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Tag: oil blocks

  • 50 oil blocks on stake as 2025 bid round begins

    50 oil blocks on stake as 2025 bid round begins

    Fifty oil and gas blocks are up for auctioning from today as the 2025 licencing round bid portal come alive today.

    The auction, spanning multiple basins and terrains, is part of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) 2025 petroleum licensing initiative approved by President Bola Tinubu. The licencing round will feature acreage across onshore, shallow water and deep water locations.

    According to the Commission, the exercise represents a significant push to attract fresh capital into Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector under the framework established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

    The blocks, the NUPRC revealed, are distributed across several diverse basins, offering potential investors a range of exploration and development opportunities. Comprehensive guidelines, eligibility criteria, and detailed block data will be made available through a dedicated licensing portal when it goes live.

     “The Licensing Round is a key component of the Commission’s mandate under the PIA to enhance Nigeria’s upstream development, attract investment, and expand national hydrocarbon reserves,” NUPRC stated.

    The regulator has scheduled a pre-bid conference for December 17 in Lagos, providing prospective bidders an opportunity to engage directly with commission officials and clarify participation requirements.

    Read Also: OPEC retains Nigeria’s 1.5mbpd level for 2026

    To broaden international participation, NUPRC will conduct promotional roadshows across major energy capitals. The agency plans events in Dubai on January 5, 2026, Singapore on January 8, Houston on January 19, and Beijing on January 12, targeting investors in key markets with substantial capital deployment capacity in oil and gas ventures.

    The commission emphasised its commitment to conducting a transparent and competitive bidding process, stating it seeks partnerships with entities that demonstrate “dedication to excellence, safety, and environmental stewardship.”

    It called on interested parties to access full licensing details, including participation instructions and block descriptions, through the commission’s official website at www.nuprc.gov.ng and the dedicated licensing portal at br2025.nuprc.gov.ng once launched.

    The initiative, the NUPRC further said, comes as Nigeria seeks to reverse declining crude oil production and attract the billions of dollars in investment needed to develop its estimated 37 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and 209 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves.

    NUPRC expressed optimism about stakeholder participation and the potential impact of the licensing round on Nigeria’s position in the global energy landscape.

  • Falana to FG: stop allocating oil blocks to individuals, corporate bodies

    Activist Lawyer, Femi Falana(SAN) has asked the federal government to stop allocating oil blocks to individuals and corporate bodies.

    He gave the advice in a letter dated March 20 and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said he would not hesitate to file a suit against government should it fail to heed its request.

    ”If the federal government refuses to accede to our request we shall be compelled to challenge the constitutional validity of allocating the oil blocks and other natural resources collectively owned by the Nigerian people but vested in the Federal Government to a few private individuals and corporate bodies,” he warned.

    Falana urged government to restrict the allocation of oil blocks, including marginal fields to the federal government and the governments of the 36 states of the Federation.

    “This request is in line with Section 16 (1) (b) of the Constitution which has mandated the Nigerian State to “control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity,” he argued.

    He further argued the allocation of oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies by the federal government constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to freedom from discrimination, equal right of access to public property and in the equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind as well as the right to social, economic and cultural development guaranteed by articles 2, 13, 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.

    “Therefore, pursuant to article 22 thereof which has imposed a duty on the Federal Government to freely dispose of the wealth and national resources of the nation in the exclusive interests of the Nigerian people we urge Your Excellency to desist from allocating oil and blocks to a select group of Nigerians and foreigners,” he stated.

    Falana pointed out he made the request because majority of the owners of the oil blocks usually sub-lease them to offshore companies as they lack the fund and the technical expertise to develop the oil and gas industry.

    “By merely collecting huge rents, the oil block owners become stupendously rich while the federal, state and local governments depend on loans and bailout to pay salaries and carry out basic infrastructural development of the country.

    “Thus, by allocating oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies the federal government has violated Section 16(2)(c) of the Constitution which provides that “the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group,” he stated.

    While commending government for the courageous decision it took to revoke a number of oil blocks and marginal fields hitherto allocated to a few individuals and corporate bodies, he urged the government to desist from renewing the remaining licences of other oil block owners in the country.

