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NCDMB receives $1m return on investment from Nedogas

Michael Simire
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NCDMB receives $1m return on investment from Nedogas

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Monday, April 15, 2024, received a cheque of $1 million from Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL), being part of the return on investment (ROI) on one of the Board’s strategic investments.

Felix Omatsola Ogbe
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Omatsola Ogbe

The cheque was presented by the Chairman of the company, Emeka Ene, when he visited the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where he was received by the Executive Secretary, Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and other members of the Board’s management.

Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL) is a joint venture company between Xenergi Limited and NCDMB Capacity Development Intervention Company.

As part of the project, Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL) constructed and commissioned a 300 MMscfd Capacity Kwale Gas Gathering (KGG) and injection facility located in the Umusam Community, near Kwale in Delta State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.

The KGG Facility was designed to handle stranded gas resources in Nigeria’s OML56 oil province by providing the opportunity for independent operators in the area to monetise natural gas from their fields through the gas gathering, compression, injection and metering infrastructure of the KGG for quick market access.

Nedogas is one of the several strategic and successful investments of the NCDMB funded from the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF), in line with the Board’s mandate to build capacity and catalyse local projects in the Nigerian oil and gas industry as enshrined under the Nigeran Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.

In his comments, the NCDMB boss stated that the success story of NEDOGAS at Kwale, Delta State could be replicated in other oil- and gas-producing communities to minimise gas flaring. He declared the Board’s readiness to continue collaborating with the company. “Their model should be extended to other parts of the country where gas flaring is continuing. They have shown that with the modular system, we can quickly remove flaring from our operations in Nigeria.”

He confirmed that NCDMB had continued to receive briefings from its investment partners, adding that “we are still waiting for them to come back with success stories. Some of them are near completion and have not started operations yet.”

Chairman of Nedogas, Mr. Emeka Ene, conveyed the company’s excitement in returning part of the credit and profit, adding that this “proves that NCDMB’s investment was a success, and they are getting back that investment.”

He added that “we look forward to further collaboration with the NCDMB to expand the scope,” adding that “NCDMB is now doing effectively and practically and tangibly what it was set up to, which is to impact the economy by direct interventions. That is the way the economy can grow, improve the gas infrastructure in such a way that is sustainable despite the tight economic conditions.”

The value propositions of the Nedogas project include total eradication of flared gas and conversation of environmental pollutants into products of value and creation of a strategic gas gathering hub and injection node for quick access to market for gas owners to monetise gas. Other benefits include the provision of alternative gas supply to western flank of the OB3 line to add to the volumes of economic sustainability and increase in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), among other reasons.

The partnership with NEDOGAS is one of NCDMB’s 15 strategic investments geared towards actualising the Federal Government’s aspirations in key areas of the oil and gas industry. Most of the projects were targeted at actualising the Federal Government Decade of Gas programme.

Some of NCDMB’s notable third-party investments include Waltermith’s 5000 barrels per day (bpd) modular refinery in Imo State, Azikel Group12,000 bpd hydro-skimming modular refinery in Gbarain, Bayelsa State and Duport Midstream’s 2,500bpd modular refinery in Edo State.

Other investments include Better Gas Energy for LPG terminal and gas distribution, partnership with Rungas Prime Industries Limited to establish a cooking gas cylinders manufacturing plant in Polaku, Bayelsa State and Alaro City in Lagos and the partnership with Butane Energy to deepen LPG utilization in the North.

There was also the partnership with BUNORR Integrated Energy Limited in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to produce 48,000 litres of base oil per day and partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company Limited and DSV Engineering to establish a 10,000 Ton Methanol Production Plant, Odioama, Brass, Bayelsa State.

Govt ready to collaborate with PETAN to develop Nigeria’s oil, gas sector

Michael Simire
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Govt ready to collaborate with PETAN to develop Nigeria’s oil, gas sector

Worried about the dwindling oil production and the need to drive investment in the nation’s oil and gas sector, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has expressed the federal government’s readiness to collaborate with the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) in a bid to increase Nigeria’s oil production and revenue.

Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri
Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil)

The minister gave the assurance when he visited members of PETAN in Lagos.

Lokpobiri affirmed that the federal government is putting up measures to restore oil production, saying there is a need for the ministry and PETAN to work together to maximise all available opportunities that can help increase production in the country.

He noted that the quickest way for the country to overcome the current economic hardship is through the exploration and production of oil and gas.

He added, therefore, that the government is actively engaged in policy evolution, aimed at maximising the utilisation of all available oil and gas wells in the country.

Lokpobiri stated: “No country leaves their well idle, in Nigeria so many seismic activities have been done and we have a lot of oil wells that are yet to be utilised.

“Imagine, one of the OML’s has about 150 idle wells. There is no way we can increase production if these wells continue to be idle. The wells are already drilled and capped since 1970s. These are low-hanging fruits.

“Part of our policy direction is to see how we can farm out some of these idle wells for proper utilisation. Now that the world is transiting to cleaner energy, the country must use the available time to maximise the utilisation of the wells to increase production.

“Except we increase our production, our midstream and downstream will continue to suffer. So, I believe that I and PETAN need to work together so that we can maximise the opportunities the industry can avail us, for the economic prosperity and development of the nation.”

The minister said he had made a strong commitment to work with PETAN and other Nigerians in the oil and gas sector, who have shown proven capacity to ensure the growth of the sector.

He expressed conviction that the solution to Nigeria’s energy poverty lies with every stakeholder, stressing that nobody or nation will come to salvage the nation’s oil and gas industry except Nigerians.

The minister said if Nigerians are allowed to play at the desirable level, there will be a lot of improvement in the petroleum sector.

He also pointed out that the essence of the Local Content law was to enable Nigerians to build strong capacity to be able to play side by side with their international counterparts.

Lokpobiri noted that Nigeria has not depleted her oil reserve, saying rather, with the increased reserve that was announced recently by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), it was expedient that the Nigerian government will do all it can to drill more wells.

The NUPRC had announced a rise in Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves as of January 1, 2024, with the country’s stock of crude oil jumping by 1.087 billion barrels and its gas reserves surging by as much as 2.573 trillion Cubic Feet (TCF).

In line with NUPRC’s statutory declaration, Nigeria now boasts of 37.5 billion crude oil reserves, while its total gas resources as of the beginning of this year, now stands at 209.26 TCF.

The minister said the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is doing all it could to take the nation to a better economic standing in the comity of the nations.

He affirmed that one of the cardinal points of the president was to address the nation’s energy poverty, noting that as the world is transiting, the nation must address its challenges to enable the country to transit as well.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of PETAN, Wole Ogunsanya, reiterated the association’s commitment to supporting the Minister and all the efforts of President Tinubu toward increasing oil production and development of the energy sector.

He also called on the government to see how it could grant incentives to stakeholders in a bid to ensure better output and economic benefit for the industry and the nation at large.

Ogunsanya said: ‘’Honourable Minister, we thank you and assure you that we will continue to align ourselves with the vision of the president. And as we have continually said, the nation must show its indigenous capacity to explore and drill oil 100 percent.”

He affirmed his PETAN members’ ready to help in the development of the Nigerian oil and gas sector.

Also speaking, the Publicity Secretary of PETAN, Dr. Innocent Akuvue, thanked the Minister for making out time to visit the association. He assured the minister of the association’s commitment to support the ministry always.

“Honourable Minister, we thank you for this wonderful visit and we want to assure you that PETAN is solidly behind you and Mr. President. By God’s grace we will not fail to support the vision and aspirations of the president in boosting the economic situation of the country,” he stated.

He noted that PETAN is an association of Nigerian indigenous technical oilfield service companies in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The association was formed to bring together Nigerian oil and gas entrepreneurs to create a forum for the exchange of ideas with the major operators and policymakers.

He said that one of the association’s core objectives is to plan on how to acquire, develop, advance and promote petroleum technology for the benefit of Nigerians.

Climate change reducing crop yields, increasing food prices – Govt

Michael Simire
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Climate change reducing crop yields, increasing food prices – Govt

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, says climate change poses significant risks to food security by reducing crop yields and increasing food prices.

