Green Energy International Limited and Lekoil Nigeria Limited have clarified their position regarding recent media reports on a court matter stemming from a commercial dispute with a service provider, stating that the issue is already subject to arbitration in line with contractual agreements between the parties.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, both companies said the dispute relates to a contractual claim currently undergoing resolution through arbitration, as provided for under the terms of their agreement with the service provider.
Lekoil Nigeria Limited
They explained that the sums referenced in certain media reports remain unliquidated and are still under review and audit pursuant to the contractual arrangements between the parties. As such, the companies noted that the amounts being reported are subject to determination by an arbitral tribunal.
According to the statement, prior to the interim court application reported in the media, both companies had already commenced proceedings before the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/225/26. The filing included an application for an anti-suit injunction aimed at safeguarding the agreed arbitration process.
The companies disclosed that the processes were duly filed and served on the service provider, H-PTP, before the subsequent court proceedings referenced in media publications.
Green Energy and Lekoil Nigeria stressed that the matter is currently under active judicial and arbitral consideration, making it inappropriate to provide further comments at this stage.
Despite the ongoing dispute, the companies reassured stakeholders that their operations remain unaffected.
“Both Green Energy and Lekoil Nigeria continue to operate their assets safely and in full compliance with applicable regulatory and contractual obligations. There has been no disruption to operations,” the statement said.
They further affirmed their commitment to pursuing their rights through the appropriate legal and arbitral channels, adding that they reserve the right to take action against any inaccurate or defamatory statements published in connection with the dispute.
The development comes amid heightened scrutiny within the oil and gas sector over contractual disputes and enforcement of arbitration clauses, with industry observers closely watching how courts balance ongoing arbitration proceedings with parallel judicial applications.
However, with both judicial and arbitral processes now underway, the final resolution of the matter will depend on the outcomes of the respective legal proceedings.
Dangote Group has signed a $400 million construction equipment agreement with XCMG Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., one of China’s leading manufacturers of construction machinery, in a move set to accelerate the expansion of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning it to become the largest refinery in the world.
The agreement will enable the Group to acquire additional wide range of advanced construction equipment to support ongoing and forthcoming projects across refining, petrochemicals, agriculture and large-scale infrastructure development. The new equipment will complement existing assets deployed for the refinery expansion, which is expected to be completed within three years.
Dangote Refinery gate
Beyond refining, the expansion programme will see polypropylene production increase from 900,000 metric tonnes per annum to 2.4 million metric tonnes per annum. Urea capacity in Nigeria will be tripled from 3 million to 9 million metric tonnes per annum, in addition to the 3 million metric tonnes per annum capacity in Ethiopia, strengthening the Group’s position as the largest urea producer globally.
Production capacity for Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) will also be increased to 400,000 metric tonnes per annum, positioning the Group as the largest producer in Africa and strengthening supply to the detergent and cleaning agents manufacturing industry. Additional base oil production capacity also forms part of the broader expansion programme.
In a statement, the Group described the agreement as a strategic investment aimed at deepening its construction footprint and accelerating its ambition to build a $100 billion enterprise by 2030.
“The additional equipment we are acquiring under this partnership will significantly enhance execution across our projects. With this investment, we are positioning ourselves to become the number one construction company in the world,” the statement said.
Dangote Group is currently accelerating expansion and regional market development as it advances toward its long-term vision of building a $100 billion enterprise by 2030.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has warned the public against activities of fraudulent individuals who peddle contract offers purportedly on its behalf.
A statement on Monday, February 16, 2026, by Eniola Akinkuotu, Head, Corporate Communication and Media, NUPRC, said these unscrupulous individuals used tactics such as name-dropping and misinformation on social media to deceive members of the public.
According to Akinkuotu, they do so with the sole intention of extorting money from them and are hereby warned to desist from such acts.
Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan, the Commission’s Chief Executive, NUPRC
To set the record straight, he said, all contract being processed at the NUPRC were done transparently and strictly in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and other extant regulations.
