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NNPC welcomes new GCEO, board, experts react

Michael Simire
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NNPC welcomes new GCEO, board, experts react

The Management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has welcomed the appointment of its new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, and Board of Directors by President Bola Tinubu.

NNPC
Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited offices

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., in a statement on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, appreciated the outgoing GCEO, Mr. Mele Kyari, and the former Board Members for their selfless and dedicated service to the company and nation.

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday approved a reconstitution of the NNPC Ltd. board, removing the chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure, and the GCEO, Malam Mele Kyari.

Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.

The new 11-man board has Mr. Bayo Ojulari as the GCEO and Ahmadu Kida as non-executive chairman.

He said that Kyari’s leadership and tireless efforts had left an indelible mark on the NNPC Ltd.

“We are sincerely grateful for his outstanding contributions.

“We wish him and all departing Board Members continued success and fulfilment in their future endeavours.

Ojulari, the new GCEO, hails from Kwara State, and until his new appointment, was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company.

His Renaissance recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), worth $2.4 billion.

Ojulari graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, worked for Elf Aquitaine as the first Nigerian process engineer to begin a stellar career in the oil sector.

From Elf, he joined Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991 as an associate production technologist.

Aside working in Nigeria, he worked in Europe and the Middle East in different capacities as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager.

In 2015, he became the managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).

During his career, he was chairman and member of the board of trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council) and a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Some experts have reacted to the development in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja.

An economist, Prof. Evans Osabuohien, has commended President Bola Tinubu for removing both the Chairman, Board and Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

Osabuohien, who is Head of the Economics Department at Covenant University in Ota, said on Wednesday that their removal was a welcome development.

Osabuohien said sacking the NNPC board would help to check sharp practices in the petroleum sector.

“The sacking of the NNPC board was a right step in the right direction,” he added.

The economist however stated that the move should not stop there.

“There is the need for a holistic probe of that sector,” he said.

Osabuohien said NNPC had been recording losses in the past two years when it became a private company.

He suggested that the Federal Government should make NNPC a public liabilities company so that there would be a board of directors which would be responsible to the public.

“This will make the sector vibrant and be contributing positively to the economy and generating employment opportunities in the country.”

Osabuohien also urged the Federal Government to look into the recent conflict between the NNPC and Dangote Group.

Mr. Olabode Sowunmi, an oil and gas expert, described the development as a calculated effort to put some life and energy into the oil and gas industry.

Sowunmi, CEO, Cabtree, described it as a welcome development.

He said that the NNPC Ltd. was a limited liability company with the Federal Government as its major shareholder.

“It is a calculated effort to put some life and energy into the industry.

“It is expected that this will mean new thinking, new focus and more results,” he said.

According to Sowunmi, even the proposed Initial Public Offer (IPO) which is targeted at listing NNPC in the stock market, will not have prevented Kyari’s removal, as he is a government appointee.

“The government can remove any government appointee at anytime,” he said.

Yushau Aliyu, an economic expert, said the changes were timely, especially when the IPO was underway.

“However, the IPO must be professionally determined by relating to the development in the oil market as well as the willingness of the general public.

“Investment potential with the economic growth targets of Nigeria 2030 should also be considered,” he said.

He said that the President was empowered by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021) to dissolve both the NNPC Ltd. board and the CEO.

Another expert, Dr Sand Mba-Kalu, said that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector needed stability and predictability, along with strict adherence to legal standards, to attract sustainable investment and encourage transformation.

According to him, the move represents a bold initiative within the larger framework of aiming to meet our national production and refining targets in the energy sector by 2027 and 2030.

Mr. Lawrence Nze, an economist, said that most of the policies introduced under Kyari never solved the challenges in the oil sector.

Nze said that the Naira-for-crude policy appeared not to be working since it had not resulted to any serious reduction in price.

According to him, Dangote Refinery was gradually achieving that with its slight reduction in ex-depot price which usually affects pump price, but suddenly, authorities in the oil sector cancelled it.

“To me, it looks like a sabotage against the people. Why can we not stop importation? It means that there is a deal that someone or group of people are benefiting from.

“It is not rocket science to get the energy sector working. Nigerians want cheaper petroleum products, is that too much to ask for?

“Only President Tinubu knows why he sacked Kyari, and whatever be the reason, Nigerians should have access to cheaper petroleum products, especially fuel.

“I will advise the president to ensure that the Naira-for-crude policy works in the country to enable local refineries operate on a cheaper scale,” he said.

By Emmanuella Anokam and Ige Adekunle

National Park advocates carbon reduction for climate action

Michael Simire
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National Park advocates carbon reduction for climate action

The National Park Service (NPS) has assured Nigerians of its ongoing efforts to mitigate climate change through carbon reduction.