  • Ohanaeze to investigate ownership of oil blocks in Niger Delta

    Apex pan Igbo organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said it would investigate the ownership of all Oil blocks in Niger Delta with a view to ensuring that no part of the country dominates the sector.

    It said it would also collect data on all positions and their distributions in all federal ministries, agencies and parastatals with a view to ensuring fair distribution to all parts of the country.

    The deputy publicity secretary of the group, Chuks Ibegbu who signed a statement on behalf of the group advised the Federal Character Commission to ensure fair representation of all sections of the country in the country’s commonwealth without sacrificing merit.

    The group lauded the recent court ruling for a uniform cut off point in tertiary schools and federal government colleges admission.

    Ohaneaze regretted that the unjust disparity hitherto has wrought unfair hardship on students seeking admission to federal institutions from the South East in particular and the South in general.

    On the issue of Senate Presidency or Speakership of the Federal House now raging on, Ohanaeze noted that what Ndigbo needed most is restructuring of Nigeria and not who occupies what position which only benefits the occupant as in the past.

    “We are not much interested in positions now but what our people, the common Igbo masses will benefit from the country in its entirety,” the group insisted.

    It noted that Ohanaeze leadership will meet very soon to take stock of the last elections and react appropriately, warning anybody purporting to speak on the issue on behalf of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to desist from doing so.

  • States battle over oil blocks

    A battle for the ownership of three oil blocks may lead to a breakdown of law and order in Enugu, Anambra and Kogi states, a senator claimed yesterday.

    Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North) urged  the Senate to intervene  to prevent possible  loss of lives and property in the fight over the ownership of OPL 915, 916 and 917, being contested by the three states.

    The Enugu North lawmaker said matters came to a head a few days ago when one Mike Emuh who claimed to be chairman, oil bearing host communities told a gathering of Anambra traditional rulers that the state had been designated oil producing state in exclusion of Enugu and Kogi States.

    He said stakeholders in Enugu and Kogi States were embarrassed about the claim especially when senators from the three states were working assiduously to make raise the status of the states to oil bearing.

    He said they also agreed that the 13 per cent derivation should be shared by the three states based on what each had pending the report the National Boundary Commission working on the delineation of the area.

    Utazi said that the area bearing the oil blocks was contiguous with people from the three states working together.

    He said Emuh’s announcement created problem in the area leading to people carrying arms against one another.

    Utazi said, “The oil has been there. It was during President Goodluck Jonathan the issue came up. People did not bid for the oil because it was landlocked. But some business men from Anambra State agreed to build a refinery there. Jonathan on Enugu soil on August 30, 2012 declared Anambra oil producing state.”

    He said the pronouncement of Jonathan led to massive protest which forced the president to invite the three state governors for discussion on how to address the issue.

    Utazi said after explanation by the governors, Jonathan withdrew his recognition and directed the National Boundary Commission to look into the matter and determine who owns what.

    He said that Anambra people have not allowed the commission to do its job.

    He said that the military stationed its personnel there to keep the peace.

    Utazi said the decided to alert the Senate due to serious signs of likely mayhem in the area.

    He added that it was equally necessary to tell the Senate that Emuh was not the Minister of Petroleum to announce the recognition of Anambra as oil bearing state.

    Utazi said Senator Andy Ubah (Anambra south) who accused him of misleading the Senate “jumped into an issue he does not know anything about.”

    He also described Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) who dismissed his position on the oil blocks as “a meddlesome interloper who should be ignored.” He said Melaye provided “a comical relief” on the issue.

  • Focus on oil blocks as talks on Nigeria’s future hot up

    Focus on oil blocks as talks on Nigeria’s future hot up

    Dickson, MOSOP push for resource control

    Falana: give private oil licences to states

    The debate on Nigeria’s future continued yesterday with more calls for its restructuring  to address development and marginalisation.

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson called on the Federal Government to set up an All-parties Committee to formulate the template to streamline issues and views around  restructuring.

    A few days ago, leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) resolved to set up an internal committee of the party to work out modalities for restructuring.

    Dickson urged the ruling party to carry other parties along in the process, in addition to allowing civil society organisations and the academia to deal decisively with the matter.