“Therefore, anyone who transacts with a third party in order to gain an imaginary undue advantage within the NUPRC does so solely at their own risk.
“For information on any procurement, visit the NUPRC website – www.nuprc.gov.ng – or local newspapers for tenders to bid,” he warned.
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an interim administration for Green Energy International Ltd. and Lekoil Oil and Gas Investments Ltd. following their alleged failure to pay $25.5 million debt.
Justice Ambrose Allagoa also appointed Mr. Chimezie Ihekweazu (SAN), an accredited insolvency practitioner, as the interim administrator for both companies throughout the interim administration.
The judge ordered that Ihekweazu should do all functions of an administrator, except distribution of the assets of the respondents.
Chief Executive Officer of Lekoil, Lekan Akinyanmi
The judge ordered that the interim administration would continue until the determination of a substantive suit on the matter.
Allagoa also granted an order directing all banks and financial institutions regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure that the accounts of the respondents would be controlled by the administrator or his nominee.
He made the orders following an ex-parte application filed by H-PTP Energy Services Ltd. seeking restraining, mareva and injunctive orders against Green Energy and Lekoil.
The applicant averred in the ex-parte application that it sought the reliefs following alleged failure by the respondents to honour $25.5 million debt obligation.
H-PTL Energy Services Ltd stated that Green Energy and Lekoil were indebted to it to the tune of 25.5 million dollars as Joint venture partners in Okatikpa Field, under Petroleum Mining Lease 11 located at Andoni, Rivers.
According to H-PTL Energy Services Ltd., the respondents have been indebted to it since mid 2025 and have been unable to liquidate the debt in spite of acknowledging the debt in writing.
H-PTP stated that in spite of demands and notices it made, the debt had remained unpaid and both respondents had become evasive and were attempting to dispute the already-agreed debt.
It stated that it attached all bank accounts, receivables and stock of crude oil belonging to, and produced from the two creditors of Okatikpa field to the application.
Allagoa adjourned the case until Feb. 26, for hearing of the substantive motion.
Religious leaders have called for an inclusive and value-driven framework to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and deployment in Nigeria.
They made the call during a media training organised by the Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence (NRC-AI) for journalists on Monday, February 16, 2026, in Lagos.
Rt. Rev. Dr Evans Onyemara, the General Secretary, Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), said the council had partnered with the Future of Life Institute to build AI awareness among religious leaders.
Participants at the media training organised by the Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence (NRC-AI) for journalists
Onyemara said CCN was working with Jama’atu Nasril Islam to ensure interfaith collaboration on AI governance.
He urged government to include faith-based organisations and civil society groups in AI policy formulation and implementation.
The Director of CCN, Very Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi, said the coalition supports AI policies rooted in justice, compassion, accountability and human dignity.
Fadahunsi warned against unregulated AI systems that could erode indigenous values and weaken analytical thinking among youths.
He noted that while AI could improve healthcare, education, agriculture and security, safeguards were necessary to prevent misuse.
A civil society partner, Mr. Philip Jakpor, described the media as indispensable in promoting ethical AI adoption.
Jakpor said AI deployment in Nigeria must respect religious beliefs, cultural norms and national identity.
According to him, while the US and China are currently investing billions in AI creation, adoption and deployment, Africa is still missing in the race largely due to limited infrastructure, low local data representation, and high implementation costs.
“African media is also constrained by entrenched skepticism regarding data biases and potential job losses,” he stated, lamenting that the Nigerian media, which is supposed to be a watchdog by amplifying the need for active engagement to ensure ethical development and application, is largely in the dark with many journalists ignorantly regurgitating ideals that are extraneous to religion as well as Africa’s cultural norms and values.
Jakpor, who is also a journalist, urged the media to serve as a platform for debate and exchange of ideas, in fostering a more informed and engaged public on AI.
