The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has commended the Federal Government for placing a ban on the exportation of crude oil allocated to local refineries.
Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN’s National President
Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN’s National President, gave the commendation on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, while reacting to the development.
Gillis-Harry urged the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to take swift action against refineries, cargo vessels and companies that would default on the directive.
The NUPRC had warned oil exploration and production companies against diversion of crude oil designated for domestic refineries, saying it is a contravention of the law.
The commission said it would no longer grant henceforth disallow export permits for exportation, designated crude oil cargoes meant for domestic refining.
The PETROAN President, however, said that the move was expected to boost local refining capacity, reduce the importation of refined petroleum products and ease pressure on foreign exchange supply.
According to PETROAN, the exportation of crude oil meant for domestic refining has led to the abandonment of local refineries.
“It has been a major racketeering scheme, with producers and traders prioritising quick foreign exchange proceeds over local refining.
“Approximately 500,000 barrels of crude oil per day are allocated for domestic refining, but these volumes often find their way to the international market.
“The ban is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, as refining crude oil locally will enrich the petrochemical industries and agricultural sector.
“It will reduce inequalities in income and enable Nigeria to transition from a raw material supplier to a value-added product supplier.
“I believe that this policy will guarantee sufficient refined petroleum products in the country, leading to price reductions and better days ahead for Nigerian consumers,” he said.
Partnerships give the ability to multiply impact globally and amplifies individual efforts to make them collective ones, says Mr. Bob Rae, President of the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Bob Rae, President of the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Rae made these assertions on Wednesday, February 5, during the 2025 ECOSOC Partnership Forum monitored virtually.
The forum focused on the theme, “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind.”
Rae noted that everyone had an important role to play, big or small, in order to give life to the commitments made.
According to him, the Pact for the Future, as well as the SDG Political Declaration of 2023 has given opportunities to define a common vision for multilateral action going forward.
“If we want to go further and make our achievements truly sustainable, we can only do it if we move forward in the spirit of solidarity.
“We owe it to ourselves to recognise that we have already made some progress with SDGs, especially with SDG 3 – Good Health and Well Being.”
This progress, he said, happened because of strong partnerships.
He highlighted successes made in the global fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
“We’ve been able to mobilise over 65 billion dollars, we’ve saved more than 50 million lives across 100 countries since 2002 and we’ve done it by putting our best efforts to work.
“These diseases are being overcome, and we will achieve more success as we go forward by applying the same formula.
“That formula is people working together and harnessing finance in the interest of the public good.
“As we forge collaboration across sectors, and while leveraging the strengths that we share, we can amplify the impact, we can drive progress, and we can ensure that no one is left behind,” Rae said.
Mr Guy Bernard Ryder, UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy, Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), said partnerships were about building bridges, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities that extend across boundaries.
He said in this time of crises, diverse coalitions are critical, adding that from climate change to conflict, pandemics and economic instability, no single actor could address these challenges alone.
Ryder noted that the pact for the future was not just a commitment framework but was a real call to action for dynamic partnerships that leverage expertise across sectors and across geographies.
“We must draw on and include faith-based organisations which provide essential outreach and services to indigenous peoples, and local communities whose knowledge is critical for environmental sustainability, and academic and scientific communities advancing evidence-based policy making.
“Today’s circumstances demand that we rethink how we build partnerships, so that we shift from simple aspiration to concrete impact,” Ryder said.
According to him, partnerships are not just about collaboration, they’re about co-creation, so that resources, knowledge and networks can be mobilised to overcome obstacles and drive concrete systemic change.
He noted that though the road to 2030 is steep but with strong innovative partnerships, bold actions and shared determination success remains within reach.
Some of the final decisions of the UN COP29 climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, that concluded in November 2024 commended the work of the Adaptation Fund (AF) and strengthened its position in the international climate finance architecture going forward.
COP29, Baku, Azerbaijan
As part of the implementation decisions of countries that make up the Paris Agreement, otherwise known as the 6th meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 6), the AF was among the climate funds specifically cited in the final text as meriting increased public investment.
CMA 6 decided that “a significant increase of public resources should be provided through the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism, the Adaptation Fund, the Least Developed Countries Fund and the Special Climate Change Fund and also decides to pursue efforts to at least triple annual outflows from those Funds from 2022 levels by 2030 at the latest, with a view to significantly scaling up the share of finance delivered through them in delivering on the (New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance, or NCQG).”
The Adaptation Fund paid out $136 million in 2022 and tripling it would amount to $408 million.
