Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN) won the coveted Best Exhibitor award at the 2024 Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) held in Lagos from August 5 to 7, in addition to seven trophies won by employees.
A cross section of Shell Staff at the 2024 Nigeria annual international conference and exhibition of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Annual Banquet and Awards…held in Lagos
The Shell exhibition combined educative posters with learning sessions for engineering students as well as free medical services where hundreds of conference participants received check-up and drugs.
SPE International President, Terry Palisch, and Chairman of the Nigeria Council, Salahudeen Tahir, who jointly presented the award described Shell as a leading light in the oil and gas industry, providing valuable support particularly to indigenous companies. Asset Development and Subsurface Manager for the Shell Petroleum Development Company, Oladipo Ashafa, and the Shell team received the award on behalf of SCiN.
Ashafa said the award was “a reward for professional & technical excellence.” He added: “We recognise that, being an industry leader, puts on us enormous responsibility and we have continued to rethink and reshape our strategies in a manner that brings optimal value to Nigeria, our partners and the local service industry.”
For the individual categories, Ngozi Okonkwo won the Bernard Oboarekpe Drilling & Completions Award and Best New Member Recruiter; Olalekan Balogun won the Prof. Michael Onyekonwu Reservoir Description and Dynamics Award; Femi Obakhena won the Prof. Chi Ikoku Production and Operations Award; Oladipo Ashafa won the 2024 Industry Young Executive Award and Chairman’s Medallion; and Magdalene Umoh who was the 2024 Conference Chairman also got the Chairman’s Medallion.
SNEPCo Managing Director, Elohor Aiboni, congratulated the Shell team for the successful participation, and thanked SPE for “providing a platform for companies to showcase their contributions to the industry and for professionals to exchange ideas.”
Earlier this year, Shell companies in Nigeria emerged Best Exhibitor at the 7th edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja, and also took home the International Oil Company of the Year 2024 Award at the 8th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) in Lagos organised by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN).
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is calling for nominations of authors for the “2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers”. Scheduled to be considered by the Panel in the second half of 2027, the outline and timeline of the Methodology Report were agreed on by the Panel during its 61st Session held from July 27 to August 2, 2024, in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Jim Skea, IPCC Chair
The IPCC is also calling for nominations of authors for its “Special Report on Climate Change and Cities“ scheduled to be released in March 2027.
The call for nominations follows agreement on the outline of the Special Report on Climate Change and Citiesat the 61st Session of the IPCC held in Sofia, Bulgaria from July 27 to August 2, 2024. The Panel also agreed on the outline for the “2027 IPCC Methodology Report on Inventories for Short-lived Climate Forcers“.
“The report’s co-produced outline integrates deep scientific inputs from experts with policy-relevant concerns of governments, while also telling a story which enables climate action within and around cities,” said IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair, Winston Chow.
“This Methodology Report will underpin renewed efforts to better equip all governments in the world to estimate high-quality emission data on short-lived climate forcers not covered in recently published IPCC Guidelines,” said Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Co-Chair, Takeshi Enoki.
Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors are responsible for drafting the different chapters of the Methodology Report and Special Report, and revising it based on comments submitted during the review process. Hundreds of experts around the world volunteer their time and expertise to produce the reports of the IPCC.
It is important that the author teams aim to reflect a range of scientific, technical and socio-economic views and backgrounds. The IPCC also seeks a balance of men and women, as well as between those experienced with working on IPCC reports and those new to the process, including younger scientists.
“Bringing together diverse voices, expertise, and regional perspectives is crucial to producing a globally relevant and well-informed report,” said Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Co-Chair, Mazhar Hayat.
“It is important to ensure multiple perspectives are represented in our pool of authors, reviewers and coordinators. Inclusivity is an important theme for us, and we want people to get involved and get heard,” said IPCC Working Group II Co-Chair, Bart van den Hurk.
Those interested in being nominated as part of the author team are enjoined to contact their relevant Focal Point. A list of Focal Points for IPCC member governments and observer organisations is available here.
Governments, Observer Organisations, and IPCC Bureau Members have been requested to submit nominations of Coordinating Lead Authors, Lead Authors, and Review Editors by September 13, 2024 (Methodology Report) and September 20, 2024 (Special Report on Climate Change and Cities).
