The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian embassy

  • NNPC signs MoUs on biofuels production with Chinese consortia

    …targets over 10 biofuel complexes in Nigeria

     

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Tuesday announced its target of over 10 biofuels refineries in the country as it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in China with Nigerian-Chinese consortia towards developing sustainable biofuels in the country.

    In a ceremony held at the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing on the sidelines of the ongoing Forum for China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit Tuesday, two separate MoUs on the biofuels project development were signed between: NNPC and the OBAX-COMPLANT Consortium on one hand and NNPC and the CAPEGATE-NANNING Consortium on the other hand.

    Speaking shortly after signing the dotted lines on behalf of the corporation, NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said the MoUs signing was aimed at implementing the Federal Government’s mandate on clean, alternative and renewable energy programmes, particularly automotive biofuels production nationwide.

    A statement that the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division , Mr. Ndu Ughamadu issued made this disclosure.

    The statement quoted Baru as saying that “The aspiration for the exploitation of renewable fuel resources in Nigeria is to implement our nationally determined contributions to the Paris Agreement; part of which requires the blending of 10% by volume of fuel-ethanol in gasoline and 20% by volume of biodiesel in automotive gas oil (diesel) for use in the transportation sector.”

    He added that for a country like Nigeria with a daily consumption of over 65million litres of automotive fuels, it was easy to see that enormous volumes of fuel-ethanol and biodiesel would be needed to meet this obligation.

    According to the GMD, meeting and sustaining the target requires strategic investment in more than ten (10) large biofuels complexes across the country.

    Baru, who noted that the execution of the two MoUs would help develop the first biofuel production complex in Nigeria, revealed that before the end of the year, the development of not less than three other complexes would commence in the country.

    He said NNPC was poised to domesticating the alternative fuels production towards a thriving commercial Biofuels Industry which would not only create jobs and rural wealth for the populace but would also complement international efforts towards curbing global warming.

    Read Also: NNPC reporting template ready next month

    He described the renewable energy project as dear to the Muhammadu Buhari administration, saying that was why, shortly after assuming office as GMD, he made it one of the cardinal programmes of his corporate vision of 12 Business Focus Areas (BUFA).

    Dr. Baru said as part of NNPC’s expanded programme on providing renewable energy solutions, the corporation also plans to power all its retail outlets by means of Solar PV facilities, as well as develop grid and off-grid solar power as a business and contribution to the clean fuels initiative of the Federal Government.

    While assuring the two consortia that Nigeria’s investment climate under President Buhari was transparent and conducive to willing Investors, Dr. Baru charged them to commence the implementation of the biofuels projects without any further delay as preliminary studies on the programme show clear financial indices that are very encouraging for business growth.

    The NNPC biofuels programme centres around sugarcane-fuel ethanol production; cassava-fuel ethanol production as well as oil palm-based biodiesel production.

    While OBAX and CAPEGATE are two Nigerian companies, COMPLANT and NANNING are two reputable companies incorporated in China.

    Speaking on behalf of the OBAX-COMPLANT Consortium, President of COMPLANT, Mr. Gu Haitao, expressed delight over the MoU signing, saying he hope it “would culminate into helping NNPC achieve Nigeria’s renewable energy aspirations.”

    Also responding on behalf of the CAPEGATE-NANNING Consortium, Chairman of the NANNING Board, Mr. Qin Chun Lin, said they looked forward to a great partnership with the NNPC on biofuels production.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Nigerian Embassy in China who supervised the MoUs signing, Ambassador Aliyu Bakori, said with over 185 million people, Nigeria remains a huge market for potential investors.

    On her part, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Mrs. Yewande Sadiku, said the Commission’s doors would always be open to investors in need of relevant information towards investment in the country.

     

     

  • Five Nigerian pilgrims die in Mecca

    Five Nigerian pilgrims die in Mecca

    About five Nigerian pilgrims have lost their lives since the commencement of the 2017 hajj, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said.

    Making this disclosure Tuesday was the Chairman/CEO of the Commission, Barr. Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammad.

    He spoke at the pre-Arafat meeting of stakeholders in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

    While regretting the demise of the affected pilgrims, he however said the Commission was going to make the names of the victims public after reaching out to the families of the deceased.

    Corroborating the NAHCON boss, Dr. Ibrahim Kana, Chairman, Medical Matters said the identities of the victims were being kept under wraps. He however disclosed that one of the deceased hails from Kwara state just as he noted that the  death rate for this year’s hajj is the lowest in recent times.