Sen. Abubakar Kyari
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari

Kyari stated this at a joint news conference on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Abuja, on agricultural production utilisation of seasonal climate prediction by Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

He also said that climate change had disrupted supply chains, particularly in vulnerable regions with limited adaptive capacity.

Kyari said that added importance of the Seasonal Prediction was highlighted by the vagaries of climate change world-wide.

“It is clearly the case now that the native knowledge and wisdom on which small-holder farmers often relied to cultivate their fields, are inadequate under the relentless impact of climate change.

“Accordingly, managing climate risks in the agriculture sector through climate information and early warning services are important tools.

“In other words, integrating meteorological information as part of support services to agricultural production helps reduce losses to extreme weather events.

It also takes advantage to maximise the benefits of favourable weather,” he said.

The minister said that small-holder farmers were primary and significant players in Nigeria’s agricultural space, with rain-fed being the predominant practice.

“But rain-fed agriculture is susceptible to elements of climate change, such as flood and drought, if no concrete action is taken to adapt to erratic weather conditions,” he said.

He said that the Ministry and NiMet in 2023 commenced the implementation of cascading climate information to Cross River, Ebonyi, Kano, Oyo, Rivers, and Yobe, as well as the FCT.

Also speaking, the Director-General, NiMet, Prof. Charles Anosike, said the event would further strengthen the relationship between NiMet and the ministry.

He said that the agency would like to build on the ministry’s database of farmers to disseminate weather and climate predictions to the smallholder farmers.

Anosike said NiMet is right now using platforms like radio, national television, social media, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and different languages to integrate meteorological information to farmers.

“We have Ibo, Yoruba, Hausa and pidgin, now we are trying to explore SMS.

“So, building on the database of farmers is critical elements that we want to explore moving forward,” he said.

He said that the issue of food security required a consistent and deliberate efforts from all stakeholders not just to cooperate but to empower and equip farmers.

In a presentation, NiMet said that crops were sensitive to climate change, including changes in temperature and precipitation.

By Doris Esa

UN urges women’s participation to boost climate resilience in Africa

Michael Simire
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UN urges women’s participation to boost climate resilience in Africa

The dream of a green, resilient, and inclusive future for Africa is within reach once governments harness the ingenuity of grassroots women and girls to boost action on the escalating climate crisis.

Mehjabeen Alarakhia
Mehjabeen Alarakhia

Mehjabeen Alarakhia, UN Women’s Regional Advisor on Women’s Economic Empowerment for East and Southern Africa, said this on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at a forum in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

Convened by UN Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the three-day women forum from April 16 to 18 would discuss the critical role of gender-responsive climate policies in advancing Africa’s green agenda.

Delegates are from more than 30 African countries, drawn from governments, civil society, academia, and indigenous communities.

They are attending the conference to chart a new gender-inclusive and green future pathway for Africa.

Alarakhia, therefore, stressed the critical role of women in boosting the continent’s ability to withstand climatic shocks.

While acknowledging that climate change disproportionately impacted Africa’s rural women and girls, Alarakhia said they could also be tapped to implement resilient measures, including natural resources conservation.

She added that “climate change threatens the livelihood of African women and girls, intensifying their health risks and inability to access clean water.

“But women’s input should be at the heart of climate response.”

William Otieno, the UNFCCC Regional Lead for East and Southern Africa, observed that empowering African women and girls would be key to achieving the continents’ desired outcomes during global climate negotiations.

According to Otieno, gender inclusivity should inform national and regional processes geared toward a just and sustainable transition in a continent reeling from a host of climate disasters.

Evelyn Koech, the Team Leader of Environment and Resilience at UNDP Kenya, said African countries required gender-inclusive policies to tame the devastating impacts of climate change, including floods, droughts, forced displacement, and resource-based conflicts, taking a heavier toll on women.

Koech added that for the continent to transit to a more resilient and green future, governments should integrate gender parity in climate finance and efforts to achieve net-zero targets.