According to the IPCC, nominations are submitted through a dedicated online nomination tool by Focal Points and IPCC Bureau Members only.
I write to you today with a call to action for all Nigerian artists, celebrities, politicians, and business leaders, both at home and abroad. It is time for us to unite and tackle two of our nation’s most pressing challenges: the need for a stable power supply and the housing deficit.
Ibukunoluwa Otinwa
The Importance of Power and Housing
Reliable electricity and adequate housing are fundamental to improving the quality of life and empowering our people. Without consistent power, businesses struggle, and daily life is disrupted. Similarly, the lack of proper housing deprives many Nigerians of their basic right to shelter. Addressing these interconnected issues is crucial for our country’s development and prosperity.
A Call to Action for Celebrities and Business Leaders
Our celebrities and business leaders have thrived thanks to the support of Nigerians both at home and abroad. Now, it’s time to give back. I urge all Nigerian celebrities, politicians, business leaders, and government officials to collaborate and strategise on sustainable solutions for stable electricity and housing. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that Nigerians enjoy a quality of life comparable to that in other countries.
Harnessing the Power of the Diaspora
Nigerians in the diaspora have valuable experiences and resources that can greatly aid in addressing these issues. By partnering with real estate and energy companies, we can make significant progress in closing the housing gap and providing affordable, reliable electricity.
Investing in Nigeria’s Future
Investing in stable power and housing will have a positive ripple effect on other sectors. Reliable electricity will lower the cost of building materials, telecommunications, food, transportation, clothing, education, and healthcare, making them more affordable and boosting economic growth.
Collaboration and Unity
It is essential for all stakeholders to come together, including politicians, traditional leaders, and other influential figures. By forming partnerships with energy and real estate companies, we can create effective strategies to address these challenges.
Conclusion
I passionately call on all Nigerians, at home and abroad, to support the federal, state, and local governments in their efforts to ensure stable energy and affordable housing for all. Let us unite to provide these essentials and improve the quality of life for every Nigerian.
I urge President Bola Tinubu, past and current leaders, influential figures, and all Nigerians to join hands in this noble cause. Together, we can overcome these challenges and create a brighter future for Nigeria.
Let us work together to make Nigeria a place where every citizen can thrive.
The Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water, is facing an alarming decline in its water levels. If this trend continues at the current pace, the coastal nations surrounding the Caspian Sea may soon face socio-economic challenges, warns Andrey Kostianoy, a leading researcher at the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology.
The Caspian Sea
According to Professor Kostianoy, climate change is the primary culprit behind the Caspian Sea’s dwindling water levels. The changing climate directly impacts the sea’s water balance, which determines whether the water level rises or falls. The main component of the Caspian Sea’s water balance is river inflow, which is currently decreasing due to reduced atmospheric precipitation in the river basins, rising air temperatures, and increased evaporation from the sea itself.
He said human activities play a relatively minor role in the Caspian Sea’s decline compared to climatic factors, especially since 1995, when the sea level began to consistently decrease.
The consequences of the Caspian Sea’s shrinking water levels are far-reaching, affecting all five coastal states with cities and ports along the shoreline. According to the expert, if the decline continues at this rate for several more decades, it will lead to not only ecological issues but also socio-economic problems that will require urgent attention. These challenges include disruption of port operations, reduced maritime infrastructure functionality, and decreased shipping activities.
Moreover, the socio-economic fallout may result in declining incomes, unemployment, and labor migration among the coastal populations.
Professor Kostianoy expressed hope that the upcoming COP29, set to take place in Baku in November 2024, would provide a crucial platform for specialists and decision-makers from the Caspian countries to engage in dialogue and address the pressing issues surrounding the Caspian Sea’s decline.
July 2024 was both second-warmest July and the second-warmest month on record, the European Union’s climate change service Copernicus said on Thursday, August 8, 2024.
People wash their faces amid hot weather, in Sanliurfa, southeast Turkey, July 16, 2022. Photo credit: IHA Photo
July 2024 saw a global average temperature of 16.91 degrees Celsius, 0.04 degrees Celsius lower than the average temperature in July 2023, currently and the hottest month on record.