His words: “The media must equally showcase positive examples of AI and highlight the ethical drawbacks identified above to encourage the government to take meaningful steps toward addressing them. The media must also report scientific findings on AI and encourage action that will not make Nigerians mere consumers of AI ideas birthed in the west, but also co-creators of AI tools and information.”
Veteran journalist, Tope Oluwaleye, in a presentation, explores issues related to how AI influences religious practices, virtual services (AI-powered platforms host online worship, prayers or sermons), personalised guidance, scripture analysis (AI tools helping to interpret or translate religious texts), and community engagement (AI-driven apps connecting believers and facilitate discussions).
He listed accuracy, accountability and inclusiveness as key principles to help journalists to produce stories that are both informative and respectful of the diverse ways people experience faith.
Programmes Officer, CCN, Ms. Nkechi Oseni, who read the position of the coalition, stressed the need for moral leadership in shaping Nigeria’s AI governance.
Oseni said the coalition supports Pillar Four of Nigeria’s 2024 AI Strategy, which focuses on ethical inclusion and public trust.
She called for an independent AI Ethics Expert Group to provide objective oversight on AI development and deployment.
According to her, clear ethical principles must address fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy and human well-being.
She also advocated standardised assessment mechanisms to ensure AI projects align with Nigeria’s cultural and religious values.
The coalition emphasised that responsible AI development must align with Nigeria’s constitutional values and protect future generations.
On the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), the African Medicines Agency (AMA) convened a High‑Level Presidential Breakfast on the Operationalisation of the AMA, calling on the 24 AU Member States yet to ratify the AMA Treaty to act without delay in support of a safer, more prosperous future for the continent.
Convened by the AMA, the breakfast brought together Heads of State and Government, AU leadership, and senior representatives of the AMA, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat to accelerate the Agency’s full operationalisation, universal ratification, and sustainable financing.
Amb. Amma Twum‑Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union Commission
Leaders underscored the AMA’s role in strengthening continental regulation of medical products, bolstering health security, and supporting Africa’s industrialisation ambitions. While progress has been made in establishing the Agency and operationalising its headquarters in Kigali, only 31 of the AU’s 55 Member States have ratified the AMA Treaty, and several still need to complete domestication measures – leaving gaps in protection against substandard and falsified medical products and limiting the benefits of a unified African regulatory system.
Several government leaders, Ministers of Health and representatives of AU agencies reiterated their commitment to the operationalisation of the AMA. Mr. Sebastien Pillay, Vice President of Seychelles reaffirmed his country’s political support and financial commitment of $200,000, doubling the seed fund contribution of $100,000 required of state parties, while urging larger nations to match this dedication.
Dr. Mustapha Ferjani, Minister of Health of Tunisia, reinforced the foundational importance of regulation, highlighting that “today, a single truth imposes itself: Africa’s health sovereignty depends on regulatory sovereignty.” In his closing appeal, he added: “Let us all ratify, and equip AMA with the capacity to act – with resources, skills, clear procedures, and effective governance. Our people deserve it, our health security demands it, and our sovereignty depends on it.”
Presenting on priority actions for the AMA, Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, Director General of the AMA, updated leaders on the AMA’s ambition to be universally ratified, achieve WHO Listed Authority status and be financially self-reliant by 2030.
She stressed that “over the past five years, we have moved from a Treaty on paper to a living institution” and that the AMA is “already working hand‑in‑hand with Member States that have ratified to strengthen regulatory systems, streamline joint assessments and increase reliance on shared expertise.”
In her closing remarks, Amb. Amma Twum‑Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union Commission, framed the AMA as central to the AU’s wider health and development agenda. She affirmed that the Commission “firmly believes that universal ratification, full implementation and sustainable financing of the African Medicines Agency are achievable within this political cycle,” describing the AMA as “a shared continental asset integral to delivering on the African Health Strategy 2030 and Agenda 2063, and the commitments our Member States have made to protect the health and wellbeing of their people.”
