Business
FG Blames Drop in Electricity Generation on Shutdown of Critical Gas Plant
– Targets 1,000MW from reactivated 14 solar projects
– Tasks gas operators on the accuracy of dispensing instruments
The federal government yesterday explained that the drop in electricity generation was a result of the partial shutdown of the Oben gas plant for the repair of critical gas processing equipment.
It has also disclosed that the 14 reactivated independent power plants (IPP) across the country will produce off-grid electricity of 1,000 megawatts.
A statement by the Federal Ministry of Power disclosed that Seplat Energy Plc had mobilised equipment, material, and personnel to the site to expedite the restoration of normal gas supply to the affected power plants.
The statement read: “We wish to notify the general public that the current dip in electricity generation is a result of the partial shutdown of the Oben gas plant to address the repair of critical gas processing equipment.”
“The incident, unfortunately, occurred at a time when other power plants on other gas sources are undergoing planned maintenance and capacity testing.
“We wish to notify the public that Seplat Energy Plc has mobilised equipment, material, and personnel to the site to expedite the restoration of normal gas supply to the affected power plants.
“We have been assured that the repair work would be concluded this weekend and normalcy will be restored. While pleading with electricity consumers with the current state of supply, we wish to assure the general public that efforts are being made for a sustained improvement of supply across the country.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Power Abubakar Aliyu has disclosed that the 14 reactivated IPP across the country will produce off-grid electricity of 1,000 MW.
Aliyu disclosed the maiden three-day Nigeria-African Natural Resource and Energy Investment Summit hosted by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in collaboration with other stakeholders in Abuja.
The maiden event has the theme: “Towards a Greener Africa” which ended at the weekend.
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The minister said, “government has reactivated 14 IPP Solar Projects across the country. These IPPs, which are currently undergoing Technical and Financial Evaluation, shall contribute 1000MW off-grid. 10 state governments are enabling solar projects in their states that will deliver 100MW each contributing 1,000MW off-grid.
“The 10MW Katsina Wind Farms already contributing to the grid and is being considered for a solar hybrid that will optimise its availability to 20MW. Once we stabilise the base load through the hydropower plants at various stages of completion, we shall integrate all the off-grid structures to the national grid, increasing our energy mix.”
He noted that African governments must be proactive and responsive to the course collectively as that is a prerequisite for achieving a cleaner energy future, adding “It is only by this can Africa actualise its green transition”.
Speaking further on international partnership toward greener energy, Aliyu said, “Countries, like Nigeria, have made commitments to achieve their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the COP26 Agreement in Glasgow.
“To achieve this, we have to scale up our Solar, Wind, hydropower, and even the new hydrogen opportunities, including other new clean technologies.
Africa needs to focus on proven approaches, as well as the mobilisation of resources to take advantage of carbon-neutral energy sources.
FG Tasks Gas Operators on Accuracy of Dispensing Instruments
In a related development, the federal government has directed operators in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sector to install deadweight at their premises to test the accuracy of weighbridges used for dispensing bulk gas to retailers.
The government also insisted that henceforth, the use of weighbridges should be the norm at depot terminals when loading LPG products rather than the use of gas meters to ensure that the product being dispensed is accurate since LPG is retailed by weight.
The resolution came against the backdrop of persistent complaints of under-dispensing of products at LPG depot terminals as well as retail outlets across the country.
The federal government’s position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a one-day stakeholders engagement organised by the Weights and Measures Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, with the Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers (NALPGAM) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Depot Owners (LPGDO) on the application of legal metrology in the oil and gas sectors in Nigeria.
THISDAY gathered that the outcome of the meeting had already been approved by the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Mr. Niyi Adebayo for immediate implementation.
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The communiqué, which was obtained by THISDAY further, directed that henceforth, tankers used for loading and transporting LPG should ensure that they gauge their tank pressures to conform with safety standards before loading to avoid incurring shortages due to excessive gas in their tanks during loading.
It also pointed out that as a matter of urgent necessity, the weights and measures department should embark on periodic inspections of the LPG depot terminals to ascertain their level of compliance with operational guidelines.
It was also agreed that the existing skill gaps noticeable in weighbridges installation should be addressed adding that the quality of gas in the market should be of a high standard with less propane and which should be enforced by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The federal government however warned that depot terminal operators found to be under-dispensing the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as well as marketers to consumers will be penalised and urged the weights and measures department to strengthen its oversight functions of the numerous LPG retail outlets across the nooks and crannies of the country.
Moreover, on the issue of overlapping duties between the department and NMDPRA, the stakeholders resolved that the activities of the department revolved around the verification and certification of measuring equipment which is statutorily backed by existing legislation while the former dwelled on the issuance of licenses to petroleum product dealers.
The Director, Weights and Measures Department, Mr. Hassan Ejibunu, however, told THISDAY, “We’ve been receiving complaints from NALPGAM that whatever they buy in bulk from the terminals, maybe 33,000 litres of LPG, but by the time it gets to the final destination you’ll find out it is less than 33,000 litres – may be what is left is about 30,000 litres or less than that.
“We equally received complaints from members of the public that if they go to the retail outlets to buy let’s say 12.5 KG cylinder of LPG, what they’ll get is not up to that.”
He said the stakeholder’s engagement was convened to address the underlying issues and to ensure that consumers of gas get value and accuracy for every purchase they make.