The CMA 6 decisions further recognised that these funds are “key in supporting developing country Parties and encourages Parties to work through the governing bodies on which they serve to continue enhancing climate finance, including with respect to coherence, complementarity and access.”
These final Baku decisions regarding the AF were aligned with the overall COP29 decision on the NCQG, in which Parties reached agreement to triple climate finance to developing countries from $100 billion to $300 billion annually by 2035 to protect lives and livelihoods against climate disasters and leverage a boon in clean energy opportunities. The decision further secured efforts of all actors to work together toward scaling up climate finance to developing countries, from both public and private sources, to $1.3 trillion a year by 2035.
In separate decisions, the CMA 6 also furthered the possibility of raising alternative funds for the AF by advancing the operationalisation of a new carbon market sustainable development mechanism (Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement), which will generate 5% of proceeds to the AF from the sales of carbon emission reduction project credits. The CMA 6 urged the supervisory body for the new mechanism and the UNFCCC Secretariat to speed up establishment of the mechanism’s registry, relevant operational procedures and needed guidelines to help ensure its success.
The AF, which has formally served the Paris Agreement since 2019, has received a similar 2% levy on sales of clean development credits through the Kyoto Protocol – though the revenue generated from it declined precipitously many years ago– so has the proper experience and expertise in place to receive the new proceeds once they start flowing. The CMA 6 recognized the potential for the mechanism to increase funding for the AF and also moved for the implementation body to make recommendations this June on the matter of arrangements for the AF to exclusively serve the Paris Agreement.
While it remains to be seen whether these collective new COP29 decisions will practically raise finance ambition among countries that translates to tripling financial outflows for the AF and creating a vibrant new carbon market, they certainly raise the bar for potentially significant increased revenue for the Fund to parlay to the vulnerable countries it serves in the near and medium term.
This is especially heartening for the AF, considering it continues to rely on voluntary contributions from developed country governments. It secured about $133 million in new pledges from 11 contributors at COP29 but fell significantly short of its 2024 resource mobilization goal of $300 million (and added goal of at least 15 contributors).
During COP29 and in alignment with the resulting decisions, the AF also enhanced its growing partnerships, efficiencies and collaborations with other climate funds by participating in a joint pavilion and several high-profile joint events and activities, including launching an AI-powered project search platform and signing a joint statement on human development for climate resilience.
Other COP29 decisions emanating from the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 19) included praise for the Fund’s achievements, and welcomed its additional funding modalities in locally led adaptation, innovation, and other areas. The CMP 19 emphasised expectations that the implementation of the Fund’s Medium Term Strategy for 2023-2027 “will generate significant outcomes in terms of promoting locally led adaptation, scaling up projects and replicating their results, and strengthening linkages and synergies between the strategic pillars of action, innovation, and learning and sharing.”
The AF has grown markedly in its 17-plus years of operation though its grant funding of effective concrete adaptation projects on the ground for vulnerable countries and pioneering programs such as Direct Access that build countries’ adaptation capacities. It has so far committed $1.25 billion to 183 approved projects around the globe, about half in LDCs or SIDS, serving nearly 46 million beneficiaries. These projects are not only providing immediate impacts to reduce suffering and improve livelihoods in the vulnerable communities they are targeted to but are creating a wide knowledge base to scale and speed up urgently needed adaptation solutions worldwide.
As an AF Board representative for developing countries for many years now, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact the Fund can make on the ground in providing groundbreaking adaptation projects for the most vulnerable while also building country ownership to proactively reduce climate risks over the long term.
But the Fund faces growing demand for its work from developing countries, as climate change impacts rise. Coinciding with the 2024 UNEP Adaptation Gap Report, which cites an “extremely large” gap for adaptation finance needs in developing countries – as high as $387 billion a year– the AF’s own pipeline of projects that have not yet been funded has climbed to nearly $500 million.
We were pleased to see the tremendous amount of support and visibility generated for the Adaptation Fund in Baku, as well as the furthering of its partnerships and importance in the climate finance landscape. We are also thankful for the contributors that stepped up for the Fund and hope others will follow their lead going forward.
We will see how these new COP decisions translate in reality but are hopeful they at least carry the potential to develop significant funding streams for the Fund in the future that will enable it to grow and help keep pace with the record demand it continues to face.
By Lucas di Pietro, Chair of the Adaptation Fund Board
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has underlined the need to release the license for Petrobras to drill in block FZA-M-59, in the mouth of the Amazon.