Dr Ibrahim Goni
Dr Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator-General (C-G) of the National Park Service (NPS)

Dr Ibrahim Goni, the Conservator-General (C-G) of the NPS, made this commitment in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.

The C-G stated that the approval for the establishment of 10 new national parks in the country would contribute to carbon reduction.

“The seven national parks provide a total area of vegetation of 20,000 square kilometres, and we are confident that it would sequestrate carbon by 4.8 million parts.

“This means that with the introduction of the new 10 national parks, carbon dioxide is going to be sequestrated.”

Goni further advised residents to engage in afforestation to reclaim lands that have been degraded due to erosion.

He commended the Federal Government for its efforts in carbon mediation and for planting 25 million trees to cushion the effects of climate change in the country.

Goni also expressed satisfaction with the federal government’s tree-planting efforts, describing it as a huge step towards conserving the country’s natural resources.

“In 2020, the federal government approved the establishment of 10 new national parks.”

The 10 new national parks are located in Alawa National Park in Niger State, Apoi and Edumenun National Parks in Bayelsa State, Galgore National Park in Kano State, and Hadejia Wetland National Park in Jigawa State.

Others are Kampe National Park in Kwara State, Kogo National Park in Katsina State, Marhi National Park in Nasarawa State, Oba Hill National Park in Osun State and Pandam National Park in Plateau State.

By Abigael Joshua

Nigeria’s water crisis: Beyond rising budget allocations

Michael Simire
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Nigeria’s water crisis: Beyond rising budget allocations

By many accounts, dearth of potable water has exacerbated economic challenges and fueled the spread of waterborne diseases like typhoid and cholera.

Prof Joseph Utsev
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reports a 220 per cent increase in suspected cholera cases in Nigeria in 2024.

With Nigeria’s population exceeding 200 million, only about two-thirds have access to clean drinking water services despite the country’s abundant water resources.

Analysts argue that beyond contributing to waterborne diseases, the lack of potable water has consistently affected school attendance and performance, especially in rural areas and urban suburbs.

The impact is particularly severe for girls, who are often responsible for fetching water.

Analysts argue that this could be a contributing factor to the high number of girls out of school in Nigeria, which UNICEF reports as 7.6 million girls.

The importance of potable water is undeniable, as highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which aims to ensure universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all by 2030.

Achieving this will enhance public health, stimulate economic growth, improve education and social well-being and foster environmental sustainability.

Consequently, stakeholders and experts have emphasised the need for the government to allocate sufficient resources to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation, recognising them as fundamental human rights.

They assert that resources are necessary to address the acute shortage of water supply caused by ageing public water infrastructure, a shortage of essential water treatment chemicals such as alum and chlorine and an erratic power supply.

More so, international water politics cannot be go unheeded.

Report from the Global Water Forum indicates that water security has become a central feature of the global policy agenda.

“Climate change, population growth, and pollution are altering the distribution of water resources and the political control of these resources is becoming increasingly contested.

“These and other water security threats are a source of conflict not only within countries but across international boundaries.

“International water politics describes the interactions between governments, non-government organisations, researchers and other actors that determine how and whether water management issues are addressed,’’ the report said.

In Nigeria, reports indicate increasing budgetary allocations to the water sector to address the existing challenges, but stakeholders observe that many states still have aging water facilities, limiting the sector’s performance.

For instance, in the 2017 budget, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources received a total allocation of N92 billion, with N85.1 billion dedicated to capital expenditure.

In 2018, the allocation increased by 68.6 per cent, reaching N155.1 billion, with N147.2 billion designated for capital expenditure.

However, in 2019, the allocation dropped to N100.5 billion, but saw a slight increase in 2020 of 0.01 per cent to ₦100.6 billion. Since then, there has been a steady rise in the budget.

In 2023, President Bola Tinubu’s administration allocated N242.2 billion; in 2024, the allocation increased by 22.5 per cent to N296.64 billion.

By Martha Agas, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

How climate change is reshaping Kyrgyz Republic, by UNEP Atlas

Michael Simire
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How climate change is reshaping Kyrgyz Republic, by UNEP Atlas

Climate change has caused temperatures in the Kyrgyz Republic to rise at twice the global average, exacerbating water stress and the risk of natural disasters, according to a new Atlas of Environmental Change launched on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Kyrgyz Republic
Kyrgyz Republic

The average annual temperature in the country has increased by 1.2°C between 1960 and 2023 – compared to a global average of 0.6°C. This rise is expected to speed up in the coming decades. Warmer temperatures mean that river flows are projected to decrease while demand for water increases.