The 39th AU Assembly thus served as a defining moment to move decisively toward a unified African medicines regulatory system that delivers quality medical products for all, advances regional industrialisation and trade, and contributes to a safer, more prosperous future for every African.
The AMA Treaty was adopted by Heads of States and Government during their 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly on February 11, 2019, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Medicines Agency aspires to enhance capacity of State Parties and AU recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to regulate medical products in order to improve access to quality, safe and efficacious medical products on the continent.
The Antarctic ice sheet does not behave as one single tipping element, but as a set of interacting basins with different critical thresholds.
This is the finding of a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI-GEA).
With today’s warming, about 40 percent of the ice stored in West Antarctica may already be committed to long-term loss, while parts of East Antarctica could cross thresholds at moderate levels of warming between 2 to 3°C compared to pre-industrial levels, contributing significantly to global long-term sea-level rise.
Melting Antarctic ice
“It’s not one single threshold we need to watch in Antarctica – it’s a sequence,” explains Ricarda Winkelmann, MPI-GEA director, PIK scientist and lead author of the study published in Nature Climate Change. “In fact, we find that ice loss in some Antarctic basins unfolds gradually with warming, whereas other basins are characterised by a tipping point, beyond which the loss of ice accelerates disproportionally to the warming and can be irreversible over centuries to millennia.”
Some regions like the Amundsen Sea basin including the Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers, and the Ronne basin in West Antarctica have the lowest thresholds, and might already be past their tipping points at today’s roughly 1.3°C of global warming.
“Crossing a tipping point doesn’t mean immediate collapse,” Winkelmann notes. “Large-scale ice loss in these regions unfolds over centuries, but the process may already have been set in motion in parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.”
Julius Garbe, PIK scientist and co-author of the study, adds: “And it’s not just West Antarctica: in East Antarctica, the ice mass is large enough to contribute ten times more to sea-level rise than its western counterpart. Massive regions like the Wilkes Basin are also increasingly at risk of substantial ice loss with sustained warming of 2 to 5 °C above pre-industrial levels.”
Simulating 18 basins reveals interacting and cascading risks
The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest concentration of ice on Earth, containing enough ice to raise global sea levels by more than 58 metres if melted entirely. In the study, MPI-GEA and PIK researchers analyse the distinct nature and risk of potential long-term ice loss for 18 individual Antarctic drainage basins, at different levels of global warming.
The researchers ran simulations with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM), incrementally increasing the global mean temperature and mapping the long-term response of each basin. The study highlights that the draining basins interact, meaning that ice loss in one region can lead to cascading feedbacks in connected basins.
“The Antarctic ice sheet took millions of years to form, but with global emissions continuously rising, we may lock it onto a path of long-term loss within the coming decades,” states Torsten Albrecht, MPI-GEA and PIK scientist and co-author of the study.
Ricarda Winkelmann, just returning from several weeks of fieldwork in Antarctica, adds: “Seeing how rapidly some regions in Antarctica are already responding to anthropogenic climate change, how extreme weather events are not only becoming more frequent but lead to subsequent changes in the ice dynamics, really puts into perspective the vulnerability of this vast ice sheet.
“Our mapping of potential regional tipping points shows where the greatest risks lie on the long term, and which regions of the Antarctic Ice Sheet need closest monitoring. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions rapidly is imperative to prevent further destabilisation of ice basins.”
The architecture of death row is not built of stone and steel, but of stagnant time. To be on death row is to live in the “After” – dead, yet living. You are a ghost inhabiting a body that the state has already marked as a tragic clerical error.
It is the only place on Earth where the future is not a mystery, but a fixed point on a calendar: a Tuesday at dawn, a Thursday at midnight, creeping toward you with the silent, rhythmic inevitability of a tide.