Lula da Silva, President of Brazil
But the Brazilian President’s latest statements concerning oil exploration in the Amazon appears not to have gone down well with leaders of civil society, indigenous and quilombola organisations, who spoke out in a reaction on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.
Kumi Naidoo, President of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, said: “It is a mockery that, while we are gathered here to discuss what true leadership for climate justice looks like, the Brazilian government is trying to use COP30 to greenwash a decision that is dripping with dirty oil, handing over to the oil industry one of the world’s most important areas for climate protection.
“It is disrespectful to Brazilian citizens and outrageous to local traditional communities and Indigenous peoples across the country, the Amazon and the world, who have been consistent and clear that the expansion of extractive industries like these oil projects threatens their sovereignty, their territories, their cultures and, in fact, all life on Earth. In an era of retrograde policies like Trump’s “drill, baby drill,” progressive leaders like Lula must step up and honor at home the image they want to project internationally. If Brazil wants to be a true global leader in 2025, it must recognize that fossil fuels must be left in the past – and in the ground.”
Ilan Zugman, 350.org Latin America and the Caribbean Director, said: “Who is the Amazon COP for? The Brazilian government needs to decide whether it is going to work for the survival of the planet and those who are most vulnerable to the climate emergency, or continue with contradictory speeches and actions. It is unacceptable that President Lula, while we are all experiencing constant droughts and floods and debating a just energy transition, continues to sell the Amazon to projects that destroy it and negatively exploit those who inhabit and protect it. Opening the doors of the Amazon to the exploitation of fossil fuels, as well as putting at risk the traditional communities and Indigenous peoples who inhabit the region, goes against the very discourse of preserving the Amazon to help regulate the planet’s climate.”
Ricardo Fujii, Conservation Specialist at WWF-Brasil, said: “Advancing oil exploration in the Amazon River’s mouth is a strategic error as it diverts the country from its competitive advantages in renewable, low-cost, and low-impact energy sources, prioritizing oil production for export in a market that is already saturated and in which competitors are capable of producing at lower costs and with a smaller carbon footprint, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. This will cause these investments to be unprofitable and squander the opportunity for Brazil to lead the global energy transition.
“Moreover, oil exploration in the Amazon River’s mouth is unnecessary to meet Brazil’s energy needs within a trajectory aligned with the 1.5°C global warming limit. Investing in the Equatorial Margin could lead to significant socio-environmental impacts in the region, including on artisanal and industrial fishing activities, which are important to the economy of the country’s northern coast.”
Suely Araujo, Public Policy Coordinator at the Observatório do Clima, said:“No environmental license should be issued under pressure. Ibama has already granted over 2,000 offshore drilling licenses. Now, the denial of a single permit is being used as a rallying cry for unrestricted approvals across the Equatorial Margin. The Block 59 area is highly environmentally sensitive, with extremely strong currents. Ibama’s technical experts have been warning for years about the risks associated with these conditions. If the government had conducted the environmental assessments of sedimentary basins that have been planned since 2012, the Foz do Amazonas Basin would have already been classified as unsuitable for oil production.”
André Guimarães, Executive Director, IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute), said:“It is inconceivable to endorse initiatives that will worsen the Earth’s climate collapse and, in turn, claim millions of lives. Brazil has already led the way in valuing forests as part of the solution for climate, alongside transitioning away from fossil fuels. Therefore, we can also lead the creation of ‘green royalties,’ aimed at financially compensating national and subnational states for no longer exploiting the oil that lies, by nature’s hand, beneath their lands—for the sake of nature itself, our generation, and future generations.”
Natalie Unterstell, President of Instituto Talanoa, said: “The decision to approve oil exploration in the Amazon River’s mouth is unacceptable and puts Brazil on the wrong side of history. The government must abandon fossil fuel expansion once and for all and focus on transitioning to a low-carbon economy. There is no room left for such dirty and risky bets – not for the climate, not for biodiversity, not for local communities. Brazil has everything it takes to lead the global energy revolution, but it will only succeed if it stops bowing to the oil lobby and truly commits to the future.”
Mariana Andrade, Oceans Coordinator, Greenpeace Brasil, said: “By insisting on oil exploration in the Amazon River’s mouth, President Lula has defended an unsustainable economic project, based on an outdated extractive model, socially exclusive and environmentally predatory. Betting on oil as a driver of energy transition not only contradicts Brazil’s climate commitments but also puts marine ecosystems and inestimable costs at risk.