The Atlas data underlines the urgent need for strong climate adaptation policies to reduce irrigation losses, strengthen early warning systems, as well as to improve pasture management – 70% of pastures in the country are estimated to be degraded. 

“The Kyrgyz Republic is at the frontline of climate change impacts,” said UNEP’s Europe Office Director, Arnold Kreilhuber. “The wealth of data in this Atlas can form a solid evidence base to support the country in adapting to environmental change and manage the environment sustainably for current and future generations.”

Climate change exacerbates water stress, disaster risks

Water resources are one of the most important and at the same time the most vulnerable components of the natural environment, which are changing very quickly under the influence of human activities and climate change.

Up to 93% of the Kyrgyz Republic’s electricity is generated by hydropower plants. Climate change, which can lead to a decrease in rainfall, shifting snow covers, and glacial retreat, makes it likely that all reservoirs in the country will receive less water over the next 30 years. For example, water inflow to the Toktogul reservoir, a key source of hydropower, is projected to drop by up to 18.8% by 2050 – meaning less water to turn turbines and generate electricity.

Climate change is furthermore increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. On average, 200 emergencies are registered in the country each year, 90% of which are of a natural origin, such as flooding, earthquakes, mudslides, rockfalls and avalanches. In 2022, natural disasters resulted in nearly 150 people losing their lives and triggered annual average economic losses of $27 million between 2012-2018.

The Kyrgyz Republic is located at the upper reaches of many major rivers, making transboundary cooperation and integrated water management important for the entire region.

Progress in forestry and wildlife conservation

Even as it faces these challenges, the country has made significant strides in environmental conservation, particularly in protecting its forests and wildlife. Since 2000, forest cover has increased from 6.2% to 6.9% of the Kyrgyz Republic due to afforestation, a difficult task in a country that is overwhelmingly mountainous.

In 2000, protected areas made up only 0.5 million hectares of the country, but this increased to 1.5 million hectares by 2023. By 2040, protected areas are planned to cover as much as 10% of the country and protect 60–65% of the species included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

All forests in the country are legally protected from large-scale commercial logging and – thanks to the establishment of the Khan Teniri Nature Park – the area of protected land that is home to snow leopards in the Central Tien Shan mountains has been expanded by 40%.

Supporting environmental priorities

The Atlas is underpinned by datasets covering six decades, sourced from global, regional, and national institutions, and will be made publicly available. The project data is organised and stored on a GeoPortal, so that information can be continually used and updated based on national priorities. The resource provides detailed information on the environment, focusing on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, progress towards the three Rio Conventions (climate change, biodiversity and desertification) and SDG6 and SDG15.

The Atlas is the result of a project where numerous Kyrgyz ministries and government agencies joined forces through consultations, information-sharing, the training of Geographic Information System (GIS) experts and technical inputs. UNEP purchased IT equipment and GIS software for government officials and trained national experts.

UNEP led this project in cooperation with Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, with financial support from the Government of the Russian Federation. The project also covers Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and their respective Atlases will be published in the coming months.

NEST, PACJA scheme intensifies climate resilience, nature solutions in Abia community

Michael Simire
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NEST, PACJA scheme intensifies climate resilience, nature solutions in Abia community

The Nigerian Environmental Study Action Team (NEST), with funding from the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), is implementing the “Scaling Up Climate Resilience and Nature Solutions in Communities through Practice, Strengthening Inclusiveness, and Advocacy in Nigeria” project, whose goal is to build community resilience towards climate change in response to sub-national needs and contributing to national adaptation targets.

NEST
Plant seedlings and improved maize seeds distributed to all the participants

The pilot scheme of the project has commenced in Abia State and will be replicated in five more states.

In order to ensure sustainability of the project’s goal even after the official cessation of the project, NEST is collaborating with the Department of Forestry and Environmental Management (FOREM), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), and the Abia State Department of Forestry in the implementation of the project.

In continuation of the community exercises, the project team, led by the Project Coordinator, Prof Emmanuel C. Nzegbule, engaged the Eluama Lodu community in Abia State on March 27, 2025. Eluama harbours one of the remarkable forest reserves in the state. On arrival, the team was welcomed by over 100 community members.

The Project Coordinator commended the community for the impressive turn out and highlighted the purpose of the community engagement, which were:

  • Validating the earlier findings about the community’s vulnerability status, climate change hazards, impact and resilience needs;
  • Promoting inclusion of vulnerable groups in decision making and climate resilience practices;
  • Building the community’s climate resilience capacity; and,
  • Empowering the community members particularly the youths and vulnerable groups with various climate resilience skills and improved agricultural inputs.