    Besides, he advocated “resource control”.

    He said only an expanded committee would give a sense of belonging to everybody.

    The same position on restructuring was taken by the Movement for the Sorvival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) – the voice of the oil-rich Ogoni ethnic group in Rivers State.

    Its leader Legborsi Saro Pyagbara said with a restructured Nigeria, disintegration would be avoided.

    But eminent lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) believes economic restructuring should be on the front burner.

    Pyagbara said: “MOSOP has been concerned about recent events in the country, which have the ominous potential of triggering national disintegration, if not speedily addressed. The issue of resurgent Biafra separatism and a counter Arewa intolerance expressed in the ultimatum to all Igbo to leave the North.

    “MOSOP categorically and irrevocably rejects the two extremes, neither of which will improve the miserable condition of the people who the antagonists are claiming to represent.

    “Most countries of the world finding themselves in similar situations like us have had to look inwards and search for solutions that are adaptable to their environments and meet the needs of the various centrifugal forces that make up the country.

    “For the Nigerian state to survive, it must be seen to demonstrate equity, justice and fairness by creating political space for the sub-national entities to develop at their own space while ensuring protection for national minorities and Indigenous communities.

    “The Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR), which is the basis of the Ogoni struggle, emphasises local autonomy for the Ogoni people and other Nigerian communities that are threatened by internal colonialism. Local autonomy applied as a nationwide principle has enormous potential of diffusing grievances connected to perceived ethnic and regional domination.

    “Consequently, MOSOP rejects the call for the reintroduction of a regional structure based on the existing six geo-political zones, as this will revive the inequities and injustice that led to the demand for the creation of states in the First Republic.”

    Falana, in Lagos, canvassed economic restructuring rather than the political one being canvassed.

    Speaking at a colloquium in honour of the late Prof Abubakar Momoh, Falana, said: ”Now that they (leaders) are calling for debate, let us also join by asking them if we can restructure Nigeria’s economy first. We should start by taking over the oil blocks allocated to individuals and giving them to states because Section 16 of the Constitution says the commanding height of the economy shall not be privatised. Those who are getting duty waivers at the port must henceforth cease to get at the expense of others, otherwise, they will continue to claim the title of being the richest Nigerian or African.”

    He added: “After they sold these companies at giveaway prices, (former president Goodluck) Jonathan gave them N300 billion bailout. Now, this current Federal Government two weeks ago, gave them N700 billion. These figures are important because when we are talking about restructuring, we need to ask for figures because what we are talking about is restructuring the economy.

    “This government has set up Development Bank, Agric Bank and all that. Please take time to find out who are taking loans from these banks?”

    Dickson’s position, communicated by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Francis Agbo, quoted him as saying: ‘‘Nigeria’s unity and indivisibility is desirable but should be negotiated for the good of all.’’

    He said for the restructuring to comprehensively address Nigeria’s unity, the APC- led Federal Government must include Resource Control, Devolution of Power to the federating units and True Federalism in the template.

    He said restructuring along these lines would build confidence and cohesion across the country and place Nigeria on the path of justice and fairness.

    ‘‘For me, as Governor of Bayelsa State, any restructuring that doesn’t include resource control will not make much sense to my people because for us in the Niger Delta, restructuring Nigeria starts with resource control. My understanding of Nigeria is that we all want to remain in one Nigeria but it must be a Nigeria of our dream founded on justice, equity and fairness; a Nigeria where all the people that make up the country are happy and proud to call their country and not a country where any section or race is perceived to be superior or inferior to the other, a Nigeria where we are our brothers’ keepers! With restructuring, all these are possible because when we sincerely restructure, there will be devolution of power, true federalism and every state will have control over its resources and this will make Nigeria to work smoothly.’’

     

    The statement said Dickson teamed up with progressives across the country to found the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1998 to address the basis of Nigeria’s unity as well as the teething agitation for resource control and devolution of power/ true federalism. It said that the governor defected from then AD when the party backtracked on resource control, by supporting the Onshore/Offshore Dichotomy suit.

    The MOSOP president also supported devolution of power to states, describing the Nigerian state as overcentralised.

