see the reason why a country that is physically at home will have lower project costs than Nigeria. And so we had to tackle that problem.

“And we found out that the problem was, you know, misapplication of the local content. Literally, I was a senator when the local content law was passed in 2010. And I was a member of the committee.”

Similarly, Ekpo said historically, local content implementation has been driven largely by compliance, meeting prescribed thresholds for contracts, labour, and ownership.

He noted that while this has increased participation, it has not always translated into globally competitive indigenous gas companies, advanced technological capability, or deep and sustainable value retention within our economies.

Ekpo said the session rightly challenged the stakeholders to move beyond compliance toward performance-driven local content, that is, local content that deliberately builds industrial strength and long-term competitiveness.

The minister stressed that in the gas industry, this means developing robust indigenous capacity across engineering and project execution, gas processing, pipeline construction, operations and maintenance, fabrication, LNG and FLNG services, gas-based manufacturing, and downstream utilization. It means ensuring that Nigerian and African companies are not only present in the value chain, but productive, innovative, bankable, and export ready.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Patience Oyekunle said the theme of the dialogue is timely.

According to Director Midstream and Downstream, Irene Ikemba, who represented her, across Africa, the energy future must be deliberately shaped by capability, competitiveness, and shared prosperity.

She said the summit theme “Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing Our Shared Future” speaks directly to the task before us. Energy is not merely a commodity; it is a catalyst for stability, industrialisation, and inclusive growth, and national security.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday ordered the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and others to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of a case involving four oil fields.

Justice Emeka Nwite gave the order after Ambrose Unaeze, who appeared for the plaintiffs; Hi-Rev Oil Limited and Hi-Rev Exploration and Production Ltd, moved the application to the effect.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2678/2025, are the Attorney-General of Federation (AGF) and Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Justice Nwite had, on Dec. 22, 2025, ordered the minister, the AGF and NUPRC to show cause why the reliefs of the plaintiffs in their motion ex-parte should not be granted.

The judge made the order after Unaeze moved the motion dated and filed on Dec. 11.

The oil and gas companies had sought an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants or whomsoever is acting on their behest from selling, assigning or allocating the Yorla South (Petroleum Prospecting Licence (PPL) 2A32 – OML 11) located in Rivers.

The order is to also restrain the defendants from allocating Akiapiri (PPL 2A48 – OML 25) located in Bayelsa; Diebu Creek East (OML 32) also located in Bayelsa and Idiok (PPL 2A41 – OML 67) located in Akwa Ibom, “same being direct replacements for Utapate Oil Field (formerly part of OML 13) and OPL 2002, previously allocated to the plaintiff but was later withdrawn by the defendants, pending the hearing of the interlocutory application in this suit.”

Giving four grounds why their application should be granted, the lawyer said the companies were previously allocated the Utapate Oil Field (formerly part of OML 13) and OPL 2002, but were unreasonably withdrawn by the Federal Government.

He said parties had a settlement agreement for the replacement of the Utapate Oil Field, which was accepted or adopted and it became consent judgement.

Unaeze stated that the firms had taken substantial steps and offered consideration in respect of the grant of the licence to operate OPL and licence to establish a petroleum refinery.

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He argued that the companies’ legal right is being threatened by the defendants, pursuant to the threat to sell or allocate the oil fields at Yorla South, Akiapiri, Diebu Creek East, and Idiok to third parties via the defendants’ offer to the public for round bid, hence, the need for the interim order.

Although the judge did not grant the order, he, however, ordered the defendants to appear on Jan. 5 (today).

When the matter was called yesterday, Unaeze informed the court that an order was made for the defendants to show cause why their relief should not be granted.

The lawyer said the 1st and 3rd defendants (minister and NUPRC) just served on him their memorandum of conditional appearance, counter affidavit and preliminary objection in court and that he would need time to respond.

Unaeze, however, applied that the defendants, who were duly represented in court by their lawyers, should give an undertaking not to take any action that might affect the subject matter pending the hearing and determination of the case.

“This is because of the nature of the case and the risk the res (subject matter) may face before the next adjourned date,” he said.

Speaking, Oyinlade Koleoso, who appeared for the 2nd defendant (AGF), said they filed a counter affidavit and a preliminary objection, though they were yet to serve same.

When the judge asked him if he had filed affidavit to show cause, Koleose said he believed that the processes he had filed would take care of that.

The lawyer told the court that based on Unaeze’s application, their submission was that the AGF was not in the position to allocate oil blocks.

The 3rd defendant (NUPRC)’s lawyer, J. A. Olugbade, disagreed with Unaeze’s application.

He said he opposed the plaintiffs lawyer’s prayer since he had already filed a counter affidavit and a preliminary objection.

B. J. Tabaya, counsel for the 1st defendant (minister), said he did not have the instruction of his client to make such undertaking sought by Unaeze.

“But when a case is in court, what are you supposed to do?” the judge asked Tabaya.

“Party will maintain status quo,” the lawyer responded.

“So go and tell your client that as far as this matter is before the court, parties should maintain status quo,” the judge said.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Nwite, who granted Unaeze’s application, ordered the parties to maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the matter. The judge then adjourned the matter until Januaty 26 for hearing.

Arising from the inspection of the furnishing of the African Energy Bank (AEB) corporate head office in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has expressed satisfaction at the completion, noting that the bank is now ready for commissioning by the African Petroleum Producers Association (APPO) and the Afrexim Bank.

He described the promoters as the drivers of the AEB, insisting that Nigeria has fulfilled its obligations as the host country, furnishing the bank to taste in the best location.

His words: “I came to inspect the headquarters furnishing of the Africa Energy Bank and I am happy to disclose to the world and Nigerians and Africans that Nigeria has delivered on all the obligations made for us to fulfill as host country.

“The headquarters is ready, tastefully furnished in the best location and so we are ready for the bank to take off. So, we are waiting for, you know, APPO and African Exim Bank that are the drivers of this process, you know, to facilitate the takeoff.”

He reiterated that it is noteworthy to say that the building is set and the next thing is to invite the promoters: Afrexim and APPO to declare it open.

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He said, “But what Nigerians, you know, and the world need to know today is that as a host country we have met all our obligations and the building is ready. The bank is ready to go.

“But we’re trying to invite, you know, the APPO, you know, ministers, you know, to come to Nigeria so that we can show to them and say, look, this is what we promised. We fulfilled it. The building is ready.”

Continuing, Lokpobiri said, “The important point is that we have met our obligation.

“As a host country, we provided, you know, everything that is expected of us as host country, you know, to provide. So, is this an indication that the bank is well on its way? Yes, absolutely.”