At the interactive session the participants from Eluama community mapped the community’s vulnerability features; identified the major climate hazards and impacts; identified and prioritised needs of the community for achieving climate resilience for both women, the youths and men. Also, they were enlightened on the importance of gender inclusiveness, usefulness of climate Smart agriculture and agroforestry practices in order to achieve climate resilience.

From the findings, over 90% of the Eluama are already aware of climate change and could recognise some of the evidence in the community. The community is highly vulnerable to climate change impact because of various socioeconomic and infrastructural deficits including dilapidated earthen road networks which hampers evacuation of farm products to the markets; poor access to market leading to huge post-harvest losses and making sales of farm produce difficult; lack of water sources for domestic and irrigation purposes.

Agriculture in Eluama community is subsistence and rainfed. They hardly receive improve agricultural inputs and extension services. Traditionally, the women do not inherit land nor own one which denies them access to natural resources and worsens women vulnerability; and access to credits for farming is very limited as the closest bank is about 10 km from the community.

Some of the climate change impacts in the community as disclosed by the participants include uncertainty in the pattern of rainfall, heat stress, drying of their local streams, poor yield of their crops, increase in agricultural pests – monkeys destroy their crops leading to huge losses, increase in incidence of wind storms and erosion etc.

The priority needs of Eluama people to realise community resilience include: creating better access to water for domestic use and dry season irrigation farming; checking illegal harvesting of woods from their forests; provision of improved seeds and farming equipment; control of wildlife pestilence on their farms; and creating alternative livelihoods opportunities.

The team sensitised and built the skills of the participants on climate smart agriculture (CSA) and agroforestry practice. The Head of FOREM Department, MOUAU, Dr Benson Nwajiobi, facilitated the exercise. He discouraged deforestation which is a major driver of climate change and called on the Eluama community to embrace CSA to have improved resilience, achieve overall sustainable agricultural production and contributing to achieve the national climate change goals.

He highlighted the importance and benefits of the CSA which include: soil fertility improvement, improved agricultural production, conservation of wildlife and protection biodiversity, increased resilience to climate change, reduced emission of greenhouse gases, increased income and livelihood of farmers, and soil erosion control.

The community was enlightened on the need for women to participate actively in decision-making processes. Dr Chinwenwa Precious Ngwuli charged the women to continue to make their voices heard as because women are more severely affected by the impact.

She explained some of the benefits of gender inclusiveness in addressing climate change impact such as having stronger community resilience: having improved sustainable resource management; economic growth and livelihood security: effective disaster response and Risk reduction.

Mr. John Ikpegbu, the Head of forestry in the Ministry of Environment, Abia State, pointed out that the state government is formulating policies that will create livelihood opportunities in the communities where forest reserves are located such as the recent suspension of permits for timber harvesting in all forest reserves by the government.

This is to encourage forests regeneration, control deforestation and wildlife pestilence and mitigate climate change. He charged the community to support government to protect the forests, support climate change mitigation and livelihoods in Eluama community.

A major highlight of the occasion was the distribution of indigenous tree seedlings and improved seeds to the community members to equip them as the 2025 cropping season commences and encourage the practice of sustainable agricultural models.

Key lessons from the outing were that the community has knowledge of climate change and impact. However, they are handicapped because of the absence of infrastructure particularly roads and improved inputs to reduce their vulnerability.

The community members are said to be ready to adopt resilience solutions that aligns to the basic needs of the people and are willing to commit extra resources to sustain the actions especially when it targets livelihood improvement in the community.

The community needs capacity building in the area of developing appropriate resilient solutions that can meet the uncertainties of future climate change.

Electricity: TotalEnergies acquires renewable portfolios in Europe, Africa, Canada

Michael Simire
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Electricity: TotalEnergies acquires renewable portfolios in Europe, Africa, Canada

Following the agreements signed in 2024, TotalEnergies has confirmed the closing of its acquisitions of VSB Group, a European wind and solar developer with extensive operations in Germany, and SN Power, which develops hydropower in Africa, particularly Uganda. TotalEnergies also announced new deals with renewables developer RES, with a view to acquiring renewables projects in Alberta, Canada, and the closing of a first project acquisition.

Stéphane Michel
Stéphane Michel, President, Gas, Renewables and Power at TotalEnergies

In Europe, TotalEnergies has closed the acquisition of VSB, and is strengthening its integrated electricity business, particularly in Germany.

The deal is said to strengthen TotalEnergies’ integrated electricity business in Germany, which represents half of VSB’s portfolio, adding to the recent acquisitions of battery storage developer Kyon Energy and energy manager Quadra Energy, as well as the Company’s offshore wind positions in the country.