Until June, monthly average temperatures had broken records every month since May 2023.
“The streak of record-breaking months has come to an end, but only by a whisker.
“The overall context hasn’t changed; our climate continues to warm.
“The devastating effects of climate change started well before 2023 and will continue until global greenhouse gas emissions reach net-zero,’’ deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Samantha Burgess, said.
For the period from August 2023 to July 2024, the global average temperature was 1.64 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, according to Copernicus data.
Earth experienced its two hottest days ever in July, with the daily global-average temperature reaching 17.16 degrees Celsius and 17.15 degrees Celsius on July 22 and 23.
The average European temperature in July exceeded the average value for the month from 1991 to 2020 by 1.49 degrees Celsius, making it the second warmest July since records began in Europe.
According to the report, temperatures were mostly above average over southern and Eastern Europe, but near or below average over north-western Europe.
The European Union’s Copernicus climate service regularly published data on the earth’s surface temperature, sea ice cover and precipitation.
The findings were based on computer-generated analyses that incorporate billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world.
An NGO, Partnership for Development Action (PADAC) foundation, has inaugurated a tree planting campaign with 2,600 assorted seedlings at the 26 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerians Army, in Dutse, Jigawa State.
Tree planting
Blessing Tagaino, the Programme Officer of the NGO, said that the seedlings planted were resilient species that could mitigate the devastating effects of climate change in the state.
Tagaino said that the gesture was part of the NGO’s 2024 tree planting campaign in the state, which it earlier flagged off at the newly constructed Danmodi Housing Estate Fanisau, with 200 seedlings.
She explained that the organisation had more than 10,000 seedlings in stock for planting across the state and called on other organisations and interested individuals for partnership to plant the seedlings.
“Looking at the nature of our communities, you see that the effect of climate change is eminent, but most people have yet to understand that.
“However, with this exercise in this new barrack, we hope and pray that our little effort of 2,600 seedlings, mostly resilience, will help preserve the environment from all climate change issues,” she said.
The programme officer, therefore, urged the benefiting military facility to do its best and ensure that the planted seedlings were nurtured to maturity for the benefit of all.
Responding, Brig.-Gen. Teminere Mackintosh, the Commander of the 26 Armoured Brigade, commended the NGO for selecting the institution for the exercise.
Mackintosh urged officers and men of the brigade to ensure that the seedlings were nurtured to maturity in order to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change.
He maintained that the trees would not only beautify the surroundings, but also play vital roles in controlling erosion, maintaining a healthy environment, and providing shade for relaxation.
The commander assured the donor that seedlings would be diligently maintained to achieve the desired goals.
The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) is seeking support from Aradel Holdings to improve Nigeria’s oil production and bridge the gap between its producing and selling costs.
Officials of PETAN and Aradel Holdings during the visit
PETAN chairman, Mr Wole Ogunsanya, made this request during a courtesy visit by the association’s delegation to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Aradel Plc, Mr Adegbite Falade, in Lagos on Tuesday, July 30, 2024.
Ogunsanya explained that the visit aimed to share thoughts on industry practices and trends, seek Aradel Holdings’ support for PETAN’s 30th-anniversary celebration, and explore collaboration opportunities.
He emphasised that PETAN members, with decades of industry experience, possess the equipment needed to boost oil production in Nigeria.
“Recognising the need for concerted efforts to revamp the economy through increased oil production, PETAN pledges its members’ extensive capabilities to ramp up oil and gas production at reduced costs,” Ogunsanya said.
He highlighted Nigeria’s high cost of production compared to other countries and PETAN’s responsibility to bridge this gap through collaboration with the government, regulators, and producers.
“In the next few years, nearly 70 per cent of onshore assets will be owned by Nigerians.
“PETAN has a strategy to maximise these assets through a partnership model that integrates funding strategies and cost-saving technologies,” he added.
Ogunsanya proposed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Aradel to pursue and realise this partnership.
He also urged stakeholders to work toward eliminating the impact of portfolio companies in the industry.
