NLNG Unveils New Brand Identity

Nigeria LNG Limited has announced a rebranding initiative featuring a new logo aimed at enhancing energy supply to Nigerians and global customers.  The unveiling took place during a press briefing in Lagos, where the company also confirmed the retirement of Andy Odeh, the General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development. He will be succeeded by Mrs. Sophia Horsfall. The new branding reflects NLNG’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, positioning the company as more than just a gas supplier but as a comprehensive energy provider dedicated to promoting a greener environment.  Odeh expressed gratitude for the media’s support throughout his 26-year tenure and requested the same for his successor. Horsfall highlighted that the rebranding signifies a commitment to providing clean, accessible, and reliable energy. She emphasized the importance of media collaboration in shaping public perception and fostering trust.  As she steps into her new role, she aims to strengthen partnerships with the media to enhance NLNG’s influence and aspirations.

Senate Urges NLNG to Allocate $43 Million for Human Capital Development

The Senate has directed the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited to allocate $43 million from the $4.3 billion Train-7 project towards human capital development initiatives. This directive came during an interactive session held at the National Assembly on Tuesday, involving representatives from NLNG, NCDMB, Saipem Contracting Limited, and Daewoo Engineering & Construction. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the chairman of the committee, emphasized the importance of compliance with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. According to a statement released by her chief press secretary, Arogbonlo Israel, in Abuja, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed the significance of transparent and effective utilization of the allocated funds to benefit Nigerians and enhance the country’s human capital development and institutional strengthening. Of the $43 million designated for human capital development, $25.8 million, constituting 60 percent of the total, is earmarked for learning institutions from public primary to tertiary levels nationwide. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan highlighted the infrastructure deficits in Nigeria’s primary and secondary schools, citing a report by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which identified approximately 40,000 classrooms in deplorable conditions. She suggested that NLNG’s human capital development initiatives should support UBEC’s efforts to provide adequate educational facilities. Moreover, the senator pointed out discrepancies in reported figures for the NLNG Train-7 project. Depending on the project’s valuation, she outlined different allocations for institutional strengthening and various training programs. For projects in the oil and gas sector valued over $500 million, 1 percent of the project value is allocated to human capacity development and institutional strengthening. The Senate committee, in collaboration with NLNG and NCDMB, aims to establish a framework and select public institutions across the country to benefit from the strategic program. This initiative is geared towards enhancing the capacity of learning institutions, addressing the issue of out-of-school children, and improving learning structures in public institutions. The effective utilization of these funds is expected to have a positive impact on the country’s human capacity development and institutional strengthening.

NLNG sustaining gas exports, local supplies amid Force Majeure challenges -Odeh

Amidst reports of Force Majeure, the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) has emphatically confirmed the uninterrupted flow of sustainable gas exports and local supplies from its Rivers State facility. This confirmation directly refutes recent news articles that suggested otherwise. Andy Odeh, the General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development at NLNG, labeled the aforementioned reports as both false and misleading. Odeh clarified that the NLNG’s operational activities on Bonny Island remain active, despite the prevailing Force Majeure. He added that the NLNG’s cargo loading operation also continues without interruption. “The latest cargo from the Bonny plant sailed on 17th August 2023 to the St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, carrying 140,000 M3 of LNG,” Odeh said. He said the NLNG remains committed to collaborating with key stakeholders to minimise the impact of the consequent gas supply shortage. The declaration of Force Majeure came as a result of the disruption in the availability of major liquids evacuation pipelines caused by acts of sabotage and vandalism by unidentified parties. In spite of this setback, the NLNG facility steadfastly continues the production of both Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG). These outputs are proportionate to the volume of feed gas received from their upstream gas suppliers. This concerted effort caters to the demands of the domestic market. In the face of the ongoing gas supply shortage brought about by the disruptions in upstream gas supply chains, Odeh reiterated the NLNG’s unwavering commitment to collaborating closely with key stakeholders. This collaborative approach aims to mitigate the adverse impacts stemming from the gas supply shortage. Ultimately, NLNG’s confirmation of the continuous gas export and local supply operations serves as a reassurance to stakeholders and the general public alike. Despite challenges, the NLNG remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining a stable supply of gas and fostering effective collaboration to navigate these complex circumstances.

Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline: NNPCL, ONHYM, others sign $25bn deal

The Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project has advanced with the signing of four Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) to ensure progress and strategic direction of the $25 billion Trans-Atlantic gas pipeline project. Four MoUs were signed on Friday in Abuja at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Headquarters during the project’s first Steering Committee Meeting. The agreements were signed between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) of Morocco and the Société Nationale des Opérations Pétrolières of Cote d’Ivoire (PETROCI), Others include the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), the Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures of Benin (SNH-Benin), and the Société Nationale des Pétroles of the Republic of Guinea (SONAP). Once completed, the project will enhance the monetisation of the natural gas resources of the affected African countries and also offer a new alternative export route to Europe. Malam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, in his remarks disclosed that currently, FEED Phase II Study was at over 70 percent in tendering process for the surveys, with clear visibility in project funding. Kyari listed the surveys as the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and the Land Acquisition and Resettlement Policy Framework (LARPF). “We are also pleased to welcome our counterparts from NOCAL of Liberia, PETROCI of Cote D’Ivoire, SNH Benin and SONAP of Guinea for committing to collaborate with us on this project through the execution of MoU. “This is a clear demonstration of the commitment of the Host Governments, the ECOWAS Commission, and the National Oil Companies to deliver on this strategic project, create wealth and value for our countries and other stakeholders. “As you are aware, our collective decisions and actions guided by our shared vision would extend far beyond gas supply to spur prosperity and economic integration between our nations,’’ he said. Kyari, while expressing appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for entrusting NNPC Ltd. with the strategic project, acknowledged ECOWAS Commission’s role in co-hosting the meeting in addition to planned execution of the Treaty, Host Government Agreements and other enablers. Also speaking, the Director-General of ONHYM, Madam Amina Benkhadra said that the gathering represented a progressive step in ensuring social and economic development through energy security and accessibility geared towards attaining total development of Africa by Africans. In his remarks, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitisation, Mr Sédiko Douka said the pipeline was designed from Nigeria to Morocco, passing through Atlantic Coast States, with inland ramps to supply the Interland Countries, possibly to Europe. “The project will strengthen our electricity production/generation capacity, stimulate industrial, agricultural development, and contribute to the energy transition by using a source of energy that is cleaner than other fossil fuels,’’ he said. He recalled that the Steering Committee, which was enlarged to include other stakeholders, was part of the dynamics of the MoU signed between the ECOWAS Commission, NNPC and ONHYM on Sept. 15, 2022, in Rabat, Morocco. He recalled that ECOWAS was engaged further to the instructions of the Heads of State and Government in the development of the West Africa Gas Pipeline Extension Project (WAGPEP), through a feasibility study approved in 2018. He said at the same time, Nigeria and Morocco, through NNPC Ltd and ONHYM, also agreed to initiate the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project (NMGP). “The similarities between the two projects soon became apparent, and so, the need for synergy to pool efforts in order to achieve a single gas pipeline project. “Today, we can assure you that the ECOWAS member States are fully committed to this structuring Project. “As proof, the statutory bodies of ECOWAS have ratified the decision to merge the projects into a single one,’’ he said. The ECOWAS-ONHYM-NNPC Steering Committee meeting for development of a single gas pipeline had representatives from Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco.

Electricity: Nigeria needs $3.5bn annually to generate 40,000mw by 2030- FG

*As REA targets N7bn from investors Nigeria needs a $3.5 billion investment annually to generate 40,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2030. This was even as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) was targeting additional N7 billion revenue from its first investors’ matchmaking for Solar Naija Programme (SNP). Speaking at the investor match-making event, which the REA organised in Abuja, the Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu, disclosed that it would cost Nigeria an annual investment of $3.5 billion to attain 40,000MW by 2030. With 23 power generating plants connected to the national grid, Nigeria has the capacity to generate 11,165.4 MW of electricity. As at last January, Nigeria’s available power generation capacity in the First Quarter of 2022, according to a Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) First Quarter 2022 Report published on January 6, 2023, decreased to 4,712.34MW from 5,465.72MW in the Fourth Quarter of 2021. It stated that in the First Quarter of 2022, the average hourly generation of all available units decreased by 190.58MWh/h (-4.44 per cent) from 4,294.02MWh/h in 2021/Q4 to 4,103.11MWh/h. The Commission attributed the decrease to incessant technical faults, gas constraints, as well as undulating load demand patterns that have continued to affect the amount of energy generated by power plants. Represented by the Ministry’s Director of Investment, Mrs. Eyo Babalola, Aliyu noted the Ministry was the fulcrum of the actions with which the government is transforming the industry from a public to a private sector-driven one. He said that, with the recent legislation that has empowered state governments to generate and distribute electricity, there are limitless investment opportunities in the sector. The Managing Director of REA, Engr. Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, informed the Rural Electrification Fund (REF) is undergoing some slight reforms to work with private investors for impact financing. He explained the essence of the reform was to ensure there is a revolving fund that could suffice when there are non-viable areas. Meanwhile, the REA is targeting additional N7 billion revenue from its first investors’ matchmaking for SNP. The Programme aimed at providing the opportunity for potential investors to pitch their financial offerings to developers, clearly stating the selection criteria and key terms. In a statement by the Agency on Thursday, the Agency hinted that the event would facilitate networking and matchmaking forum that brings together key investors and high-performing developers (pre-evaluated by the SPN team) in the power sector. The event was organized in collaboration with the Power Africa Nigeria Power Sector Program (PA-NPSP, USAID). The Solar Power Naija Programme was launched as part of the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) to achieve the roll out of 5 million new solar connections in off grid communities. It stated that program is expected to generate an additional N7 billion increase in tax revenues per annum and $10 million in annual import substitution. The objectives of the programme is to expand energy access to 25 million individuals (5 million new connections) through the provision of Solar Home Systems (SHS) or connection to a mini grid, Increase local content in the off grid solar value chain and facilitate the growth of the local manufacturing and assembly industry and Incentivize the creation of 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector. Speaking during the event, Ahmad encouraged partnerships like these to boost energy access in communities. “As the implementing agency for Nigeria’s off-grid strategy, the REA has been working to support private developers by creating an enabling environment to facilitate investments in various ways, including access to data, policy support, grants, capacity development, stakeholder management, and most importantly financing for Developers,” he said. The Acting Deputy Missions Director, USAID Nigeria, Stephan Menard, in his remark, encouraged private developers to key into the project.  “I encourage the private developers to take advantage in accessing financing towards improving the lives of Nigerians by delivering sustainable energy access,” he said. The Head, Solar Power Naija Programme, Barbara Izilien, looked forward to better days. “We hope, with this approach, we will be able to build quick partnerships that would lead to new connections, and further count towards our target of electrifying a minimum of five million households, serving a minimum of 25 million Nigerians,” he said. The Solar Power Naija Programme, implemented through the REA, is actively working on catalysing access to financing for developers in the off-grid sector to achieve the programme targets. The event witnessed the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the REA and Chapel Hill Denham through the Solar Power Naija Programme. The MoU is aimed to facilitate financing to developers for off grid electrification projects.