    He said the nation is sitting on a time bomb with youth unemployment and insecurity.

    Former Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon cautioned against violence and acts capable of dividing the country.

    The elder stateman said he would not want the present generation of children to suffer what children in the Eastern Region went through during the civil war.

    He pleaded with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Arewa youths to tone down their rhetoric and embrace dialogue and peace.

    “I will not want Nigerian children to suffer the hunger and deprivation experienced by children in the Eastern part during the civil war,” he said.

    The elder-statesman spoke in Sokoto after a prayer for the country.

    Gen. Gowon maintained that Nigerians should be ready to solve their problems just like they did after the civil war.

    He insisted that no foreign country would solve the problems.

    According to the elder statesman, it took the United States (U.S.) over 150 years to bring about reconciliation after the American civil war.

    Gen. Gowon, the war-time Head of State, who led the country for nine years, said: “I hope if I have anything to do with this, I will never wish to see Nigerians, especially children, suffer the kind of hunger and deprivation that children in the Eastern part suffered during the civil war.

     

  • Our Girls; ‘Made from Nigeria’ billionaires: Give up oil blocks and more

    Our Girls are still missing since April 15, 2014. Pray and work for their release.

    At last a piece of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has been passed –7 or 8 years behind schedule partly because of animosity to allocating a miserly 10% of oil block profits to the community? I have said that all oil blocks should be recovered, from their already billionaire owners for little benefit to Nigeria, by the federal government and returned to the communities for the benefit of thousands. Nigeria should enrich thousands with millions instead of one with billions. Why is one $50,000,000,000 Bill Gates is better for society than 50,000 millionaires or why one $19,000,000,000 Dangote is better than 19,000 millionaires catering for 19,000 families?

    Why do individual hairdressers, fashion designers, generals, Alhajis, Obis, Kings, ‘seasoned politicians’ and insultingly, their progeny, have the singular right to ‘a king’s ransom’ in billions annually because apparently devious, selfish and even anti-Nigerian Presidents ‘dashed’ away Nigeria’s sovereign property? Depriving host communities where the billions are made but which wallow in the mud of exploration and developmental deprivation without books in their rubbish schools, medicines in clinics and with maximum potholes per square meter of road. Shame! They are now over-wealthy enough in Nigeria with a minimum monthly wage of N15-18,000 that shamefully does not fill the petrol tank of a politician’s jeep bought with the people’s money.

    Have the oil block leases not expired? Can we not ‘expire’ them? If not, government should exercise sovereignty and demand loyalty from our ‘Made in Nigeria Billionaires’, MINB, to give space for others. Call the oil block owners to agree that enough is enough and get back our oil blocks. Change the ownership of oil blocks in favour of the people and change Nigeria forever. Amen. In fact there is still too few Bill Gates/Warren Buffet ‘GIVE BACK’. I call it ‘Shame for exploitation or self-enrichment’ at the expense of others, though WB has an apparently clean slate.

    Conscience should encourage our ‘Made in Nigeria Billionaires’, MINB, to also come together to change education with a few million books and a few thousand libraries and a few thousand science laboratories and a few tens of thousand sets of sports equipment and change the face of medical cancer care with 37, one per state, modern cancer investigation and equipment centre and  a few hundred hospital upgrades and change the face of transport with a few hundred kilometres of modern high-speed railways.

    When Steve Jobs died, he regretted family and fortune – poor links with family and poor spending of fortune. At death everyone wealthy wants to give away most his fortune to make life better for others [and get to heaven], but is usually too incapacitated or prevented from doing so by friends, family and lawyers. At death no one regrets not buying Arsenal. Are they happy the price of cement went up from N300 to over N2000 on their watch? So why should we praise them when they donate N1-400,000,000 to a Presidential library? I do not think so!!!! MINB need to work harder in D-CSR-Developmental Corporate Social Responsibility to each every village and school!

    Imagine Customs holding up yet more imported electricity equipment at the port and thus further delaying Nigeria’s electricity empowerment and emancipation from generators. Whatever happened to joint inter departmental an inter-ministerial meetings where movement of such goods is monitored and accelerated in the national interest? Too many illegal and legal bottlenecks! Open them up or kill Nigeria!!