On the row, the world shrinks to the size of a postage stamp. It is never truly silent, but the noise is dead. It is a paradox of hope – a matter of “just in case” The cruelty of the row isn’t just the isolation; it is the litigation of hope.
Segun Adediran
Globally, journalism, society’s watchdog, is on death row: a case of hoping against hope. As the predatory rise of Generative AI (GAI) and Big Tech intensifies, newsrooms are navigating the architecture of “Media Death Row”. Through hyper-personalised, AI-driven silos, GAI firms have built a multi-billion-dollar industry on a foundation of mass copyright infringement. They treat the life’s work of journalists as raw material – scraped without permission, processed without payment and condemned to death without trial. This is unfair!
Damning data shows that the clock is ticking! In 2025, the global media industry faced a “structural collapse” as Big Tech pivoted from a referral-based web to a consumption-based “buffet” Digital advertising shift; declining print traffic and AI disruption are the executioners.
The most staggering loss was the evaporation of digital foot traffic. News publishers saw their share of Google Search referrals plummet from 51% in 2023 to just 27% by the end of 2025 – a direct result of “zero-click” AI Overviews that satisfy user queries without passing on the click.
While the total global advertising pie expanded to $1.14 trillion, the spoils were increasingly sequestered. Alphabet (Google) alone crossed the $100 billion quarterly revenue threshold in Q3 2025. Meanwhile, premium publishers reported organic traffic declines of up to 25%. The numbers for 2026 are even gloomier.
This year, global search referrals to publishers have collapsed by an additional 33%. Like the indifferent light of a cell block, GAI summaries satisfy queries without a single click. “Zero-click” searches now sit at 69%, leaving publishers to starve in the shadows. This shift has effectively transformed the open web into a training set for GAI, forcing trusted media to survive on “crumbs” – relying on licensing deals and niche subscriptions.
For the mainstream press, the loss was colossal in terms of readership and ad revenue. An estimated $2.3 billion in annual global ad revenue has sadly been diverted from those who report the news to those who merely summarise it.
For instance, in the first half of the 2025/2026 cycle alone, the industry saw catastrophic job cuts linked directly to this AI-driven traffic collapse. The Washington Post announced roughly 300 job cuts (about 30% of staff), shuttering its sports desk, and shrinking other departments due to reported losses of $100 million in 2024 and falling subscriptions.
It appears a total eclipse is dangerously on the horizon. GAI “Answer Engines” have transformed from bridges into walls. Reports show that while Google Search used to send a visitor for every 14 times it crawled a site, AI firms are now scraping sites 13 million times (yes, you heard me right), while delivering as few as 650 visits.
Even at that, industry experts still predict an additional 43% decline in search traffic over the next three years, the window for action is closing rapidly. And the hangman’s noose is getting nearer.
This is not just a threat to publishers; it is a suicide pact for the AI industry. If we allow GAI to bankrupt the people who produce original, verified journalism, the AI will eventually have nothing to “eat” but its own digital rubbish and waste. Every layoff in a newsroom represents a “last”: the last investigative report, the last local court reporter, the last check on power, the last editorial board member.
Gladly, some countries are pushing back, loosening the hangman’s noose on their press. Not because they so much love the press, but because they subscribed to the statement of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) that: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”.
From the EU’s AI Act to Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code and South Africa’s compensation deal – the world is waking up. These are not merely regulations; they are emergency interventions designed to stop Big Tech from cannibalising the ecosystem that sustains it and protects the values of freedom and democracy that keep humanity sane and humane.
But on death row, there is a brutal “litigation of hope” For newsrooms, that hope is the belief that high-quality journalism still matters. We don’t need more “wait and see” approaches; we demand economic justice. Litigation alone is insufficient; the New York Times disclosed spending a colossal $10.8 million in 2024 on GAI-related legal expenses, but that is a drop in the bucket for the “filthy rich” tech and AI firms.