VSB’s more than 15 GW pipeline will also increase TotalEnergies’ renewables pipeline in Europe to over 40 GW of capacity, in addition to the 7 GW already in operation or under construction. Given its targeted strategy for certain key European markets, the Company has decided to start the divestment process for the VSB-developed Puutionsaari project in Finland (440 MW wind and solar).

In Africa, TotalEnergies has closed the acquisition of SN Power and is continuing the implementation of its multi-energy strategy, particularly in Uganda.

The acquisition of SN Power will allow TotalEnergies to implement its multi-energy strategy in Uganda, where the Company is already active in exploration and production. The Bujagali hydropower plant (225 MW), for example, meets more than 25% of the country’s peak electricity demand.

The transaction gives TotalEnergies a 28.3% stake in Bujagali, currently operating in Uganda, and a stake in two other projects under development in Rwanda (206 MW) and Malawi (360 MW). The deal also gives TotalEnergies a team of hydropower development experts, strengthening its competencies in this field.

In Canada, TotalEnergies has signed agreements to acquire certain wind and solar projects and closed the acquisition of a solar farm in Alberta.

The Company has signed agreements with RES to acquire certain wind and solar projects under development in Alberta, amounting to total capacity of more than 800 MW. TotalEnergies has also just closed the acquisition of Big Sky Solar (184 MW), a solar facility in Alberta that was commissioned at the end of February.

More than two thirds of the electricity produced by Big Sky Solar will be sold under a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). The remainder will be sold on the electricity market by TotalEnergies, which will also sell the carbon credits generated by the facility under Alberta’s regulated carbon emissions programme.

“The completion of these three acquisitions in Europe, North America and Africa will contribute to our targets of 35 GW of gross renewable capacity by 2025 and over 100 TWh of electricity production by 2030,” said Stéphane Michel, President, Gas, Renewables and Power at TotalEnergies.

“These acquisitions strengthen our operations in markets where we are deploying our Integrated Power business, like Germany and in North America, and in countries, such as Uganda, where we can leverage synergies with our exploration and production activities. Furthermore, these acquisitions will contribute to cash flow growth and to our goal of reaching our 12% profitability target in the electricity segment,” added Michel.

Marseille summit demands collective action to address climate change challenges

Michael Simire
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Marseille summit demands collective action to address climate change challenges

Participants at a recently held summit in France have called for coordinated and collective action to address the challenges posed by climate change and protect populations, ecosystems, and regional economies from its effects.

Ronan Dantec
Ronan Dantec, President of Climate Chance

The Climate Chance Europe Africa Summit 2025, co-organised with the City of Marseille, mobilised the climate community in its diverse range of stakeholders: local authorities, NGOs, businesses, researchers, youth representatives, experts, decision-makers, and grassroots actors.

It brought together 1,500 participants from over 40 different nationalities across Europe and Africa, highlighting the importance of collective action on both the crucial issues of mitigation and adaptation.

The Marseille Declaration, the result of a collaborative process with major networks and organisations of non-state actors present in Marseille, calls for strengthened cooperation between Africa and Europe on adaptation. Its concrete recommendations will be presented to states and highlighted during major international climate events in 2025, notably the COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

At the European level, the summit will result in an Action Plan for Adaptation, derived from the discussions and proposals from the 40 sessions held during the summit. This plan will be presented at the end of May, following the synthesis of the workshops, and will be submitted to the European Commission, Member States, the European Parliament, and European institutions.

In 2026, the European Union will present its new adaptation strategy, with debates on its priorities beginning this year. The timing is ideal for delivering the operational proposals from the summit, contributing concretely to its development, and pushing forward the priority actions to be undertaken in the coming weeks and months, with the most representative international networks of non-state actors.

Ronan Dantec, President of Climate Chance, said: “This summit marks a milestone in the evolution of the climate community’s priorities. Today, we must combine adaptation and mitigation, and be realistic about climate warming trajectories, which are expected to exceed +2 degrees Celsius as per the Paris Agreement. Undertaking the necessary transitions for this adaptation must also be an opportunity to define new emission reduction actions, always with a focus on the social cohesion of our societies.”

Already signed by some networks and organisations (local authorities, NGOs, etc.), the Marseille Declaration is said to be open for signatures, and organisations wishing to sign are enjoined to contact association@climate-chance.org.

Tinubu reconstitutes NNPC’s board, appoints new CEO

Michael Simire
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Tinubu reconstitutes NNPC’s board, appoints new CEO

President Bola Tinubu has approved the removal of Chief Pius Akinyelure, the chairman of the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. and Malam Mele Kyari, the group chief executive officer.