    Dr. Kana further revealed that there was a delivery by a pilgrim from Kwara state while there was one miscarriage.

    The Head of the medical team also urged the pilgrims to observe basic health advice considering the topography of the holy land such as drinking more water to avoid dehydration and prevent heat waves attack.

  • 175 Nigerians ‘voluntarily’ return from Libya

    175 Nigerians ‘voluntarily’ return from Libya

    Another batch of One Hundred and Seventy-five (175) Nigerians voluntarily returned from Libya on Tuesday aboard a chartered Nouvelair aircraft with registration number TS-INA.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the aircraft landed at 7.50p.m at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

    The returnees were made up of of 34 males, 122 females, 10 children and nine infants.

    They were brought back by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the Nigerian Embassy in Libya.

    The returnees were received at the Hajj Camp area of the airport by officers of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Police.

    Also on ground to receive them were officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

    Addressing newsmen, Air Commodore Paul Ohemu, Director, Search and Rescue, NEMA, said the agency in collaboration with the IOM was working to stem irregular migration and return stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    Ohemu advised Nigerians to stay back and contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of the country.

    “There are a lot of things you can do in Nigeria here.

    “You don’t have to travel outside the country in search of greener pastures.

    “My advice to parents is to keep tab on their children and to ensure that they know where their children are going and not to be deceived by phantom promises,” he said.

    Ohemu said NEMA and some state governments had put various schemes in place to help rehabilitate and reintegrate the returnees into the society.

    Also speaking, Mr Joseph Famakinwa, Zonal Director, NAPTIP, Lagos Zone, said the Federal Government had intensified efforts to curb human trafficking and bring traffickers to book.

    “NAPTIP has sent 315 Nigerians to prison for human trafficking with a total conviction of 265.

    “Our advice to parents is that they should not allow their children to fall into the hands of traffickers, ” he warned.

    On her part, Ms Julia Burpee, Public Information Officer, IOM, said the organisation had facilated the return of over 1,170 Nigerians from Libya since February.

    She said the organisation would assist the returnees to get back on their feet and would provide assistance to others willing to leave the North African country.

  • Nigerian embassy protest: Six students withdrawn from Russian university

    The Presidential Amnesty Office has announced the withdrawal of six out of the 24 former Niger Delta agitators studying at the Peoples University, Russia.
    It said the withdrawal followed the indictment of students as the masterminds of last week’s protest at the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow where 16 Nigerian students were arrested by the Russian authorities.
    The students had staged a protest at the embassy, demanding the payment of outstanding allowances for six months among other things.
    All the withdrawn students were beneficiaries of a special scholarship scheme for Niger Delta youths.
    Announcing the withdrawal yesterday in Abuja, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Hon. Kingsley Kuku, said the action of the protesting students was uncalled for as their claims were found to be untrue, unprovoked and a gross misconduct.
    A statement from the Presidential Amnesty Office and signed by the Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Daniel Alabra, quoted Kuku as saying: “For going on rampage and violently attacking the Nigerian Mission, these students breached the Code of Conduct for delegates on scholarship that they all signed before their departure from Nigeria. It is also a gross misconduct, which the Nigerian government cannot tolerate. Students on its sponsorship cannot go on rampage on flimsy excuses in a foreign country and damage the image and reputation of Nigeria.
    “Our records show that the students were not being owed their In-Training Allowance (ITA) for six months as they alleged. In fact, the only unremitted allowance was for the month of September 2013, which had been approved and was being processed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the time they attacked the Mission.
    “My office had communicated the students on Friday, September 27, 2013 about the processing of their ITA for the months of September and October 2013 and the need for them to be patient while it was being handled by the CBN.
    “We were therefore shocked when information got to us that the delegates had invaded the embassy, destroyed property and attacked the Mission officials over unpaid allowances. This is absolutely unacceptable.”
    Kuku, who is also the Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, said the school authorities will be communicated on the development.
    He also dismissed speculations among former agitators in the Niger Delta that they will soon be paid the sum of Two Million Naira (N2m) each by the Amnesty Office.
    “There is no such plan to pay any of them such amount,” Kuku said.
    The rumour, he noted, had caused serious tension in some of the Niger Delta states and that his office had been inundated with unnecessary phone calls and enquiries.
  • Senate probes $27m ‘fraud’ in Nigerian Embassy

    Senate probes $27m ‘fraud’ in Nigerian Embassy

    The Senate yesterday began a probe of the alleged sale of some Federal Government’s prime properties in the United States of America valued at $27 million.