THISDAY
Aviation
Disaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
Disaster averted as bird strike hits Abuja-Lagos Air Peace flight
An Abuja-Lagos flight was on Thursday aborted following a bird strike on the airplane belonging to Air Peace, forcing the authorities to ground the aircraft.
The bird strike experienced in the early hours reportedly prompted a ramp return to ensure the safety of passengers onboard.
All the passengers quickly disembarked and were calmed down before they were moved into another plane for the one-hour journey.
A bird strike is a collision between a bird and an aircraft, or other airborne animal, while the aircraft is in flight, taking off, or landing. And it can be a significant threat to aircraft safety.
Air Peace in a statement by its Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, said the bird strike occurred at 6:30am, and all passengers disembarked normally.
The statement read, “We wish to inform our esteemed passengers that our Abuja- Lagos 06:30 flight experienced a bird strike before take-off, prompting a ramp return as a safety measure. All passengers disembarked normally.
“We have deployed a replacement aircraft for the affected flight in order to minimize disruptions, thus ensuring that passengers continue their journeys promptly.
“We appeal for the understanding of our valued passengers impacted by this development, as well as those on other flights that may experience delays.
“At Air Peace, we are committed to providing safe, comfortable, and reliable air travel for all our passengers.”
Business
NNPC achieves 1.8mbpd crude oil production
NNPC achieves 1.8mbpd crude oil production
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and its partners have revved up crude oil and gas production to 1.8million barrels per day (mbpd) and 7.4standard cubic feet per day (scfd).
The company which announced this at a press briefing said the feat was achieved in compliance with the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking on the development, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mele Kyari, congratulated the Production War Room Team that anchored the production recovery process.
“The team has done a great job in driving this project of not just production recovery but also escalating production to expected levels that are in the short and long terms acceptable to our shareholders based on the mandates that we
have from the President, the Honourable Minister, and the Board,” Kyari explained.
Giving details of the efforts of the Production War Room, the Chief War Room Coordinator and Senior Business Adviser to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Lawal Musa, disclosed that the feat was achieved through the collaborative efforts of Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract partners, the Office of the National Security Adviser, as well as government and private security agencies.
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He said the interventions that led to the recovery of production cut across every segment of the production chain with security agencies closely monitoring the pipelines.
He stressed that when the Production War Room team was inaugurated on 25th June 2024, production was at 1.430mbpd, but the team swung into action, culminating into sustaining the production recovery to 1.7mbpd in August and hitting the current 1.808mbpd in November.
“We are confident that with this same momentum and with the active collaboration of all stakeholders, especially on the security front, we can see the possibility of getting to 2mbpd by the end of the year,” he stated.
Also speaking on the development, Chairman of the NNPC Ltd Board of Directors, Chief Pius Akinyelure, who also congratulated the team, said he was happy to be part of the production recovery process, adding: “today, I will leave this place with my heart full of joy”.
He charged the Company’s Management to come up with a cashflow projection based on the new production figures to facilitate planning, stressing that he was looking forward to further production increase to 3mbpd.
On his part, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, expressed satisfaction with the performance of the team and pledged the Federal Government’s support for the company to do more.
NNPC achieves 1.8mbpd crude oil production
Business
FG gets fresh $134m loan from AfDB for agric projects
FG gets fresh $134m loan from AfDB for agric projects
The Federal Government has secured a loan facility of $134million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) to help farmers boost seeds and grain production in the country.
This is contained in a statement issued by Anthonia Eremah, Chief Information Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, on Thursday, in Abuja.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, made his know at the unveiling of the 2024/2025 National Dry Season Farming in Calabar, Cross River State capital.
Kyari explained that with the re-introduction of the national dry season farming to boost year-round agricultural production, the loan would be handy and guarantee national food security in the country.
The minister said the initiative is under the National Agricultural Growth Support Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP) Project.
He said the federal government had declared an emergency on food production to enable all Nigerians to get easy access to quality and nutritional food at affordable rates.
Kyari also said government wants to use the agricultural sector for national economic revival through increase in production of some staple food crops such as wheat, rice, maize, sorghum, soybean, and cassava during both dry and wet season farming.
He added that 107,429 wheat farmers were supported under phase 1 of the 2023/2024 dry season, and 43,997 rice farmers under the second phase of the 2023/2024 dry season.
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The minister said recently, government supported 192,095 rice, maize, sorghum/millet, soyabean and cassava farmers under the 2024 wet season across the 37 States including the FCT.
He said Cross River was leading 16 other states in wheat production, adding that over 3000 wheat farmers have been listed to benefit from the support to grow the grain.
Kyari noted the Cross River government’s commitment to wheat production.
He said it informed why the federal government is partnering with the state to kick start the maiden wheat production and enlisting them among states commencing the current 2024/2025 dry season farming.
“The 2024/2025 dry season farming, the project is targeted to support 250,000 wheat farmers across the wheat-producing states with subsidised agricultural inputs.
“This is to cultivate about 250,000 hectares with an expected output of about 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat to be added to the food reserve to reduce dependence on importation of the product and also increase domestic consumption.
“Equally the programme will provide support to 150,000 rice farmers under the second phase to cover all the 37 states, including FCT, with an expected output of about 450,000 metric tonnes,” he said.
FG gets fresh $134m loan from AfDB for agric projects
(NAN)
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