    The rumour of a coup is not the question but a wrong answer to a Nigerian citizenry unnecessarily burdened by the financial and power excesses of its servants- politicians and civil servants and contractors- all running roughshod over us with no sense of loyalty! The real question is ‘What manner of ‘Malware’ politics are we enduring that gave rise to any requirement for ‘rumours’ of a coup, even if not in fact? Certainly it is not the abuse of the now legendary debilitating and corruption infested and sometimes laughable ‘Electoral Process’ by almost all of Nigeria’s serving and past politicians and many citizens- thugs and stomach infrastructure givers and beneficiaries. Politicians should correct their self-enriching and vocally arrogant ways in favour of the citizens’ will for change.

    Not one of the millions of suffering citizens with any ‘mental, physical, emotional or body-count injury from or memory of military rule’ wants a ‘military one step forwards, 100 steps backward’ and probably bloody coup and counter coup, no matter how they is couched in wild imagery of near-divine rescue – ‘salvation’, ‘redemption’ or ‘corrective’ and even ‘punitive’. But unfortunately our politicians, who must exonerate themselves from being mostly election-manipulators, bribers and corruptors of elections, also know this and are largely running roughshod over citizens and emptying the treasury in their impunity and immunity from even coup plotters violent ‘justice’. Because of the general hatred and unfriendly international attitude to coups, politicians think Nigerians have no way of reacting to their abundant, abysmal, arrogant and avaricious anti-people actions. But one day ‘We The People’ will be forced to react to abuses and insulting behaviour including arrogant and insulting unsubstantiated claims to being Distinguished, Honourable or Excellent! It may be at the forthcoming elections when hopefully Nigerians will rise above stomach infrastructure and bribery for votes!

    NB: Nigerians like you must put forward a new generation of untainted ‘I LOVE NIGERIA’ political leadership.

  • Abia community seeks oil blocks

    Indigenous people of Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State have asked the federal government to allocate oil blocks to them.

    Ukwa West is rich in oil and is only about 30 minutes’ drive from Aba, the commercial hub of the state.

    Its people have complained of being neglected by the government, and of deplorable roads and lack of social amenities, among other challenges.

    At a stakeholders’ consultative meeting for sustainable development of Niger Delta, organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) the people of the oil-producing community advocated for the issuance of oil blocks to some of the oil-producing areas.

    The meeting was attended by traditional rulers, representatives of groups, youths and other stakeholders, who deliberated on the way forward for the NDDC and their host communities.

    Speaking at the event, the Deputy Director for Community and Rural Development of NDDC, Otunba Isima Abosede, represented by Mr. Friday Nwachi, said the meeting will enable the Commission to interact with stakeholders on the way forward.

    He said the new board of the NDDC has started redefining the vision of the Commission in a manner that would mutually benefit the people of the area.

    “There is need for all stakeholders to take care of all our projects, to protect and cherish them at all times,” he said.

    The communiqué asked the commission to dutifully implement budgetary allocations by adopting the subsisting intrastate revenue sharing formula on the basis of 60% volume of oil production, 20% equality among lgas, 10% pipeline communities, and 10% oil exploration zones, whether the zone produces oil  or not .

    He said, “NDDC should boost agricultural production activities in the Niger Delta region by providing financial support, seedlings and cultivates extension services, value-chain deliverables and sundry incentives to farmers. For ownership and sustainability of NDDC projects and programmes; community-based institutions should be empowered as appropriate. NDDC should hold the stakeholders’ consultative engagement meeting periodically.”