    The cash was said to have been embezzled by Nigerian Embassy officials in the US.

    The fund was realised from the sale of “four prime properties in Washington DC and Maryland.”

    The allegations are contained in a petition sent to Senate President David Mark by Daniel Elombah on behalf of Transform Nigeria Citizen Initiative, a non-government organisation (NGO).

    Mark directed his Chief of Staff, Senator Anthony Manzo, to refer the petition to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Matthew Nwagwu, for action.

    Nwagwu, who opened the investigation of the matter yesterday, invited Dr. George Obiozor, Nigerian Ambassador to the US from 2004 to 2007; Prof. Joy Ogwu, current Nigerian Representative to the United Nations and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2006 to 2007 and Ambassador Ade Adefuye, current Nigerian Ambassador to the US, who resumed duty in October 2010 for interaction.

    Before the investigation moved into a closed door session, Nwagwu said there were allegations of embezzlement of funds in Washington, in particular the sale of properties in the US.

    He said it was alleged that the resources were squandered by Nigerian Embassy officials in the US.

    Nwagwu said: “Ours is to give you a chance to address the committee, to tell us what you know about the administration and management of the funds within your tenure from 2004 to date.

    “There is a petition before the committee on the issue. We have the petition and we are taking it on the face value.

    “We are giving this opportunity to the Minister and Ambassador to explain what happened.

    “We are not a court of law and you are not on trial. We just want to keep the record straight.”

    In the letter to Mark, entitled: ‘Petition concerning misappropriation and embezzlement of funds by the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States and others,’ the petitioner requested Mark to investigate what happened to the funds realised from the sale of certain properties of the Nigerian government in the United States between 2004 and 2007.

    It said available records showed that between 2004 and 2007, Nigerian Embassy sold four prime properties of the Nigerian government located in Washington DC and Maryland.

    The Embassy, it said, also began the sale of a fifth property in San Francisco, California.

    It said: “For the sale of those properties, Nigerian government retained the services of ECULAW law firm.

    “Of those sales, Nigeria realised approximately $27 million.

    “Funds realised from these sales, except those set aside as fees, were remitted to the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC.

    “As at June 2007, when the Law firm that advised the Embassy on the sale of the properties met the Embassy officials on the Embassy premises in Washington, all these funds and transactions were duly confirmed.

    “On that occasion, it was also confirmed that the Nigerian Embassy had placed the funds in a special account with M&T Bank in Washington DC.

    “M&T Bank had been the bank the Embassy used for other transactions and had about three accounts with that bank.

    “It was confirmed in clear terms that their bank was holding huge deposits comprising the proceeds of the sale of these properties.

    “This remained the position after Ambassador Obiozor had returned to Nigeria upon completing his service in Washington.

    “Those huge funds were lodged in Washington rather than being remitted to Nigeria.

    “Any honest observer of these events would suppose it would be only a short period of time pending a brief protocol necessary for the remittance of those funds to the Nigerian treasury.

    “However, and surprisingly, the Nigerian Embassy left that money in Washington partly because it yielded substantial monthly interests, which the Embassy officials would never have to account for.

    “The funds remained in those account throughout the tenure of Ambassador Oluwole Rotimi.

    “Then arrived Ambassador Adebowale Adefuye in Washington.

    “When Adefuye got to Washington, the funds were still lodged in the M&T Bank account intact.

    “Between the time Adefuye became the Ambassador until March, 2012, the millions in the account mysteriously disappeared.

    “This became clear when the M&T Bank was forced to close the bank accounts of Nigerian Embassy and terminate all banking relations with the Embassy at the beginning of 2012.

    “In the correspondence between the bank and the Embassy, which were made public, it became clear that the accounts of the Embassy with M7T Bank, including the one containing the proceeds of the sale of the Embassy properties had been drawn down to barely $400,000.”

    The petition claimed that since March 2012, there has not been any explanation of what happened to the millions of dollars realised from the sale of the Embassy properties in the US, which were in the bank account at the time Ambassador Adefuye assumed office.

    He said it was time to focus on the truth about the missing money.

    He noted that the least the government should do is to come out and explain to Nigerians what happened to the funds.

  • CBN to maintain value of Naira

    CBN to maintain value of Naira

    The Central Bank of Nigeria  (CBN) continues to intervene in the currency markets to bolster the Naira, after its recent weakening to a seven-month low of 159.10 to the Dollar.