31 states, 148 LGAs risk severe floods, govt warns

Michael Simire
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31 states, 148 LGAs risk severe floods, govt warns

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has cautioned that 148 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across 31 states are among the highly probable flood risk areas for 2024.

Flooding in Bayelsa
Flooding in Bayelsa

Utsev issued this warning during the official unveiling of the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) on Monday, April 15, 2024, in Abuja.

The theme of this year’s AFO is “Promoting the Use of Data Analytics and Modeling for Flood Risk Assessments and Food Security.”

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) leads AFO yearly predictions.

The identified states are Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Kogi.

Others are Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.

Utsev emphasised the importance of proactive measures to mitigate potential flood impacts in these areas.

He said there was need for preparedness, early warning systems, and community engagement to minimise damage to lives and property.

The minister said that the high flood risk areas spanned from April to November 2024, with potential impacts on population, agriculture, livelihoods, livestock, infrastructure, and the environment.

He highlighted the theme’s alignment with the Presidential Agenda on Food Security as it was central to the current administration’s goal of lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty and advancing towards national prosperity.

Utsev said Nigeria had faced recurrent and severe flood disasters over the years, with 2012 marked as one of the most devastating recorded events.

“The 2022 floods were particularly catastrophic, being termed the worst in the country’s history in terms of impact magnitude.

“The World Bank estimated the total economic damage from the 2022 floods, including damage to residential and nonresidential buildings, infrastructure, productive sectors, and farmlands, at approximately 6.68 billion dollars.

“In response to the ongoing challenges posed by flooding, President Bola Tinubu initiated the National Economic Council Ad-hoc Committee on Flood Mitigation, Adaptation, Preparedness, and Response,’’ he said.

The minister said the committee’s mandate was to proactively develop a comprehensive roadmap aimed at enhancing Nigeria’s flood mitigation, preparedness, adaptation, and communication infrastructure.

Earlier, Prof. Charles Anosike, Director General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), said that the partnership between NIHSA and his organisation, was pivotal in enhancing the nation’s disaster preparedness.

He said that the collaboration had notably improved efforts in mitigating the impact of flooding through early warning systems.

According to him, it is a critical initiative aimed at addressing the escalating frequency and severity of flooding incidents across the country.

He underscored the imperative of leveraging data, analytics, and modeling in flood risk assessment and management, citing NIMET’s commitment to providing comprehensive meteorological insights for informed decision-making.

Referencing a UNICEF report on the extensive damage inflicted by flooding on agricultural lands in the previous year, he stressed the urgency of integrating forecast information into national policies and interventions.

He reaffirmed NiMet’s dedication to collaborating with NIHSA and other stakeholders to deliver timely and accurate weather forecasts tailored to meet the diverse needs of communities nationwide.

Zubaida Umar, the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), underscored the significance of the AFO released by NIHSA.

Umar noted the increasing prevalence of flooding in Nigeria and its devastating consequences, including loss of lives, property damage, displacement, and disruption of livelihoods.

She stressed the urgent need for proactive measures to mitigate the impact of flooding across the country.

Umar commended the AFO as a crucial tool for informed decision-making and action to enhance the nation’s preparedness for floods, noting the longstanding partnership between NEMA and NIHSA in flood risk management.

She said that NEMA relied on the AFO to develop its annual Climate Related Hazard preparedness and response strategy, which served as an early warning message for Nigeria.

On his part, Clement Nze, NIHSA Director-General, harped on the need to promote a better understanding of flood risks and implementing appropriate mitigation measures to address the challenges of flooding in Nigeria.

He stressed the essential role of encouraging collaboration among disaster risk managers, earth observers, mission makers, and other stakeholders to enhance preparedness and flood control measures.

Nze said the collaborative efforts were critical to effectively managing flood risks and minimising the impact of flooding on communities and infrastructure across the country.

By Tosin Kolade

Uganda communities protest evictions, rights violations from EACOP and related projects

Michael Simire
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Uganda communities protest evictions, rights violations from EACOP and related projects

Communities in Uganda’s Albertine region held a public demonstration on Monday, April 15. 2024, to protest “unjust” evictions and the lack of a fair, transparent judicial process in the Tilenga oil project operated by French energy giant TotalEnergies.