  • Our Girls; Oil blocks; CAF; FILL POTHOLES; ROAD SIGNS; INEC PLAN

    Our Girls; Oil blocks; CAF; FILL POTHOLES; ROAD SIGNS; INEC PLAN

    Our Girls are missing since April 15 2014. Pray.
    A paradoxically happy and shamefully late FG announcement of plans to ‘resettle’ Bakassi returnees who have suffered like ‘scum of Nigeria’s earth’ living in unconverted Nigerian school rooms for how many years?
    The Malabu Oil Deal, the infamous OPL 245, again shows how Nigeria and Nigerians have been rubbished by robber governments who have routinely sold or rented our birthright for nothing, not even a mess of pottage-just a few taxes when we should NEVER HAVE SOLD ANY OIL BLOCKS. Truly a study of all oil block allocations since the 1960s to Nigerian individuals, beggars and favourites of Presidents is clear evidence that Nigerians have had their inheritance misappropriated, marginalised and decimated, reduced to mere ‘taxes’. When will we get our oil blocks back and ban individual ownership in favour of community ownership?
    Paradoxically, Nigerians and even NGOs have to pay for airtime but Boko Haram’s Shekau gets free and full coverage with reading of his lies. Na waya OOO!!  The media should distinguish between News and Propaganda.
    UP NAIRA, UP FOREIGN RESERVES!! You see now, Ha HA!!  Better sell hoarded dollars now before 1$=N88 or 1$=N1.
    Sir Derek Walcott, Nobel Prize for Literature winner in 1992, has died, 87 years old. Not one of Nigeria’s 38 Ministries of Education put his books in the brains of Nigeria’s students. They preferred ‘Core Subjects’. Indeed, does Nigeria put WS, Wole Soyinka Nobel@1986 in the heads of Nigeria’s youth? Shame! When WS passes on @110+, Governments which refused to buy his books will buy 100 cows@N300,000 each from Fulani herdsmen for a state burial.
    Those who sit to judge on appointments must come unbiased. Is it just Magu or magomago or Ides of March vengeance? Smug Senate 2: Buhari/Magu/EFCC NIL: Anti-Corruption Fight NIL. Nigerians believe that NASS, with members under EFCC investigation, is not unbiased. Knowing Shakespeare ‘As I do’, he would have frowned at this abuse of a well-known Day in History. Or was it really Buhari being targeted for POLITICAL CHARACTER ASSASINATION? Can Magu act till 2019? If so, will NASSty NASS vengefully ’zero’ the EFCC 2017 budget as it did for SEC? Or should Buhari RETREAT and CHANGE CANDIDATE? Morally, the Senate appears not equipped to appoint the EFCC Chairman, and nor is the President if the anticorruption drive is to be unbiased. In fact, the EFCC job is too important to allow manipulation. THE EFCC CHAIR POSITION SHOULD BE COMPETITIVELY ADVERTISED AND QUALIFIED NIGERIAN CITIZENS SHOULD APPLY AND BE INTERVIEWED BY A PANEL OF Transparency NGOS REPRESENTATIVES AND ‘CLEAN’ NON-POLITICAL ELDER STATESPERSONS.
    Hail Governor Ajimobi’s interest in using the 30-year-old example of Shonghai Farms as a template and stimulus for rapid advancement of Agriculture in the state. Nigeria, and Oyo State in particular, are also blessed with IITA, CRIN, FRIN, NISER, UI and these are underutilised to the disadvantage of the farmers and the State.
    All hail CAF Membership for turning a routine Hayatou re-coronation event into a real election and ’CHANGE’. Today we have Ahmad Ahmad, alias Ahmad2 [squared] from Madagascar. That is change. Africa’s Football Associations should expect more transparency, less corruption and deliver to their citizens and youth more footballs. More leadership ‘Change’ please.
    INEC brilliantly and wisely has announced the CAMPAIGN DIARY FOR ELECTIONS onFebruary 16 and March 2 2019, putting politicians and the electorate on notice for peace not war! INEC is not a Ministry of War. We must work with INEC come 2019 and may the honest man and woman win. Election campaigns and dates are not battles. Publish a 2-year diary for Civil Society and politicians to slot in their itinerary. This government, having slipped during a difficult 2 years, must hasten Nigeria’s development to leap in 24 months.
    It is important that Nigerians inform all political parties and politicians in states that we will not allow a SHUT DOWN OF GOVERNANCE IN THE 6-9-12 MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTIONS. The election is for FOUR YEARS OF SERVICES- not THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
    So far ALL GOVERNMENTS HAVE FAILED TO FILL POTHOLES Nationwide –A SIMPLE SAFE, FAST, VISIBLE RESPONSIBLE WAY TO THE HEART of every Nigerian, every day, going to school, work or play. Fix potholes to fix lives and we will vote. Potholes cost lives! Have you noticed that Nigeria has 10 million potholes, spends billions on road safety services but no kobo on PREVENTION – CAUTIONARY ROAD SIGNS like ‘DANGER – POTHOLES-UNEVEN SURFACE 500metres’, signs? Apparently such signs, though life-saving, would embarrass a ‘sister agency’ the negligent Ministry of works. Recently among HUNDREDS OF POTHOLE DEATHS and INJURIES MONTHLY, was a Naval Officer. Road officials MUST put up danger signboards! If there was a N2, 000 sign, his vehicle would not have plunged into the river. PUT UP ROAD WARNING SIGNS AND MAKE ROADS MOTORABLE!
    For a clean 2019 election, INEC and Government must CHANGE THE FUNDING OF POLITICS and IMMEDIATELY STOP CORRUPT money being stolen from budgets for political party purposes AND MONETISATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, within parties and in elections using The Electoral Reform Report of CJ Uwais.
    NB: There are 5-15million youth aged 14-17 in 2015 becoming 18+ by Feb 2019, new first-time voters. THE YOUNG VOTER REQUIRES STRUCTURED ENLIGHTENED EMPOWERMENT FOR CONSTRUCTIVE ELECTION PARICIPATION.