“Although the region of the Amazon River’s mouth has been the target of oil and gas exploration for years, removing oil from the Equatorial Margin would increase carbon emissions, distancing Brazil from the global climate leadership at a decisive moment for the environmental agenda. And for this, contrary to what Lula stated, there is no ‘agreement’, as it is a complete contradiction that a country that holds such an advantageous position in the environmental agenda as Brazil lends itself to a defender of reckless exploration of an area of such socio-environmental sensitivity.”
Mauricio Bianco, vice-president, International Conservation, Brazil, said: “Oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River goes against Brazil’s vocation to establish itself as a leader in building the global strategy against climate and biodiversity crises, with nature playing a major role in providing nature-based solutions.
“The blue carbon stored in the mangroves of the Brazilian Amazon can hold up to four times more carbon than the tropical forest. Traditional populations depend on the biome for their livelihoods and are key players in conservation.
“The risks of this exploration outweigh any potential economic benefit. Fossil fuels are at the heart of the climate crisis, and new explorations further drive global warming beyond points of no return. Extreme weather events have already cost the world $94 trillion in infrastructure over the past 20 years, and this trend is set to worsen. By 2030, the number of people impacted by floods could double, while urban areas affected by extreme rainfall are expected to triple. Additionally, the private land affected by rising sea levels could be up to ten times larger.
“Collective benefits are diminished in this new scenario, as we face increasingly extreme and frequent climate events with severe economic and social impacts, affecting infrastructure, agriculture, biodiversity, public health — and above all, putting lives at risk.”
Carolina Marçal, Project coordinator Instituto ClimaInfo, said: “Brazil has the potential to shape the global climate agenda! However, while the world needs a global agreement to eliminate fossil fuels, the country is moving forward with opening a new well in the Amazon, a sensitive area for climate and biodiversity that, given the aggravation of the climate crisis, should become a protection zone.
“Contrary to what is promised, oil exploration does not bring local development, this is an activity that historically concentrates income, is environmentally predatory and socially exclusionary. Brazil can be giant without needing this oil and become a green superpower by directing investments and public policies to enable the expansion of renewables in a fair way and the development of sustainable production chains.”
In 2023, President Lula said that he found it “difficult” to believe that oil exploration in the Amazon basin would cause environmental damage to the region’s rainforest, the largest in the world.
Brazil’s environmental protection agency Ibama had blocked a request by Petroleo Brasileiro to drill at the mouth of the Amazon near Amapa, in a much-awaited decision seen as a broader ruling on whether the state-run oil giant will be able to explore the oil-rich, environmentally sensitive region.
The Federal Government has been urged to support local industries to drive economic growth and meet the $1 trillion economy target.
L-R: President/CEO, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Vice President (Oil & Gas), Dangote Group, Mr. Devakumar Edwin; Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr. Niyi Yusuf; and Board Member, NESG, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, during the NESG delegation’s visit to Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals and Dangote Fertilisers in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, on Tuesday, February 4, 2025
The call was made on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) during a visit to Dangote Fertiliser Limited and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
The refinery recently achieved a significant milestone by successfully exporting two cargoes of jet fuel to Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer and a leading integrated oil and gas company globally.
While commending Aliko Dangote for establishing the $20 billion refinery – the largest single-train refinery in the world – NESG Chairman, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, stated that Nigeria needs more investments of this calibre to reach its $1 trillion economy goal.
“To achieve a $1 trillion economy, much of that must come from domestic investments. I joked during the bus ride that while others are dredging to create islands for leisure, you’ve dredged 65 million cubic tonnes of sand to create a future for the country. This refinery, fertiliser plant, petrochemical complex, and supporting infrastructure are monumental,” he said. “My hope is that God grants you the strength, courage, and health to realise your ambitions, and that in your lifetime, a new Nigeria will emerge.”
Yusuf emphasised that such local industries are essential to Nigeria’s industrialisation and will help foster the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). He added that the NESG would continue to advocate for an improved investment climate to attract entrepreneurs, boost development, ensure food security, and address insecurity.
He lamented that Nigeria has become a dumping ground for foreign products and stressed that the country must support its own entrepreneurs to become global players. “It’s inconceivable that a nation of over 230 million people, with an annual birth rate higher than the total population of some countries, is still dependent on imports to feed its citizens.”
Yusuf also praised Dangote’s bold vision for making Nigeria self-sufficient in several key sectors.
“The NESG is grateful, and I believe the nation is as well. This refinery represents the audacity of courage. It takes immense effort to do what you’ve done and still be standing and smiling. Thank you for inspiring us and showing that nothing is impossible. You’ve transformed Nigeria from a net importer of petroleum products to a net exporter,” he said. “We’ve all read Think Big, but this is truly about thinking big. The message is clear: the private sector has the ability to bring about real change.”