StopEACOP
StopEACOP campaigners

The demonstration comes after 42 families were ordered out of their land to make way for the project despite inadequate compensation and unresolved land disputes, among other issues. They outlined these issues in a statement read out to the relevant authorities at the Hoima High Court during the protest.

This is the first time a protest of this magnitude, organised by the projected affected people and local leaders, has occurred with many project-affected persons from directly impacted communities in attendance.

Frustrations are mounting in response to the land acquisition process, which has been marred by numerous human rights violations, including denying women and girls a voice in the compensation process, as well as delayed and inadequate compensation. Those who have sought legal recourse have faced endless court delays which effectively equate to a denial of justice.

The protestors also decried the harassment and intimidation of local women and human rights and environmental defenders who have been subjected to various forms of violence for voicing their concerns and opposition to the EACOP project.

Reading out the petition to authorities outside the Hoima High Court on Monday, communities emphasised that they are urging the court to uphold the principles of justice with fair, equitable proceedings and respect for the people of Uganda. They went on to state that failure to do so would perpetuate a grave injustice and erode public trust in government institutions and the rule of law.

In turn, communities are demanding that the ongoing evictions of the 42 families impacted by the Tilenga project, and others like them, be immediately halted, that the fundamental human rights of local communities be protected, and that further abuses by the government and corporate interests be prevented, among other things.

The full statement can be read here.

Zaki Mamdoo, StopEACOP Campaign Coordinator said: “We stand in full support of the many projects affected persons who have come out to demand accountability and justice- asserting themselves as legitimate stakeholders in a project which is working to unravel their livelihoods and impact upon their wellbeing. Communities have correctly characterised EACOP as a project of exploitation and harm and will not sit idly by while TotalEnergies and others line their pockets at the expense of ordinary people and the environment. True development should be pursued in accordance with the aspirations of communities who are demanding decentralised and socially owned renewable energy systems.”

Samuel Okulony from Environmental Governance Institute said: “We have attempted to engage with the Ugandan government, the judiciary, and TotalEnergies diplomatically to address these issues, but our efforts have been met with high-handedness. The swift court ruling, and issuance of eviction orders coupled with the recent burning of boats on Lake Albert demonstrate a complete disregard for our rights.”

Balach Bakundane from the EACOP Host Communities organisation said, “We urge TotalEnergies to take responsibility for its actions. We also call on Lionel Zinsou, the former Prime Minister of Benin hired by Total to assess land purchases in Uganda and Tanzania, to speak out against this injustice. He must stop relying solely on Total’s reports and come to Uganda to meet with the suffering communities firsthand.”

Christopher Oppio from the Oil Refinery Residents Association said, “It’s unfortunate that our government is prioritising profit over people and the environment. We went to court in 2014 to seek redress for the violations of our rights and the case has never been decided, while the same court took only four days to hear and pass judgement against 42 Project Affected Persons of Total’s Tilenga oil project who lawfully rejected unfair compensation. We have come out to challenge this grave injustice and the use of the judiciary to repress the rights of communities in the interests of oil corporations.”

Advocate Tumusiime Kato said, “It is disturbing that the Government of Uganda is harassing its citizens to serve the interests of the investors without following all the due processes regarding land acquisition and compensation! The affected people in the Albertine region have been clear with their demands and have even put forward legal challenges to the unfair compensation and lower value rates, among other issues.

“These cases have been in Court for over 10 years! We know full well that justice delayed is justice denied and we support communities coming out in protest to raise their voices against the injustices in our Judiciary. We expect the relevant authorities to address their concerns and to engage affected communities meaningfully from this point forward.”

Spring Meetings: Global South activists clamour World Bank gas reforms

Michael Simire
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Spring Meetings: Global South activists clamour World Bank gas reforms

Global activists and concerned citizens coordinated by the Big Shift Global campaign on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, transformed the entrance of the World Bank Group into a “danger” zone in a protest calling out the bank’s continued funding for planet-warming methane gas.