NNPC
Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group CEO (left) and Mr. Ahmadu Musa Kida non-executive chairman, NNPC

Kyari was replaced by Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari as Group CEO and Akinyelure was replaced by Mr. Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive chairman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s spokesman, said in a statement on Wednesday, April 2, 2025.

Tinubu also removed all other board members appointed with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.

Mr. Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November, has been appointed to the new board.

Six board members, non-executive directors, representing the country’s geopolitical zones are: Bello Rabiu, North West; Yusuf Usman, North East; and Babs Omotowa, a former managing director of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), who represents North Central.

Tinubu also appointed Mr. Austin Avuru as a non-executive director from the South-South, David Ige as a non-executive director from the South West, and Henry Obih as a non-executive director from the South East.

Mrs. Lydia Jafiya, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, will represent the ministry on the new board, while Aminu Ahmed will represent the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The President invoked the powers granted under Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, adding that all the appointments were with immediate effect.

He said that the board’s restructuring was crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, and restoring investor confidence.

Tinubu added that it would also boost local content, drive economic growth, and advance gas commercialisation and diversification.

The President handed out an immediate action plan to the new board; to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture Assets.

He said this would ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.

Since 2023, the Tinubu administration has implemented oil sector reforms to attract investment. Last year, NNPC reported $17 billion in new investments within the sector.

“The administration now envisions increasing the investment to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.

‘The Tinubu administration targets raising oil production to two million barrels daily by 2027 and three million daily by 2030.

“Concurrently, the government wants gas production jacked to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion cubic feet by 2030.”

Tinubu charged the new board to elevate NNPC’s share of crude oil refining output to 200,000 barrels by 2027 and reach 500,000 by 2030.

The new board chairman, Kida, from Borno, is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he received a degree in civil engineering in 1984.

He also obtained a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris.

He started his career in the oil industry at Elf Petroleum Nigeria and later joined Total Exploration and Production as a trainee engineer in 1985.

Kida became Total Nigeria’s Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services in 2015. Last year, he became an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.

Apart from his oil industry career, Kida is a former basketballer and the president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) board.

Ojulari, the new NNPC Ltd. Group CEO, hails from Kwara State.

Until his new appointment, he was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company.

Renaissance Africa Energy Company recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), worth $2.4 billion.

Like Kida, Ojulari is also an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

He worked for Elf Aquitaine as the first Nigerian process engineer to begin a stellar career in the oil sector.

From Elf, he joined Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991 as an associate production technologist.

Apart from working in Nigeria, he worked in Europe and the Middle East in different capacities as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager.

In 2015, he became the managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).

Tinubu thanked the old board members for their dedicated service to NNPC Ltd.

He commended them for their efforts in rehabilitating the old Port Harcourt and Warri refineries and wished them well in their future endeavours.

By Salif Atojoko

How the shipping sector could save on energy costs

Michael Simire
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How the shipping sector could save on energy costs

Maritime shipping is the backbone of international trade and an integral part of global supply chains. The sector is also a major consumer of energy: international shipping is responsible for about 5% of global annual oil use and almost 700 million tonnes (Mt) of annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Maritime shipping
Maritime shipping is a major consumer of energy

Since 2008, as both global traded value and international shipping activity expanded by almost 50%, energy use in shipping has increased by 5%, with the sector’s oil consumption reaching 4.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2023.

During that period, companies found ways to consume fuel more efficiently, since fuel accounts for up to half the costs of transporting goods by ship. In fact, the energy intensity of shipping – measured as the fuel consumed to transport a tonne of goods over a given distance – has decreased by about 30% since 2008. In 2023, this saved 1.8 mb/d of oil and $60 billion in fuel costs. Still, there remains ample scope for further improvements – in many cases by implementing technologies that are already commercially available.

Two main factors underpin efficiency gains in recent decades. First, there is the adoption of so-called slow steaming, which has been responsible for two-thirds of improvements since 2008, since cutting a ship’s speed in half can reduce fuel consumption up to eight-fold. On average, shipping speeds have fallen by 10% since 2008, resulting in oil savings of over 1 mb/d. Second, ship sizes have grown by over 50% on average.

This saved another 300 kb/d due to reduced hull surface area and wave resistance per tonne of cargo. These two trends developed as a reaction to high fuel prices, market dynamics and regulatory conditions, such as energy efficiency requirements for new-build ships and new international rules on the sulphur content of fuels.

There is potential to further reduce speeds and increase ship sizes in the future, but there are limitations. Ship sizes depend on trade patterns and must comply with size restrictions in canals and ports. And though further decreases in ship speeds are possible, they must be balanced against potential reductions in revenues and shipping capacity. Shortening waiting times at ports could help compensate for these effects, if coupled with a system favouring just-in-time arrivals over the typical “sail fast then wait” approach.