Yusuf, alongside NESG board members and stakeholders, toured the refinery and fertiliser plants, lauding the level of investment, technology, and the sophistication of young Nigerian engineers running world-class laboratories and central control units. He acknowledged Dangote’s perseverance and success in overcoming numerous challenges.
Dangote, in his response, reiterated the importance of the private sector in national development, asserting that Nigeria’s challenges could largely be overcome by providing gainful employment to its people.
He stated that the concept of a free market should not be used as a pretext for continued import dependence, highlighting that both developed and developing nations, including the USA and China, actively protect their domestic industries to safeguard jobs and promote self-sufficiency. Dangote also cited the example of Benin Republic, where cement imports are restricted as part of a deliberate strategy to protect local industries, despite the proximity of his Ibese plant.
“The President is a personal friend, and my Ibese plant is just 28km from Benin, yet they refuse to allow imports in order to protect their local industries, most of which are grinding plants,” he remarked.
He further emphasised that the government stands to gain substantially when the private sector flourishes, noting that with 52 kobo (52%) of every naira Dangote Cement generates going to the government.
Dangote also pointed out the significant challenges involved in setting up industries in Nigeria, particularly the substantial capital investment required due to the lack of infrastructure. He stressed that investors are often forced to take on responsibilities for essential services such as power, roads, and ports – services that should be provided by the government.
Dangote said that the refinery’s world-class standards and advanced technologies have enabled it to export products to global markets.
He told the elated audience that the refinery recently achieved a significant milestone by exporting two cargoes of aviation fuel to Saudi Aramco.
“We are reaching the ambitious goals we set for ourselves, and I’m pleased to announce that we’ve just sold two cargoes of jet fuel to Saudi Aramco,” he said.
Since its production began in 2024, the Dangote refinery has steadily increased its output, now reaching 550,000 barrels per day.
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has engaged 40 contractors to keep the Federal Capital City clean.
Officials of one of the AEPB waste evacuation contractors, on duty in Garki Area of Abuja
Director of the Board, Mr. Osilama Braimah, disclosed this in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.
Braimah said that the board was up to date in its payment obligation to the contractors, saying “we have paid them 100 per cent and no contractor is being owed.”
He explained that the Board was responsible for handling waste management and city sanitation in Maitama, Asokoro, Garki, Guzape, Katampe, Wuse, Mabushi, Wuye and other districts within the city centre.
Other areas, he said, include Airport Road, all the way to Bill Clinton, airport vicinity, and Central Business District and Goodluck Jonathan Expressway, all the way to Karu axis.
“We are also clearing the city of beggars and maintaining pedestrian bridges to prevent people from using them as markets.
“We are also responsible for maintaining the sewage system in the city and the sewage treatment plants in Wupa, Guzape, Katampe, and Apo, including the Sewage Pump Station in the city.
“In a nutshell, the AEPB is responsible for the enforcement of all environmental legislations and abatement of all forms of environmental degradation and nuisance.
“The Board also regulates the impact of physical development on the ecosystem,” he added.
Braimah said that each of the 40 contractors was assigned a specific area of coverage to evacuate waste and keep the area clean.
He, however, said that the Board sometimes intervenes when the contractors could not cope with the huge volume of refuse being generated daily within the city.
“We have our own team to step in and provide support whenever the contractors fail in their task of evacuating refuse.
“So, our job is to supervise but once we give you a job and you don’t perform, we intervene, and when we want to pay, we subtract for the intervention.
“If every day’s work is N200,000 for example, we multiply by the number of days we intervened and subtract from the contractor’s payment,” he said.
The director said that contractors have been fulfilling their obligations by keeping Abuja city clean through routine evacuation of refuse dump every two weeks.
He, however, noted the visible pile of refuse dumps in some parts of satellite towns and area councils, stressing that those areas were not under the jurisdiction of AEPB.
He particularly explained that except for Abuja Municipal Area Council, which AEPB was responsible for, the remaining five councils were not under its purview.
Speaking on noise pollution, Braimah said that the AEPB intervenes on noise pollution emanating from nightclubs, houses and other public places.
He, however, said that the Board does not have jurisdiction over moving vehicles or motorcycles.
“If it is night clubs, noise from grinding machines in peoples’ houses and other public buildings, we go there with our noise metre and measure the noise to determine the pollution level.”