World Bank Meetings
Activists turned the entrance to the World Bank into a danger zone to draw attention to the threats posed by the World Bank’s funding for gas projects around the world, April 16, 2024, in Washington. Photo credit: Eric Kayne/AP Images for Glasgow Actions Team

Dozens of activists from Africa, Asia and Latin America called out the ongoing investments in gas, demanding the World Bank to end its gas investments in the global south and explaining why they don’t see it as a solution for their country. Global activists held 3-metre-high banners and wore masks to highlight the dangers of natural gas production.

The World Bank provided on average $1.2 billion a year in direct finance to fossil fuels between 2020 and 2020, of which two-thirds went to gas projects, according to research by Oil Change International.

Further, a briefing by Recourse points out the many ways that WBG continues to support gas expansion and demonstrates how this does little to improve domestic energy access, locks in fossil fuels, takes finance away from renewables and will lead to stranded assets.

The World bank meetings come after the hottest year on record, a year where at COP28 almost 200 countries recognised the need to phase out fossil fuels. Furthermore, even President Biden has begun to assess the role of gas, placing a pause on pending and future LNG projects until more investigation has been done on the impact of gas to energy, security and the environment.

The bank has a mandate for sustainable development and people in its client countries are some of those most affected by the impacts of climate change. Yet despite new president Banga’s statements against fossil fuel subsidies, the World Bank has so far reportedly failed to take a stand against fossil fuel funding.

Lorraine Chiponda, Don’t Gas Africa, said: “Gas is dangerous, it contributes to the destruction of our planet. It is not a transition fuel. Renewables are the solution. Most gas extracted from the Global South is burnt in the Global North, furthering energy colonialism. Analysis of Global Energy Monitor’s data on fossil gas infrastructure in Africa shows that 93% of currently operating LNG capacity on the continent is for export. Gas is bad economics, and different pathways should be supported. The World Bank should stop funding gas.”

Sophie Richmond, Global Lead at the Big Shift Campaign, said: “Gas is not the future or the answer to energy access. The World Bank continues to reiterate that gas is needed for development despite evidence showing gas is as dirty as coal. Gas investments are not ‘Paris-aligned’. The bank must end all direct and indirect finance for fossil fuels and shift it into sustainable, renewable energy. The Spring Meetings are the moment to show real commitment to the Paris Agreement and fossil fuel phase out.”

Nigerian youth wins prestigious Young Superhero for Earth Award

Michael Simire
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Nigerian youth wins prestigious Young Superhero for Earth Award

A Nigerian youth, Oluwaseyi Moejoh, has been decorated with the 2024 Young Superhero for Earth Award by the Captain Planet foundation.

Oluwaseyi Moejoh
Oluwaseyi Moejoh speaks at the 2024 Captain Planet Foundation Gala on Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Atlanta. Photo credit: Todd Kirkland/AP Images for The Captain Planet Foundation

Moejoh, 22, is the Executive Director, U-recycle Initiative Africa.

She has reportedly joined the ranks of global environmental visionaries like President Jimmy Carter, King Charles III, Dr. Jane Goodall and Xiye Bastida that the Captain Planet Foundation has presented awards.

A campaigner against plastic pollution, Moejoh is said to have developed and designed novel solutions implementing over 50 youth-led projects over the last six years to tackle the plastic pollution crisis and catalyse climate action in Nigeria and Africa, especially through her nonprofit, U-recycle Initiative Africa.

To increase more youth involvement in tackling plastic pollution worldwide, she suggested deploying recycling bins across leading universities in Nigeria, developing a tech-enabled gamified learning platform about plastic pollution, and hosting climate education workshops in low-income schools across Nigeria. Moejoh and her team have been described as “a determined force on a mission to accelerate unprecedented youth-led solutions to the plastic crisis in Nigeria and Africa.”

Her interest in tackling plastic pollution reportedly started when she was a 16-year-old high school student who was tired of seeing the increased levels of pollution around her and was concerned that the next generation was not being meaningfully involved in creating solutions to addressing the ticking time bomb of plastic pollution.