Mr Falade expressed delight in PETAN’s dependable partnership in the oil and gas industry.
He noted that PETAN’s aspirations align with the Federal Government’s vision and the goals of other industry operators, including Aradel.
Falade assured that Aradel remains committed to deepening its relationship with PETAN members to provide critical services.
He congratulated the newly elected PETAN executives and thanked them for their advocacy to help Nigeria recover from recurrent losses in oil production and revenues.
The PETAN delegation included the Chairman and CEO of Geoplex Drillteq Ltd., Mr Wole Ogunsanya; Financial Secretary and CEO of Richardson Oil and Gas, Mr Akin Osuntoki; Ex-officio and Principal Consultant of Lonadek Global Services, Dr Ibilola Amao.
Others were Publicity Secretary and CEO of GGI International (Nigeria) Ltd, Dr Innocent Akuvue; past Chairman and CEO of CB Geophysical Solutions Ltd., and Vhelbherg Ltd., Mr Bank Anthony Okoroafor; and PETAN member and CEO of Tecon Oil NigerBlossom, Mr Casmir Maduafokwa.
The management of North South Power Company Limited (NSPCL) in Niger State has sensitised communities around the Shiroro Hydro-Electric Power Plant to desist from water-based activities.
Shiroro Hydro Power Station
Mr Olubunmi Peters, the Vice Chairman NSPCL, gave the warning during the annual stakeholders’ flood sensitisation and awareness forum in Minna, the state capital, on Thursday, August 8, 2024.
Peters, represented by Abdullahi Hassan, a consultant on Corporate Social Responsibility to NSPCL, said that the communities at risk of flood were those living upstream and downstream of the dam.
He said that the forum was to sensitise and educate communities and people involved in water-based activities upstream and downstream of the plant on environmental hazard caused by flooding.
“This is to also sensitise people to the possible ways to reduce the devastating damages to lives and property.
“As part efforts to curtail the reoccurrence of flood, stakeholders need to institute appropriate measures by developing new strategies and effective remedies to flooding,” he said.
He emphasised the need for government to start intensive desilting of drains and flood channels across the state as well as intensify climate information services, especially to farmers.
Peters gave assurances that NSPCL would continue to contribute to the welfare and development of host communities, urging them to always embrace dialogue in settling disputes.
Earlier, Mr Ugochukwu Chioke, Chief Operating Officer, NSPCL, said that the forum was to create awareness for communities upstream and downstream of the plant on flood related issues.
He said the forum seeks to promote a culture of flood resilience and preparedness amongst the target audience by equipping them with knowledge and right skills to respond effectively to flood.
In his remarks, Alhaji Aminu Kuchi, Chairman of Munya Local Government Area, disclosed that four wards of Kuchi, Guni, Sarkin-pawa and Dangunu usually experience floods annually.
He said the sensitisation exercise would enable flood prone communities to stay alert and avoid engaging in water-based activities that would endanger their lives at the peak of the rains.
Also, the District Head of Guni in Munya council, Usman Umar, said the sensitisation was apt as some communities had started experiencing flood with rice, maize and yams farms flooded.
The 6 Division, Nigerian Army, has recovered about 238,500 litres of stolen crude oil from suspected oil thieves in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states.
Crude oil theft in the Nigerian Niger Delta region
Lt.-Col. Danjuma Danjuma, the division’s spokesman, told journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, August 8, 2024, that the crude oil was seized from trucks and illegal refining sites in the states.
He said that five suspects who were apprehended in the process would soon be prosecuted.
“These seizures are part of ongoing efforts to combat oil theft and illegal bunkering of petroleum products in the Niger Delta,” he said.
Danjuma said that 110,000 litres of crude oil stored in an oven and a massive metal reservoir were discovered at an illegal refining site along Dasaba Creek in Bayelsa.
The spokesman added that troops of the 16 Brigade intercepted a truck with registration number, UDH 983 XR on Elebele-Emeyal Road, Ogbia, carrying 30,000 litres of stolen crude oil.
He said that, acting on intelligence, soldiers traced inter-connected hoses from the Indorama Petrochemical pipeline, Eleme, Rivers, to a tank located in the bush.