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says it has budgeted $2.5 billion in the 2023 to-2027 Nigeria Country Strategy Plans (CSP) geared towards achieving zero hunger and improved nutrition across the country.
Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP)
Mr. Seriene Loum, Head of Programme, WFP, said this at the Co-creation workshop organised by the organisation in collaboration with National Social Investment Programme Agency (N-SIPA) on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in Abuja,
Loum, who represented WFP Country Director, said WFP strategic goal was to ensure a world without hunger in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (1 and 2) on poverty and zero hunger.
He said the organisation would work closely with member states of United Nations including Nigeria to mobilise resources to be able to fully implement the programmes.
“WFP Nigeria CSP 2023 t0 2027 a five-year project has a dedicated activity for strengthening institutional capacities and enhanced enabling environment in line with national target to achieve zero hunger by 2030.
“The project focus on food technology, fortification of supply chain management, improving nutrition and emergency preparedness responses.
“2023 to 2027 have five pillars and each of them focuses on zero hunger and improved nutrition
“We have some interventions that focus on emergency response, making sure that people will not go to bed hungry which are lifesaving activities that aim to provide immediate food assistant to people that are in need,’’ he said.
Loum identified Nigeria as operating one of the biggest social safety nets programme in Africa.
He said it was also encouraging that Nigeria had an ambitious safety nets programme target at uplifting hundreds of millions of its populace out of poverty.
He said: “Considering the current economic trend and level of vulnerabilities in Nigeria the Cadre Harmonised (C result of October 2024) reveals that about 25 million Nigerians are acutely food insecure and projected to reach 33 million between June to August 2025.
“It is therefore expedient that all stakeholders most especially, WFP need to work together with the Federal Government for this very ambitious goal to be achieved,’’ he said.
Also, Prof. Badamasi Lawal Chief Executive Officer, NSIPA, said the seminar was meant to harness collective expertise and resources to achieve meaningful impact in the lives of Nigerians.
Represented by Mrs Uche Obi, Director, Human Resources Management, he commended WFP for its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to address poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
According to her, WFP partnership is a testament to the power of international cooperation and the shared vision of creating a more equitable and prosperous society.
“The NSIP launched in 2016, elevated to a full-fledged Agency in 2023 has made significant strides in addressing poverty, inequality, and social exclusion.
“Through various programmes, including the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (NCTO), Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG) and N-Power, we have reached millions of Nigerians.
“We are providing them with opportunities for economic empowerment, education, and improved well-being .
“The WFP’s expertise in food security, nutrition and emergency response will be invaluable in enhancing our programs and achieving greater impact.
“This collaboration will enable us to leverage each other’s strengths, share knowledge, and develop innovative solutions to address the complex challenges facing our nation,’’ he said.
He said WFP support had made it possible for the Federal Government to pull stakeholders in meaningful discussions and in shaping the future of their partnership.
“Your investment in this partnership is a testament to your commitment to Nigeria’s development and the well-being of its people,’’ he said.
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, fixed March 18 for ruling on the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)’s preliminary objection against a suit filed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE over oil import licence dispute.
GCEO, NNPC Ltd, Mr. Mele Kyari
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the NNPCL, Ademola Abimbola, SAN, and lawyer to Dangote Refinery, John Ibrahim, SAN, presented their arguments and adopted their processes for and against the suit.
Justice Ekwo had, on Thursday, fixed Wednesday for the hearing of the NNPCL’s preliminary objection after Ibrahim told the court that they were yet to file their response to the application.
Upon resumed hearing on Wednesday, Abimbola.informed the court that the matter was scheduled for hearing of their objection and he said they were ready to proceed.
Ibrahim, who said they had filed their counter affidavit in opposition to the objection, said he was ready to move their application too.
Moving the application, Abimbola said their notice of preliminary objection, dated and filed on Nov. 15, 2024, sought an order striking out the suit for lack of jurisdiction or in the alternative, an order striking out the name of the company from the suit.
He said an affidavit and a written address were in support of the application.
The lawyer said upon receipt of the refinery’s counter affidavit, they filed a further affidavit on Feb. 3 in response and a reply on points of law.
He prayed the court to either strike out the suit or the name of the NNPCL from the suit.
Responding, Ibrahim said a five-paragraph counter affidavit, dated Jan. 31, was filed with a written address.
He adopted the processes and urged the court to dismiss the NNPCL’s preliminary objection for being unnecessary.
After listening to the parties, Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until March 18 for ruling.
While Emeka Akabuogu appeared for the 1st defendant; Ahmed Raji, SAN, represented the 3rd, 4th and 7th defendants, while Divine Oguru appeared for 5th and 6th defendants respectively.
