Energy
NNPC Retail empowers 1,000 Students with educational supplies
In furtherance of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at addressing global warming by focusing on girl-child education, NNPC Retail Ltd, a subsidiary of NNPC Limited, has empowered over 1,000 underprivileged secondary school students in Lagos, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States with essential school supplies.
The beneficiaries of this year’s empowerment programme were drawn from Omole Senior Grammar School, Lagos; Community Junior Secondary School, Amadi-Ama, Government Secondary School, Ngo, and Community Secondary School, Ogbele in Rivers State; and St. Peter & Paul Comprehensive Catholic School in Akwa Ibom State. The students received school supplies such as backpacks, books, writing materials, sandals, and school uniforms.
The programme, which was carried out in partnership with Evolve, a non-profit organization birthed by Pacegate Limited and Pacegate Energy & Resources Limited (PEARL), has been for the past three years providing essential school supplies to students and teaching them heartfulness relaxation techniques as a means of self-awareness and self-care.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, Huub Stokman, said, “NNPC Retail remains committed to empowering the girl child, providing them what they need to maximise their potential. As a sustainable and socially responsible organisation, we will continue to advocate for increased girl child education and empowerment while working with esteemed partners like Pacegate’s Evolve.”
While addressing the students, he said, “We are privileged to guide you through this program each year, and my advice to you is to make the most of the knowledge that your teachers and school are sharing with you. This knowledge will be invaluable in achieving your goals. Embrace learning, set high goals, and strive for your personal best.”
For three consecutive years, NNPC Retail Limited, formerly OVH Energy Marketing Limited, has adopted five schools across Lagos, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, and supported them with educational materials to aid their learning process. Through this partnership with Evolve, NNPC Retail Ltd is committed to the adoption and support of more schools nationwide and would be expanding its reach to two more states in 2024.
Evolve was launched based on the Project Drawdown Report to address global warming by focusing on educating the girl child with a vision to be a catalyst for improved girl child education and an advocate of eco-friendly causes. Evolve has made high-level interventions in the girlchild and their education in Nigeria.
Sahara Energy has unveiled its target of achieving zero carbon emissions from its oil and gas operations by 2030.
The company, along with its sister companies in the energy value chain, has commenced arrangements to reduce carbon emissions and earn carbon credits for a sustainable future.
The agenda was disclosed at a news conference, tagged, “Carbon Footprint and the African Narrative”, held by Sahara Group and Asharami Square in Lagos on Tuesday.
Mr Wole Ajeigbe, Group Project Manager, Asharami Energy, while speaking on “Decarbonisation of Africa’s Upstream Operations”, said Sahara Energy was building a sustainable energy future with an ambitious but pragmatic approach to its upstream carbon net zero journey.
According to him, efforts are ongoing at its seven oil-producing assets across Nigeria to ensure that operations at the sites are considerate of global warming.
Ajeigbe said that the net zero plan would be achieved gradually by reducing and minimising carbon emissions on a yearly basis.
He said that the company had some gas commercialisation projects which were expected to be completed by 2025 to 2026.
He listed the strategies to include; elimination of gas flare across its upstream operations; reduction in freshwater usage during operation; and making use of Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) among others.
Emphasiaing its determination, he said that the company had already joined the global group of CCUS, emerging as the first African company in the forum.
Ajeigbe said, to ensure oil and gas continue to be used to meet Africa’s energy demands, the sector needed to decarbonise its operations quickly.
He noted that the energy demand and usage in Africa would increase significantly in coming years,
Ajeigbe stressed the need for the government to create an enabling environment that would stimulate investments and grant fiscal incentives on gas projects such as tax holidays, funding recurities, risk mitigation among others.
The government and stakeholders, according to him, also need to encourage availability of capital pools; improve bankability of gas projects; give support to projects that have taken decarbonisation seriously; and attract skills and develop the capabilities needed for the energy future.
Regional Director, West Africa, Ford Foundation, Dr Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, said although Africa was contributing about four per cent to global warming, the continent has been severely affected by the phenomenon.
She said the fact that Africa holds up to 17 per cent of the global population, yet contributes just four per cent to global carbon emissions.
This, he noted, means that the continent could do more for a sustainable environment through careful and strategic planning.
Aniagolu-Okoye said that Africa must focus not only on challenges, but also on opportunities that global warming presents.
“There are numerous opportunities to place Africa firmly at the forefront of climate debate and the media should lead the campaign,” she said.
The Director, Governance and Sustainability, Sahara Group, Ms Ejiro Gray, spoke on most viable solutions for mitigating carbon emissions and meeting Africa’s development.
According to her, these solutions include natural gas development; increase in use of renewables; protection and rehabilitation of African natural carbon sinks.
Gray said that other were innovation in low cost/low emissions clean energy solutions; carbon culture storage/carbon capture and re-utilisation and utilisation of domestic knowledge.
She said that Sahara had continued to make improvements to its operations, to reduce the carbon footprint and by extension, the continent footprint.
Gray listed some of the strategies to include; increase use of renewables; gas commercialisation; research and development and sustainable energy and carbon sinks.
Others are Carbon Capture Usage and Storage (CCUS); tree planting initiatives; and awareness campaigns for youths, among others.
The Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara Group, Bethel Obioma, said the Asharami Square has come to stay and would be having training and mentorship for journalists.