    Although Nigeria is the largest oil-producing nation in Africa, inflation and the need for imports have weakened the currency of late. This fall in value has prompted investors in Nigerian bonds to sell their positions, thereby putting more pressure on the Naira. The CBN’s stated objective, however, is to maintain the value of the nation’s currency within a tight bank of three percent, either side of 155.00. The Naira had strengthened to this plateau over the past year, maintained it for months, but then gradually began to depreciate over the last three months.

    Inflation was the primary concern in 2012. The central bank on six consecutive occasions raised interest rates to address rising prices. Rate changes stopped in November, resting at a 12 percent level. The NCB has passed on any rate adjustments since that time. Lamido Sanusi, Governor of the Nigeria Central Bank, stated this week that he expects the bank to leave interest rates unchanged at 12 percent over the coming months so as not to jeopardize the bank’s efforts to bring inflation back down to single digits, a program designed to stabilize the Naira’s exchange rate.

    Concurrent with this maintaining a constant interest rate posture, the CBN, however, has intervened in the currency markets by holding two U.S. Dollar auctions of $300 million and $276 million over the past week to cover various import needs of the country. When coupled with anticipated month-end sales by local oil producers, the combined effect is to provide stability for the Naira and keep it below the 159.75 threshold. The Naira today is holding steady at 158.55.

    Sewa Wusu, an analyst at Lagos-based Sterling Capital Ltd., has stated in a phone interview with Bloomberg that the “CBN’s increased intervention through the auction has ensured Naira stays within the targeted band amid increased dollar demand.”

    As for near-term prospects, most currency experts are forecasting a stronger Naira, based on the previous open-market actions and expectations of local oil companies. Investors also seem confident that the central bank will continue to support the Naira, as well. One dealer noted that, “We see the Naira trading around the 158 Naira to the Dollar level this week and early next week with more oil companies selling dollars as part of their month-end sales.”

    In a recent Reuters’ survey, 8 of 9 economists predicted that the CBN would not budge from their 12 percent interest rate benchmark. “The main focus of the debate … will be the inflation outlook … and the recent weakness in the currency,” said Andrea Masia, a Morgan Stanley analyst. He was also quick to add that the 2013 budget will have monetary implications that could impact inflation, as well. Inflation currently sits at 9 percent, but Governor Lamido Sanusi has publicly expressed concerns regarding the pressure posed on prices arising from outside of the country.

    Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan recently approved a 4.99 trillion Naira budget that had received Parliamentary approval in February. The new budget represents a slight rise in government spending of 1.4 percent, a tentative compromise reached after several months of serious debate over future spending plans.

    The stage is now set for further minimal gains over the following week. Kunle Ezun and Kenneth Asenime, local analysts at Ecobank Transnational Inc. in Lagos, suggested a 158.10 figure in a newsletter to their clients, “with bias for moderate appreciation due to monetary policy support.”

    Bio:

    Article by Tom Cleveland of forextraders.com. Mr. Cleveland has been writing about economics and investments since 1980. Since 2010, Mr. Cleveland has been specifically researching currency fluctuations and many aspects of forex news. To read more on his work, view the news section on Forex Traders.

     

     

  • Attack on Nigerian Embassy in Senegal

    Attack on Nigerian Embassy in Senegal

  • Video: Vandalization of Nigerian Embassy In Senegal

    Video: Vandalization of Nigerian Embassy In Senegal

    http://youtu.be/_aeFhF1s8RM

  • Nigerian embassy in Germany attacked

    Nigerian embassy in Germany attacked

    The Nigerian Embassy in Berlin was attacked with paint bombs by unknown persons on Wednesday night, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    A police spokesman told NAN that unknown attackers threw glass bottles filled with a thick and sticky liquid at the front of the building in Neue Jakobstraße, (The name of the street where the embassy is situated).

    The spokesman said the police had handed over the investigation of the incident to state security authorities, adding that political motive may not be ruled out in the attack.

    The police said security workers noticed the damage to the building on Thursday morning.

    The spokesman said that on Monday, 120 activists, members of the “Refugee Protest March in Berlin campaign” gathered in front of the Nigerian Embassy to demonstrate against the practice of deporting asylum seekers from Germany.

    According to him, 14 of the activists illegally entered to the embassy, in order to “occupy’’ it as part of the protest march.

    He explained that those who entered the premises were later ejected by security officials while 25 of the protesters were temporarily detained and later released.

    The spokesman stated that the demonstrators accused the embassy workers of “working closely with the German state to ensure that the processing of the largest number of deportations from Africa came from Nigeria.”