The argument is simple: as the Nigerian government is obligated to protect citizens against fake drugs through NAFDAC, the Tinubu administration is equally obligated to protect Nigeria, its democracy, and citizens’ rights against Big Tech and AI’s insidious practices.
This is not the time to sit on the fence. Pastor Martin Niemöller’s famous warning about silence in the face of tyranny rings true here. If we do not speak for the journalists today, there will be no one left to verify the truth tomorrow.
Trusted news media need governments and intellectual property offices worldwide to decisively enforce digital fairness and the digital border. Without urgent intervention – transparency mandates, the right to opt-out of scraping without losing search visibility, and fair compensation – the “Death Row” of journalism will reach its final Tuesday at dawn. When the last trusted newsroom goes dark, GAI will have plenty to say, but nothing true to talk about. All told, governments should stand for fair and sustainable journalism. Big Tech and GAI should be a tool to support human-led journalism, but not a replacement for it.
Adediran, the CEO of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), writes via olusegunadediran@gmail.com
Seetsele Nthomiwa is a natural history long-lens camera operator and presenter from Botswana, celebrated worldwide for his compelling visual storytelling of Africa’s wildlife. His work includes the “Big Cats 24/7 Series 1 & 2” for BBC and PBS, “I am Okavango”, and the Emmy-nominated “Living with Leopards” on Netflix.
He is featured as the Elephant Protection Initiative (EPI) Foundation’s Friend of the Month in a conversation that highlights his commitment to conservation and impact-driven filmmaking.
Seetsele Nthomiwa
Hi Seetsele, can you tell us a little about yourself and where you grew up?
I am a nature lover and a storyteller. I love both telling stories and listening to them. I grew up in the city, Gaborone, which is Botswana’s capital. Although I was a city boy, I loved watching wildlife shows. I remember watching Savage Season on VHS tapes that my parents bought, and once we got DSTV, I binge-watched NatGeo every chance I got. In my earlier years in school, we’d go on school trips to a nature reserve just outside the city called Mokolodi and Gaborone Game Reserve. I think that’s where the seed of my current career got planted.
What first sparked your interest in wildlife and filmmaking?
I didn’t just consume wildlife shows; I became active in the natural history world in school. I joined my first conservation club in junior high school, the Cheetah Conservation Society. They got me hooked by teaching us about the African wild dog (my favourite animal then). And when I went to study my undergrad at the University of Botswana, I joined the University of Botswana Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society (UBWECS). I figured since my undergrad was in media studies, and I love wildlife, I would absolutely love a career that combines the two. And I was right.
As a wildlife cinematographer, what do you enjoy most about filming animals in the wild?
The thing about filming wildlife is that all I have to do is witness what is happening in nature, and I just happen to be holding a camera. Life in the wild will always go on. All the fauna and flora go through a cycle of life and death. And I am very blessed to be one of the few people in the world to witness life in the wild unfolding. The lives of the animals aren’t too different from our lives as humans, I must admit. They are complicated, emotive, and, at the end of the day, life moves on, just like we do.
While working on productions like Big Cats 24/7, is there a moment behind the camera that really stands out for you?
There are tonnes of moments during production that I wish to share with the world. A lot of what we see out here is not filmed. But what really stands out to me during the productions is the camaraderie that is built in the relentless wilderness. Nature is unforgiving, and long shoots often take a toll on you. I am very fortunate to have worked in an environment that not only fostered great relationships and a work ethic but also lifelong friendships outside of production. Genuine, good-hearted people, from all the variations of production teams to supporting staff.
Have you encountered the elephant populations in the Okavango Delta? If so, how have those experiences been?
I have cultivated my career in Botswana’s wilderness. Encountering elephants is something that is a certainty. I’ve had dicey moments around breeding herds, but I’ve had more wonderful encounters with them. The most magical moments I’ve had were around breeding herds in the evening. Fortunately, the elephants that I’ve filmed have been kind to me. With that said, I remember being woken up by a bull elephant shaking my truck… It was scratching itself on the spare tyre at the back of the truck, hahaha.