Another way to further cut vessel fuel consumption would be to expand the use of more efficient technologies. However, this option has so far remained largely untapped. Analysis of the actual design engine power of new-build ships (compared with a benchmark corresponding to their size and design speed) finds that their efficiency has only improved by around 4% on average over the past 15 years. Similarly, global maritime services company DNV has found that many of the energy efficiency technologies available have been implemented on less than 5% of all vessels on the water today.

An array of energy efficiency technologies and measures are commercially available right now. Some, like waste heat recovery, were first introduced a decade ago. Others, such as hull optimisation and air lubrication, are more recent innovations but have already been deployed on hundreds of vessels. Meanwhile, technologies like kite sails are at the full-scale demonstration stage.

Several of these technologies – such as improved hull and propeller design and those that optimise operations – already make economic sense for shipowners. We estimate that in a typical container ship, these technologies can be bundled in a way that allows for energy savings of up to 15%, which would lower costs by $2-5 million per year (reducing the total cost of ship ownership by up to 10%). The capital expenditure for this level of savings has a payback period of less than five years at current oil prices.

A further 10% reduction in energy consumption is possible with additional technologies such as air lubrication, wind assistance and waste heat recovery. The investment requirements for these technologies are higher, meaning that the payback period can exceed five years. Nonetheless, relative to the lifetime of a ship, the energy savings make up for the expenditures.

These energy efficiency technologies are not limited to new builds, which account for less than 5% the global fleet every year. Many are also available as retrofits, which could deliver wider efficiency improvements across the sector.

There are several reasons why the adoption of these energy efficiency technologies in international shipping vessels to date has been limited. As in the buildings sector, the main barrier is the classic principal-agent problem, which refers to diverging priorities between an asset’s owner and operator. The shipowners commission new ship designs and decide on upgrades to the ship. They must choose whether to install efficiency technologies, which in some cases can increase costs by several million dollars.

However, charterers, not owners, typically bear the energy costs of the vessel – which means owners do not benefit from the resulting fuel cost savings. These split incentives can increase overall shipping costs, since efficiency technologies are ultimately not adopted as a result. While innovative contract configurations that enable the investor to benefit from fuel savings have been proposed, this method has yet to be adopted in practice.

A further barrier to the deployment of new energy efficiency technologies is the uncertainty about what the exact energy savings will be for a specific ship. To overcome this, technical advances are needed to measure the in-service performance of each installed technology, in addition to dedicated sea trials and the establishment of independent third parties for verification.

International bodies play an important role in regulating shipping. To date, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the European Union have been leading the way on designing policies to improve the sector’s energy and emissions intensity. The prevalent regulatory instruments they have championed fall into three main categories, which complement each other.

Standards on the emissions intensity of fuels aim to promote and de-risk the early adoption of alternative fuels. The European Union has passed the FuelEU Maritime regulation, and the IMO is currently discussing a greenhouse gas fuel standard (GFS) as part of its mid-term measures. This kind of standard does not target efficiency improvements directly, but it could indirectly incentivise the uptake of efficiency technologies in ships running on alternative fuels, which are more expensive than their fossil equivalents.

Pricing schemes on greenhouse gas emissions use market mechanisms to create a favourable business case for first movers while giving other stakeholders more time to adapt their practices. The European Union has included the shipping sector in their emissions trading scheme (ETS), and the IMO is currently discussing the economic element of the mid-term measures. An indirect impact on the energy efficiency of ships running on fossil fuels is possible if the price is high enough, but the effect could be undermined by the aforementioned market dynamics (including split incentives and uncertainty about exact efficiency improvements).

Standards on the emissions intensity of ships aim to stabilise or decrease emissions from shipping even as demand for it increases due to economic growth. The IMO now regulates the design emission intensity and operational emissions intensity of ships (through its Energy Efficiency Design Index, Energy Efficiency for Existing Ships Index and Carbon Intensity Indicator).

As intended, these standards have principally been met by improving the design and operational energy efficiency of ships. However, the increased availability of alternative fuels opens new possibilities. While the principal-agent problem could lead to greater alternative fuel use instead of investment in efficiency technologies, this issue could be mitigated with the revision of the IMO short-term measures that is currently underway.

If stabilising or reducing emissions from shipping is the primary policy focus, then switching to alternative low-emissions fuels can go a long way. However, focusing on sustainable fuels alone can result in supply shortages, especially given potential competition with other sectors such as aviation. Alternative fuels are also more expensive than today’s fossil fuels, which could raise shipping costs across the board.