“More than 33,000 litres of crude oil, two pumping machines, a long hose and 11 drums used for the crime were recovered from the site.
“At Cawthorne Channel 1, troops, collaborating with other security agencies, deactivated an illegal refining site containing more than 5,500 litres of crude oil.
“The site is located near Well Head 8, behind Glisten Community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers,” he added.
The army image maker further said that 63 Brigade troops seized 30,000 litres of crude oil from a truck during a routine patrol in Mosogar, Delta.
According to him, the truck was intercepted along a trunkline belonging to Seplat Energy Nigeria Limited.
“These discoveries are the result of our renewed efforts to clamp down on economic saboteurs
“We urge the public to provide security agencies with reliable intelligence to track down oil thieves and economic saboteurs,” he said.
Africa’s debt stocks have grown significantly in the past decade. Understandably, African governments took advantage of historically low interest rates in the 2010s and borrowed heavily from international capital markets and China.
Dr Muhammad Mustapha Gambo
However, debt has recently become a lot more expensive. Since 2020, the impacts of COVID-19 and the on-going Ukraine war, coupled with worsening climate conditions have resulted in African governments having credit-rating downgrades, which consequently led to rapidly increasing their borrowing costs and made tapping international debt markets prohibitively expensive.
According to data by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), public debt in Africa reached $1.8 trillion in 2022. In 2024, African countries will pay $163 billion in external debt service, according to the African Development Bank.
One in five people globally live in countries that are in debt distress or at risk of it. Two-thirds of low-income countries – most of them in Africa – fall into this category, while eight of the nine countries currently in debt distress are on the continent, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA) 2023.
Some of the factors that have contributed to the mounting debt crises in Africa are population explosion and rapid urbanisation, massive infrastructure needs, declining availability of official development assistance and concessional financing.
Need for reforms
Recently, there have been collective clamour by African ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for decisive action to reform the global finance architecture in light of the mounting debts and to spur the investments needed for achieving sustainable development and climate goals around the world.
Pundits hold that the global financial system is structurally unfair to developing countries in general and more so to African countries in particular and that some crucial reforms are urgently needed to address the problem of Africa’s mounting debt stock.
According to the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI, 2020), offering African countries debt instruments with more favourable terms or cash, in exchange for existing debt, will not only provide immediate liquidity but also address debt sustainability concerns in the long term.
In the absence of better mechanisms for debt-distressed countries in Africa, more governments will struggle to service their obligations and limit their ability to invest in providing the necessary development needs of their countries. This is even more pertinent considering the need for enhanced effort in attending to the challenges of climate change in the region, through effective climate adaptation and mitigation measures.
Africa’s multilateral institutions
In the light of these challenges, there is the need for practical engagements anchored by African-led Development Finance Institutions (DFI’s) such as the African Development Bank, to reform the global financial architecture and ensuring a transition from multilateralism to a plurilateral system of the global financial system – one that is more nimble, more inclusive, more flexible and realistic in responding to the changing nature of challenges that African countries face today.
Aligned with these, there is also the critical role of sector specific DFI’s such as Shelter Afrique Development Bank and other relevant institutions that form part of the founding partners of the Alliance for African Multilateral Finance Institutions (AAMFI) – established under the auspices of the African Union, to support the implementation of Agenda-2063. Its formation underscores Africa’s commitment to self-reliance and sustainable economic development.
It’s believed that AAMFI, which is an alliance of African-owned and controlled African Multilateral Financial Institutions (AMFIs) whose membership also include African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), African Export – Import Bank, Trade and Development Bank Group, Africa Finance Corporation, African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re), ZEP-RE (PTA Reinsurance Company), East African Development Bank (EADB), and the African Solidarity Fund (ASF) will address Africa’s development finance needs, advocate for Africa on global finance issues, develop innovative finance tools and support sustainable finance strategies.
AAMFI is in a pole position to lead the financial reforms on behalf of the continent.
And as an adage goes, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
By Muhammad Mustapha Gambo, PhD
Gambo is with the Policy, Research, Partnerships and Advisory Services Unit at Shelter Afrique Development Bank and 2023 Fellow at the Asia Global Institute