You often speak about the pride you feel in showing Botswana to the world. What do you hope audiences take away from your work?
I am proud of what Botswana has to offer to the world. Nothing will make me happier than sharing stories about my country with the world. Not just mainstream stories but intricate stories as well. The experiences my people have with wildlife are not black and white; neither should their stories be. A balance should be struck. Working in the wild can be unpredictable.
What has living and filming in such dynamic environments taught you?
You must be ready for anything in the wild. That is the first thing that is drilled into you. Nature has its own rhythm; the more time you spend in an area, the more you understand its ebb and flow. That rhythm informs how you track and find the wildlife and, most importantly, how you film it. And the best thing you can do is to be welcoming to nature. The energy you give her is the energy you’ll get back.
What has been one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned since starting your career in wildlife filmmaking?
The biggest lesson of my career is patience: a steady belief that all your efforts will contribute to growth in your career. Patience when filming; the amount of waiting for the “perfect shot” demands it. Exercising patience has helped me make sense of my career and film the best sequences of my career. That patience needs to be coupled with tenacity as well.
For young people in Botswana who dream of working with wildlife or film, what advice would you give them?
Everyone has a story bubbling from within. Find out how that can manifest for you. I am blessed to be the first native Motswana to break into the natural history film industry. I am ready to celebrate new stories from other people, stories that will inspire more people to thrive in this industry. I want to be inspired as well. I’m always happy to have a chat about this industry and finding your place in it. For those looking to join this industry, be tenacious, bold, genuine, and patient; it will all work out.
The Effectiveness Evaluation Group under the Minamata Convention on Mercury gathered in Geneva from February 9 to 11, 2026.
While the group has already met seven times on-line, this was the first face-to-face meeting, marking a key milestone in preparing the Convention’s first global assessment of its impact. The in-person meeting brought together 30 participants, including Members of the Group from Parties and observers, to review progress and shape the next steps of this important process. The session was co-chaired by Kateřina Šebková (Czech Republic) and Linroy Christian (Antigua and Barbuda).
The Effectiveness Evaluation Group under the Minamata Convention on Mercury gathering in Geneva
Participants reviewed a preliminary draft of the report and agreed to further elaborate on it ahead of the next meeting. National reports submitted under Article 21 remain a key source of information, and the Secretariat provided an update on the second full reporting cycle, which has already reached a 76 per cent submission rate.
Over the three days, discussions were both fruitful and highly interactive. The Group focused on key areas of the Convention, including mercury supply and trade, mercury-added products and processes, artisanal and small-scale gold mining, emissions and releases, waste and contaminated sites, financial and technical support, and information and knowledge.
Participants also worked on identifying the main findings that will shape the report and help streamline it into clear and actionable elements for consideration by the Conference of the Parties at its seventh meeting in 2027. The co-chairs of the Open-Ended Scientific Group (OESG) provided an update on the development of the draft scientific report on mercury emissions, releases and levels in biota and humans.
In their closing remarks, the co-chairs and the Executive Secretary thanked participants for three days of intensive and constructive work. Co-chair, Linroy Christian, expressed “appreciation for the dedication shown throughout the meeting and for the Secretariat’s steady support behind the scenes”.
Co-chair, Kateřina Šebková, underlined that “the Group has made a significant step forward in developing the draft report. A clear pathway is now in place to deliver the next phase of work on time and with quality”.
Executive Secretary, Monika Stankiewicz, thanked members for their time, “intellectual engagement and openness in addressing challenges and successes”.
The effectiveness evaluation will provide reflections on the extent to which existing measures under the Convention serve the objective of protecting human health and the environment from mercury. This first evaluation will further serve as a baseline for future reviews and will be an important contribution to COP-7, which coincides with the 10th anniversary of entry-into-force of the Convention.
The ninth meeting of the Group will be held online in June 2026.