Obioma said that it would also be having Asharami Awards to appreciate those works that had contributed to building sustainability in Africa.
He said that the body was already in partnership with University of Lagos and Pan Atlantic University in the quest to upscale skill on sustainability.
The number of electricity consumers rose by 210,000 from 12.12 million in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 12.33 million in the first quarter of 2024.
The National Bureau of Statistics stated in its Electricity Report for the first quarter (Q1) of 2024 released on Tuesday in Abuja that the increase was by 1.78 per cent.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the review focuses on energy billed, revenue generated, and customers by DISCOS under the reviewed period.
It stated that on a year-on-year basis, the number of electricity customers increased by 9.47 per cent in Q1 2024 from 11.27 million reported in Q1 2023.
It said in Q1 2024, the number of metered customers stood at 5.91 million compared with the 5.61 million recorded in Q4 2023, this indicated a 5.38 per cent increase.
“On a year-on-year basis, the figure grew by 11.26 per cent from the 5.31 million reported in Q1 2023,’’ it said.
Similarly, estimated electricity customers stood at 6.43 million in Q1 2024, showing an increase of 10.22 per cent over the 5.83 million recorded in Q4 2023.
“On a year-on-year basis, estimated customers increased by 7.88 per cent in Q1 2024 from the 5.96 million recorded in Q1 2023,” it stated.
The NBS also said that electricity distribution companies collected N291.62 billion in revenue in Q1 2024 compared with the N294.95 billion they collected in Q4 2023.
It added that on a year-on-year basis, revenue collected rose by 17.91 per cent over the N247.33 billion collected in Q1 2023.
It stated that electricity supply was 5,769 (Gwh) in the first quarter of 2024 from 6,432 (Gwh) recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023.
However, the report said on a year-on-year basis, electricity supply decreased by 1.41 per cent in Q1 2024 compared with the 5,851 (Gwh) reported in Q1 2023.
Energy
Dangote Refinery sells at higher price to local buyers compare to international buyers – Marketers
…Refutes Dangote Refinery claims on NMDPRA of granting licences to import dirty fuel importation
By Afolabi Ifeoluwakitan and Esther Agbo
Following the claim by Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), that Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is granting licences to import banned diesel, aviation fuel, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has strongly refute the recent claims.
This is even as DAPPMAN criticized Dangote Refinery’s business practices, alleging that the company sells fuel at lower prices to international buyers compared to local Nigerian buyers.
In a statement made available to NewsDirect, DAPPMAN emphasized that none of its members, nor any private fuel depot in Nigeria has imported fuel outside the specifications approved by the NMDPRA. As they described the assertions from Dangote Refinery’s management as inaccurate and misleading.
DAPPMAN highlighted that the NMDPRA had initially opposed the practice of ship-to-ship transfers of fuel imports offshore Lome, a decision that was later rescinded following protests from downstream operators.
Also noted regulatory changes that occurred between February and May 2024, which allowed the importation of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) with a maximum sulphur content of 200 parts per million (ppm).
However, in June 2024, the NMDPRA moved the implementation date for the stricter 50 ppm sulphur limit on petrol and diesel imports to 1st June 2024, a decision seen as an attempt to favor Dangote Refinery, hence, effectively restricted all marketers and depots to sourcing AGO from Dangote Refinery, even though the refinery had not yet installed its desulphurization equipment, resulting in AGO blends with sulphur levels exceeding 50 ppm.
DAPPMAN opposed this in a letter to the NMDPRA on June 10, 2024, cautioning the regulator against unintentionally fostering a monopoly in the sector. Despite strong resistance to every attempt to create a monopoly for Dangote Refinery in the downstream market, and considering that the refinery’s recent AGO production has sulphur levels of 1200 ppm.
DAPPMAN finds it perplexing that Dangote Industries would claim the NMDPRA is issuing licenses for the importation of ‘dirty refined products.’
Their AGO blend, with its high sulphur content, is classified as ‘dirty fuel,’ far exceeding the 200 ppm limit adhered to by other marketers and depot owners.
Moreover, DAPPMAN criticized Dangote Refinery’s business practices, alleging that the company sells fuel at lower prices to international buyers compared to local Nigerian buyers.
This pricing strategy, DAPPMAN argued, undermines Nigerian marketers and questions Dangote Refinery’s commitment to the nation’s interests.
Recently, several Nigerian marketers were offered Dangote Refinery cargoes by international trading firms at significantly lower prices than those directly offered by Dangote Refinery, which is not beneficial for Nigerian fuel consumers.
While the success of Dangote Refinery would be a national achievement, it is crucial that all downstream operators comply with the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, which opposes any form of monopoly.
DAPPMAN concluded its statement by reiterating its willingness to collaborate with all stakeholders, including Dangote Refinery, to ensure the provision of safe and affordable fuel to Nigerians, in compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021, which opposes monopolistic practices.
Recall that the Vice President, Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Devakumar Edwin during the weekend said that the decision of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), in granting licenses indiscriminately for the importation of dirty diesel and aviation fuel has made the Dangote refinery to expand into foreign markets.
The refinery has recently exported diesel and aviation fuel to Europe and other parts of the world.
The same industry players fought us for crashing the price of diesel and aviation fuel, but our aim, as I have said earlier, is to grow our economy,” Edwin stated.