Meanwhile, Olanrewaju Oshinaike appeared for a party seeking to be joined (Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission) in the suit.
Dangote Refinery had sued the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) as 1st and 2nd defendants.
Also joined in the suit are AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited.
The oil company, through its lawyer, Ogwu Onoja, SAN, prayed the court to nullify import licences issued by NMDPRA to the NNPCL and the five other companies for the purpose of importing refined petroleum products.
The company (plaintiff) also prayed the court to declare that NMDPRA was in violation of Sections 317 (8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by issuing licenses for the importation of petroleum products.
It stated that such licenses should only be issued in circumstances where there is a petroleum product shortfall.
It equally sought a N100 billion in damages against NMDPRA for allegedly continuing to issue import licences to NNPCL and the five companies for importing petroleum products, among other reliefs.
The NNPCL, in its preliminary objection, prayed the court to strike out the case for being incompetent.
The NNPCL argued that the suit was premature and it disclosed no cause of action against it.
“This honourable court lacks the jurisdiction to hear this suit,” the NNPCL said.
In the affidavit in support of the application deposed to by Isiaka Popoola, a clerk in the law firm of Afe Babalola & Co, counsel to the NNPCL, he said one of their lawyers, Esther Longe who perused Dangote’s originating summons, affidavit and written address told him that an examination of the processes showed that NNPC as sued by the refinery was non-existent entity.
Popoola averred that the court lacked jurisdiction over the 2nd defendant sued as Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
“A simple search on the CAC website shows that there is no entity called “Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC).”
According to Popoola, the 2nd defendant/objector is not one and the same with the 2nd defendant sued by the plaintiff.
He urged the court to strike out the suit.
Also, the NMDPRA, in its counter affidavit deposed to by Idris Musa, a Senior Regulatory Officer in the office, prayed the court to dismiss the suit as it was misconceived, unmeritorious and incompetent.
Musa argued that Dangote Refinery is not entitled to any of the reliefs sought.
The official, in the application dated and filed Dec. 13, 2024, said the current production of Dangote Refinery is yet to meet the national daily petroleum products sufficiency requirement.
He said based on this and in compliance with Section 317 [9] of the PIA (Petroleum Industry Act), NMDPRA issued licences to import petroleum products to bridge product shortfalls to companies with good track records of international products trading.
Besides, he said the agency is also mandated to promote competition and prevent abuse of dominant market positions and unhealthy monopoly in the oil and gas sector.
He denied the allegation that NMDPRA is partaking in any purported “grand conspiracy and concerted efforts” against the refinery, describing it as “an allegation for which the plaintiff has provided no facts or evidence in support.”
The oil marketers, in a joint counter affidavit filed on Nov. 5, 2024, told the court that granting Dangote’s application would spell doom for the country’s oil sector.
According to them, the plan to monopolise the oil sector is a recipe for disaster in the country.
The three marketers; AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, in their response, said the plaintiff did not produce adequate petroleum products for the daily consumption of Nigerians.
Besides, they argued that there was nothing placed before the court to prove the contrary.
The West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), owner and operator of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), is scheduled to undertake major pipeline maintenance activities from February 5 to March 2, 2025.
WAPCo gas pipeline
These activities include the pigging and the in-line inspection of the 569 km offshore pipeline infrastructure, from Ajido, Lagos State, Nigeria to Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana and replacement of critical subsea valves at Tema and Cotonou to enhance operational safety.
This maintenance project will necessitate the temporary suspension of specific services, including the reverse flow transportation of natural gas from Ghana’s Western Region to Tema in the east, as well as gas transportation services from Nigeria to Cotonou (Benin), Lomé (Togo), and Tema (Ghana). However, some gas transportation services from Nigeria to Takoradi in Ghana will continue during this period to ensure the successful execution of the pipeline cleaning and inspection activities.
The comprehensive cleaning and inspection exercise is a key regulatory requirement and aligns with industry best practices to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP).
The cleaning and inspection, which encompasses the entire pipeline stretch from Itoki, Ogun State, Nigeria to Takoradi, Western Region Ghana is in two phases. The first phase, which was completed in December 2024, involved cleaning and inspecting the onshore section of the pipeline within Nigeria. The second phase which is scheduled to start on February 5, 2025, will focus on the offshore section of the WAGP.