Improving the energy efficiency of the shipping sector is possible now

Energy efficiency technologies can help to mitigate these issues. They are already available for both new and existing ships, and they reduce fuel use, thereby decreasing the exposure of the shipping sector (and global supply chains) to volatile fuel prices. Their uptake can also limit increases in shipping costs as the adoption of alternative fuels accelerates.

Improving the shipping sector’s energy efficiency has many advantages. But to fully unlock them, clearer, targeted policies are needed to support the deployment of key technologies. There is an important opportunity now to design measures that help overcome market barriers and foster a more energy and cost-efficient shipping industry.

By Laurence Cret (Junior Energy Technology Modeller), Hannes Gauch (Junior Energy Technology Modeller), Elizabeth Connelly (Energy Technology and Transport Analyst) and Leonardo Paoli (Clean Transport Analyst), IEA

Conservation in East Africa: Rangers enlightened on monitoring illegal killing of elephants

Michael Simire
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Conservation in East Africa: Rangers enlightened on monitoring illegal killing of elephants

The Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants Programme of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES MIKE Programme), in collaboration with the College of African Wildlife Management (CAWM), Mweka in the Democratic Republic of Congo, recently conducted a two-week training programme at Rungwa Game Reserve in Singida Region, United Republic of Tanzania.

CITES
Participants at the two-week training programme at Rungwa Game Reserve in Singida Region, United Republic of Tanzania. Photo credit; CITES

The Training of Trainers (ToT) initiative was designed to equip rangers with the expertise to apply their knowledge in the field while also enabling them to train and mentor other rangers in their respective conservation areas. It was funded by the European Union under the MIKES+ project which builds on successful previous CITES MIKE projects implemented in African elephant (Loxodonta africana) range States.

The initiative brought together wildlife rangers from five East African elephant range States, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Its primary purpose was to strengthen the skills and knowledge of rangers in combating wildlife crime, with a specific emphasis on elephant mortality data collection and reporting as well as introducing them to crime scene management techniques.

The training builds on similar initiatives previously implemented in Southern and Central Africa, bringing together rangers from both regions in partnership with the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) and the Garoua Wildlife College in Cameroon. It strives to foster collaboration and strengthen data-driven conservation efforts across the region’s elephant range States. 

CITES Secretary-General, Ivonne Higuero, said: “Well-trained and well-equipped rangers are the backbone of elephant conservation efforts. By strengthening their capacity to monitor and respond to threats, we are not only enhancing data-driven decision-making but also reinforcing the frontline defense against wildlife crime. This training initiative exemplifies the power of regional collaboration in ensuring the survival of the species for future generations.”

A Combination of Theory and Practical Training

In the classroom, rangers engaged in interactive sessions covering key aspects of wildlife monitoring and conservation. Each lesson was followed by a recap session, allowing trainees to reinforce their learning before moving on to new topics. Rangers were trained on the objectives of the CITES MIKE Programme, highlighting their critical role in the decision-making process and the importance of accurately collecting data when an elephant carcass is found.

This data includes the type and cause of death, detection method, age and sex of the elephant before death and the presence or absence of tusks. Participants also engaged in practical exercises to ensure they could collect this information systematically using standardised protocols and apply crime scene management techniques to preserve evidence for court proceedings.

For over 20 years, rangers across Africa and Asia have been collecting elephant mortality data in the field, providing CITES Parties with valuable insights into the conservation status of African and Asian elephants. The CITES MIKE Programme serves also as a critical database for conservation areas, supporting the development of effective anti-poaching strategies and improving site management. Beyond tracking poaching trends, MIKE data also plays a key role in identifying emerging threats, such as human-elephant conflict (HEC) and the impacts of climate change on elephant populations.

“This training has been an eye-opening experience,” said Lucy Tisa, a Kenya Wildlife Service ranger. “It has given us valuable skills to monitor and protect elephant populations in our home countries. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn and collaborate with fellow rangers from across the region.”

Strengthening Collaboration for Future Conservation Efforts

The success of the training highlights the importance of continued collaboration between conservation organisations and well-established ranger training institutions, such as CAWM, which is widely recognised for its expertise in conservation training in the East Africa region.

This approach aligns with the CITES MIKE Programme’s sustainability vision, which seeks to integrate MIKE training into ranger training institutions, enabling them to independently deliver the training to their students and visiting rangers. By transferring these skills, the Programme not only expands its reach – ensuring more conservationists are equipped with essential expertise in monitoring the illegal killing of elephants – but also strengthens local capacity.

Leveraging their deep understanding of regional challenges, this approach enhances the long-term effectiveness of the Programme, enhanced efforts to combat wildlife crime and strengthened conservation of Africa’s elephant populations.

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