    NNB: Nigeria must put forward a new generation of untainted ‘I LOVE NIGERIA’ KNOWLEDGEABLE CANDIDATES for 2019.

  • Court adjourns Chevron’s appeal against Brittania-U on oil blocks sale

    Court adjourns Chevron’s appeal against Brittania-U on oil blocks sale

    The Court of Appeal in Lagos has adjourned hearing on the divestment of oil mining leases (OMLs) 52, 53 and 55 by Chevron.

    Two and half years after Chevron U.S.A Inc. and others appealed the judgment of a Federal High Court in Lagos, which assumed jurisdiction to hear a suit brought against them by Brittania-U Nigeria Limited over the divestment of Chevron interests in OMLs 52, 53 and 55.

    The court has fixed a date for hearing.

    The three-man panel led by Justice J. S. Ikyegh, after listening to the lawyers representing all the parties, fixed June 5, 2017 for hearing of the substantive suit.

    The appellants are Chevron U. S.A. Inc, BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Mr. Hermant Patel and Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited.

    When the matter came up at the Appeal Court, counsel to the respondent Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) told the court of a pending application, praying the court to dismiss the appellants’ appeal for lack of diligent prosecution.

    He said the appellants had filed a motion for extension of time to enable it transmit its records of appeal despite that Chevron was the one who filed the appeal.

    Owonikoko said his client had an applied for the dismissal of the appeal.

    But the appellants counsel, Mr. Etuwewe said the court did not oppose the application.

    The court granted the appellants’ counsel’s request. It awarded N20, 000 in favour of Brittania-U Nigeria.

    Brittania-U Nigeria had approached the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, asking it to declare that by the final binding offer made by the plaintiff to the first defendant on November 14, 2013 at the invitation of the first defendant for US$1, 015, 000, 000, to acquire 40 per cent of Chevron Nigeria’s interest in Oil Mining Leases 52, 53 and 56, has been accepted by the first defendant by its conducts, representations on which the plaintiff relied and acted to its detriment, and that by provision of the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit for $250million opened in favour of the first defendant, to remain in force until September 14, 2014 as part payment; and further provision of firm letter of commitment by the plaintiff’s bankers for payment of the balance of $765million demanded for and duly furnished to the first defendant on November 15, 2013 the parties have entered into binding contract for the acquisition of the OMLs 52, 53 and 55 by the plaintiff from the first defendant for valuable consideration.

    Besides, the plaintiff prayed the court to declare that the demand by the first defendant on November 14, 2013 that the plaintiff asked its bankers to furnish firm commitment for payment of its final binding offer for about $1.15 million, for the acquisition of the 40 per cent  interest of Chevron Nigeria in Oil Mining Leases 52, 53 and 55 amounted to a counter offer to plaintiff’s final binding offer, which the plaintiff accepted on November 15, 2013, when it provided same to the first defendant for payment of the balance of $765 million in addition to the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit for  $250million opened in the favour of the first defendant, to remain in force until September 14, 2014 by reason  the parties have entered into binding contract for the acquisition of the OMLs 52, 53 and 55 by the plaintiff from the first defendant for valuable consideration.