Lagos opens amnesty window on planning permit for completed buildings

Michael Simire
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Lagos opens amnesty window on planning permit for completed buildings

The Lagos State Government has opened an amnesty window on Planning Permit, in the form of a three-month moratorium in penalties on completed buildings without Planning Permits across the state.

Dr. Oluyinka Olumide
Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday, April 15, 2024, by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Physical Planning, Oluwole Sotire.

According to the statement, property owners/ developers of existing (completed) developments without Approvals, can obtain their Planning Permits, otherwise known as Building Plan Approvals, within the stipulated period of May 2 to July 30, 2024, without payment of statutory penalties that usually go with erecting buildings without approval in Lagos State.

To access the amnesty programme, an applicant is expected to submit for assessment, through District Offices of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) in the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas of Lagos State, and the Electronic Planning Permit (EPP) office at the LASPPPA Headquarters, Oba Akinjobi Way, G.R.A Ikeja, his/her title document or proof of ownership, survey plan, as-built architectural drawings, structural, electrical, and mechanical drawings (where applicable).

Other documents to be submitted for assessment are Non-Destructive Integrity Test Report (where applicable), Letter of structural stability and indemnity (where applicable), Land Use Planning Analysis Report, evidence of tax compliance, and other supporting documents, where applicable.

The amnesty programme, which is part of measures of the Lagos State Government to cushion the effect of current economic hardships on the built environment sector, also offers additional relief of 5% discount on payments completed within 10 working days during the amnesty period.

Climate action in Nigeria universities as a sustainability strategy

Michael Simire
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Climate action in Nigeria universities as a sustainability strategy

One odd afternoon, slightly cloudy and breezy just after our vertebrate biology class on birds, we were invited to an inaugural lecture by the Faculty of Life Sciences on energy transition. The outcome was dissatisfactory to me and probably a few students like me who are passionate about climate change. I said “probably few” because there is a high possibility that nobody in that auditorium cared about climate change.

University of Benin
University of Benin, Benin City

The invited guest speaker is a Shell employee, that’s why it made sense to me why instead of discussing energy transition he proceeded to talk about his achievement and success in life as an employee of Shell. Congratulations to him, but that was not the reason I was there. I was pressed, but I think I was the only one. Given the controversy of Shell activities in Nigeria and the consequences of environmental pollution being faced in the Niger Delta coupled with climate change risks and present impacts, the topic of energy transition is a pressing one and the Nigerian student must hear of it.

Do Nigerian students care about climate change and energy transition? They obviously don’t, they rarely do. My hypotheses are: Nigerian students are frustrated and overwhelmed by Nigeria’s problems that they cannot bring themselves to worry about pressing social issues, so they avoid it and rather busy themselves with entertainment.

Second is that they’ve heard of climate change, but it’s just another school nonsense, that is to say they do not understand the implications of climate change on their livelihood, they don’t know who is largely responsible, who should be held accountable and what climate change will cost them, well, not until the heat wave that struck the country. The heat wave has been a learning moment for all Nigerians on the reality of climate change, a student in Abuja quoted me on X, saying that people responsible for addressing climate change should really do something pretty damn fast because the heat is unbearable, and many more tweets like that.

How can we bring climate action to the universities in Nigeria? Engaging university students in climate action is an effective strategy because, first, students have the disposition to be volatile or take action at slight discomfort. Second is, university students possess in-depth knowledge which may compliment and sophisticate climate action in Nigeria. Third is that university students may possess the skills and qualities like critical thinking skills, communication skills, etc. which would strengthen climate action in Nigeria. Let us never forget that the goal of climate action is better negotiation with international and local bodies/companies, and to regulate and properly manage the causes of climate change and risks.

Engaging university students in climate action appears to be very effective and achievable, mobilisation is quite easy because a single pack of hungry-man sized indomie noodles would do the trick, it is not solely because they cannot afford a pack of noodles, it is just how we behave.

Depending on the quality of instructional delivery and engagement, students can be imparted with knowledge about climate change, environmental pollution, climate dialogued, etc.  Given the urgency of achieving a net zero world, environmental CSOs have to engage more university students.

By Greatson Odion

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