News
NNPC records breakthrough, begins oil drilling in Wudi-B
By Bonaventure Melah
After much efforts on what was seen as impossible by many, including petroleum industry pundits, Nigeria has commenced oil drilling campaign at the Wudi-B, located in Here local government area of Borno state.
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), disclosed this yesterday, saying the company was optimistic that the drilling would help in its efforts to bring prosperity to the people through the elimination of energy poverty currently threatening Africa’s biggest economy.
Kyari made the commitment at the Presidential flag-off of Wadi-B drilling campaign by President Muhammadu Buhari in Borno State.
The NNPC had stopped drilling in Wadi-B in 1995 because successes were weak and findings made during the period were not in commercial quantity.
Kyari said: “We understood very clearly that we need to understand the basin very well. We need to have a different approach to exploration activities in this very basin and that is why NNPC and our partners, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the current Upstream Regulatory Commission decided to embark on massive revaluation of all the frontier basins in the country.
“Of course, our findings have been useful. The understanding of the rift system in Nigeria enabled us to have successful outcomes in the Kolmani Area.
”It also enabled us to mobilise to Nasarawa State. Now a drilling activity is going on. It also helped us to understand the geological basin of the Chad Basin which is why we are back here.
“Now we are much more confident, we believe that this campaign will be successful and that this campaign will take us to the ultimate objective which is to increase the reserves of our country and also create opportunities around us. We believe that the time for oil and gas to vanish is still far away.
“We believe that oil and gas will continue to be principal in determination of the prosperity of our country of course more especially, providing energy security for our country.
”This can’t happen unless we have access to the resources and we are able to convert them into value and of course a new approach to doing this that is practical which is what we are doing in the Kolmani area.”“Kyari said the company and its partners would deploy the necessary technology and best approach that would enable it create value for Nigerians in the quickest possible time.“According to Kyari, NNPC Ltd, through the drilling exercise, would combat deforestation as most Nigerians who do not have access to cooking gas fell tree as an alternative for cooking.“He believed that making available cooking gas as a cleaner transition fuel would play a huge role in curbing desert encroachment in the country.“”Where ever we find crude oil, we will consider the concept of integrated production and conversion so that value can be created very quickly. Of course, there is huge energy poverty across the world and more so in sub-Saharan African countries and particularly in our country here.““We know for sure that 70 per cent of our population doesn’t have access to clean cooking fuel and that is why you are seeing the effects of the frustration which is most pronounced in this part of the country.“”The Sahara Desert moves at least a kilometre towards the Southwards area and this can’t be arrested if we dint find alternative sources of energy for the communities and this is what the oil and gas will do.
”They have found oil where others practically ran away and today, they led this regime of the knowledge of the basins in our country and of course in Africa. I am very proud of them.”
News
Breaking: NHRC, LEDAP begin consultative forum on eliminating harmful traditional, religious practices
By Bonaventure Phillips Melah
A consultative forum to seek ways of eliminating harmful traditional religious practices that impact rights of women and gender equality in Nigeria is set to begin in Abuja.
Organized by the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and the Legal Defence and Advocacy Project, LEDAP, the gathering is themed- “Empowering Traditional Rulers in Nigeria to Adopt and Implement Community Guidelines for Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination Against Women.”
Among dignitaries to speak at the event are Dr. Tony Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Chino Obiagwu, SAN, National Coordinator, LEDAP and Prof. Joy Ezeilo, SAN, Executive Director, Women Aid Collective.
Details later…..
The Director General of AGRHYMET, Dr. Issoufou Baoua, led a high-level delegation to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) as part of the Joint Mission on the operationalization of the Regional Climate Centre for West Africa and the Sahel (RCC-WAS).
He was accompanied by the WMO Representative for West, Central & North Africa, Dr. Bernard Gomez, and the ECOWAS Representative, Prof. Mansur Matazu.
The mission focused on advancing regional collaboration required to fully operationalize RCC-WAS — a key initiative designed to enhance climate services, strengthen resilience, and support informed decision-making across West Africa and the Sahel.
During the engagement, the AGRHYMET DG outlined the core objectives of the mission, which include strengthening institutional partnerships, aligning regional priorities, identifying capacity-building needs, and setting actionable milestones for the effective take-off of RCC-WAS.
Receiving the delegation, the Director General/CEO of NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, reaffirmed NiMet’s commitment to the successful establishment of RCC-WAS. He emphasized that NiMet will provide technical expertise and tools — including MeteoWiz — participate in joint research efforts, and contribute to the development of advanced climate monitoring and forecasting capabilities for the region.
The visit marked a significant step forward in consolidating regional cooperation. Both institutions reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening climate services, and the meeting concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the operationalization of the Regional Climate Centre for West Africa and the Sahel.
President Bola Tinubu has set up a high level committee to resolve issues on N4 trillion owed to federal contractors in the country.
According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, the President also expressed displeasure over the huge debt.
He made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by the President at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the President was enraged after learning that about 2,000 contractors are owed.
Onanuga, who stood in for the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said: “He made it very, very clear he is not happy and wants a one-stop solution.
“An important highlight in the course of the FEC meeting is that the President expressed very, very grave displeasure about the fact that contractors are being owed money.
“The DG (Director-General) of the Bureau of Public Procurement actually told the President that about 2000 contractors are being owed money and this made the President very, very upset.
“So the ministers are going to look into the problem to really find a solution, to find the money to be used in paying the contractors.”
The presidential aide explained that the committee has as members, the Ministers of Finance (and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Wale Edun; Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Works, Dave Umahi; Education, Olatunji Alausa; Housing, Ahmed Dangiwa; and Marine & Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, along with the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Kurfi; and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji.
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