WAPCo is mandated to conduct these inspections every five years (or on a risk-based schedule) as part of its commitment to maintaining the integrity of the WAGP and ensuring its safe and reliable operation across the West African region. WAPCo has actively engaged with key stakeholders to ensure the necessary alignment for the successful implementation of this project. WAPCo says it is grateful to the governments of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo for their ongoing support.
Additionally, WAPCo appreciates the maritime and regulatory authorities across these four countries, as well as its customers, shippers, gas off-takers, host communities, shareholders, and all other relevant stakeholders for their continued collaboration and contribution to the success of this exercise.
“WAPCo is committed to maintaining the proactive stakeholder engagement processes established during the project’s preparation phase, during execution. The company will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders on all matters to ensure the project’s safe execution and success,” says Auwal Ibrahim, WAPCo’s General Manager, Operations & Maintenance.
The National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS) and environmental stakeholders in the Niger Delta Region have brainstormed on steps towards ensuring sustainable mangrove conservation and protection in Nigeria.
Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe (4th left), anchoring a panel session with Commissioners for Environment from Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Rivers states, during the Hybrid Stakeholders Town Hall Meeting on Mangrove Restoration, Conservation and Protection with the theme: “Amplifying Nature-Based Climate Solutions”
The hybrid stakeholders’ session on Mangrove Restoration, Conservation and Protection with the theme “Amplifying Nature-Based Climate Solutions” was held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in Calabar, the Cross River State Capital, in collaboration with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) and the Climate Change Council, Cross Rivers State.
Participants highlighted the need of safeguarding the Nigeria mangrove forest that is occupying 10,500-kilometre square, which is already threatened by illegal man-made activities particularly in the Niger Delta Region.
Earlier in her opening remarks, Director General /CEO OF NCCCS who is also the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change (SPEC), Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, said the Nigeria’s mangrove forest is indicated as the largest in Africa and third largest in the world, covering approximately 5% of the global mangrove forest.
Acknowledging the vital role that the coastal ecosystem is playing by combating climate and safeguarding communities from its effects, the NCCCS boss said the secretariat is developing a roadmap for the restoration of Nigeria’s essential mangrove forest, a robust initiative targeted to span 2025 to 2035.
According to her, the Town Hall Meeting would provide a crucial platform for all relevant stakeholders to discuss the next steps in ensuring sustainable mangrove conservation and protection in Nigeria.
“As part of the World Wetlands Day and further to the 2025 theme of Amplifying Nature-Based Climate Solutions, the NCCCS is convening this Stakeholder Town Hall Meeting in collaboration with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation and the Climate Change Council of Cross Rivers State.
“A key output from this meeting is the National Roadmap on Mangrove Restoration, Conservation, and Protection. This Roadmap is expected to align with the ongoing NDC 3.0 review and indicates clear avenues to drive finance for mangrove conservation and protection in Nigeria.”
While acknowledging the presence of attending commissioners, she emphasised the crucial role of sub-national governments in implementing policies and ensuring effective on-ground interventions through their commitments.
“In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat, of which Mr. President is the Chairman of the Council, will continue to play its role as a coordinating and regulatory entity, ensuring that policies and financial mechanisms support long-term sustainability.
“Furthermore, this meeting should serve as a catalyst for mangrove-rich states to establish investment-grade forest carbon projects. As we deliberate, let us carefully consider the essential building blocks of forest finance,” Maduekwe noted.
She further commended the efforts of Cross River State in adopting the Climate Change Act, adding that the legislative framework positions the state to harness climate finance opportunities geared towards adaptation and ecosystem-hand solutions.
Expressing their commitment in the fight against climate change and the readiness to restore the lost ecosystem, the Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, said for decades, the state has led in environmental conservation with over 53,000 hectares of degraded mangroves primed for restoration.
Otu, who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, disclosed that the state is actively engaging investors and development partners to capitalise on carbon emission opportunities, a significant milestone that was reached at the COP28 with the national department of climate change.
He called for a critical framework to unlock Nigeria’s carbon economy potential, saying: “We urge the revitalisation of the carbon market framework to ensure stability and restore confidence in the sector.”
In a resolution made during the town hall meeting by the attending Commissioners of Environment from Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta and Rivers states, participants worried that series of workshops and meetings held have failed to deliver a National Carbon Framework and Registry despite repeated commitments over the past five years.
The resolution, which was read by the Chairman of Commissioners of Environment, Mr. Moses Osoji, who is the Cross River State Commissioner for Environment, called for the speedy implementation of the National Carbon Framework within three months.
He also urged the federal government authorise the development of the National Carbon Registry within the six months, leveraging on the regions and international partners expertise.