    • An order in the alternative to the relief above granting special damages against the first and second defendants in $10,935,100 or as the court may adjudge fair and equitable as the enterprise value lost by the plaintiff for failure or breach of the contract of acquisition of the 40 per cent participating interest of the first defendant in OMLs 52, 53 and 55 in Nigeria stipulated in the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit and the Bid Process Document pursuant to which the parties conducted the sale.
    • Exemplary damages in $1billion for the wrongful interference by the second to fifth defendants acting in connivance or collusion with first defendant to unjustly prejudice and frustrate the contractual relationship between the plaintiff and the first defendant by making illegitimate and unauthorised use of sensitive business and proprietary information disclosed by the plaintiff in support of its bid to acquire the first defendant’s OMLs 52, 53 and 55 and which information were known by the second to fifth defendants to have been so disclosed in strict confidence and solely for the purpose of supporting the plaintiff’s bid but which were divulged to third party leading to huge business losses and reputational damage to the plaintiff.
    • An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, privies, proxies, fronts, staff hirelings howsoever called from proceeding to invite bids, offering or accepting, negotiating or engage in any transaction or contract calculated or purporting to transfer, sell, farm out, or otherwise charge, encumber deal in, dispose of or divest the 40 per cent participating interest of Chevron Nigeria in Oil Mining Leases 52, 53 and 55 in Nigeria in favour of any person or entity in derogation from or in disregard of the agreement entered into between the plaintiff and the first defendant on November 14 and 15, 2013, whereby the parties entered into binding contract for the acquisition of the OMLs 52, 53 and 55 by the plaintiff from the first defendant for $1.15 billion.

  • OMPALAN to Buhari: don’t allow politicians seize oil blocks

    •‘Bombing oil facilities equal to self-destruction’

    The Oil and Solid Mineral Producing Area Landlords’ Association (OMPALAN) yesterday cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against allowing the political class to highjack oil blocks.

    The warning followed Niger Delta elders’ request for oil blocks to pacify warring militants bombing oil and gas facilities in the zone.

    In a statement in Abuja, OMPALAN’s Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman Bishop Udo Azogu advised Buhari to ensure that the allocation benefits the common man instead of the political class.

    He said: “The truth is that even when government allocates oil blocks to some indigenes of the region or concedes to resource control, they will end up in the hands of the insatiable political class, who has perennially benefited from the lingering crisis in the region.

    “OMPALAN believes that it is justifiable and proper that oil blocks be allocated to the regions that produce oil, but it must be properly considered to meet the ends of justice to the benefit of the common man and not allocated to the same vicious oligarchy that shortchanges the system with impunity.”

    Asking the belligerent militants to ceasefire, he explained that bombing of oil facilities and killing of security personnel were tantamount to self-destruction.

    Azogu added that it will make the host communities the worse for it.

    “We must find a more effective and lawful way to press for justice in oil producing areas,” he added.

    The association, however, developed a blueprint to address the lingering security crisis in the oil producing region.

    According to Azogu, the association has proposed a Mining Security & Monitoring Agency of Nigeria (MISMAN) to integrate national security agencies with host communities of mining sites in monitoring development projects, security of mining installations and service delivery chains of Federal Government’s mitigation programmes in impacted communities

    OMPALAN said it blended with another proposal at the grassroots level called Community Administration Council – CAC, which brings all entrenched community institutions, such as Council of Chiefs, town unions, women/youth organisations and community vigilance under one umbrella to attain set goals underpinning peace, security, stability and sustainable development.

    The association urged Buhari to tell oil producing state governors to stop tampering or meddling with 13 per cent Oil Derivation Fund accruing to their states.

    The governors, according to the association, must give the NDDC and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs the free hand to deliver.

    Asogu urged the Federal Government to bring on board the oil producing states, including states that have “discovered and are drilling oil within their shores, such as Anambra, Kogi and Lagos in the interest of justice and to seal off every hiding place for anti-democratic forces”.