Month: September 2020

Nigeria’s Manufacturers groan as spending on generators hits N67.38bn in one year

Precious Ibekwe

  Energy cost in Africa’s biggest crude oil exporter soared to 38% in 2019 Manufacturers in Nigeria have spent a whooping N67.38 billion to buy, maintain and fuel generators in 2019, a harrowing experience that is running their businesses aground. This came as the energy cost for small, medium and large scale firms in the Africa’s biggest crude oil exporter soared by 38 per cent in the year. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), which rolled out these figures, maintained that said its members spent over N67.38 billion on self-generated…

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NCDMB raises Nigeria’s R&D bar, offers $50,000 for five Hackathon start-up winners

Efe Wellington

  Five innovative teams have been selected as the winners of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Technology (NOGTECH) Hackathon sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).   The teams are Fuel Intellisense, Homefort Energy, Gricd Mote, Kiakia Gas and Airsynq. Their projects were picked as the most innovative and bankable by judges, after the 15 semi-finalists made presentations on their innovations. The three-day Hackathon started penultimate Thursday with the teams having detailed engagement with industry experts, mentors and entrepreneurs. Each of the five winning teams was given…

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Group deepens Nigeria’s renewable energy advocacy

Damola Oyede

  An advocacy group for cleaner environment through the use of renewable energy, has taken its go green campaign to Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. The group led by Temidayo Joshua arrived Lagos, according to a statement, with ‘Go Green’ campaign, a brainchild of Joshua. “The campaign is aimed at creating awareness on the impact of Green House emissions on planet earth,” the statement read. It continued; “Temidayo, who started her campaign by publishing articles urging Nigerians to embrace replace dirty fuels with renewable energy, took the campaign to the door…

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Nigerian labour Unions suspend strike as Govt freezes new electricity tariff for 2 weeks

Aliyu Aliyu

  At exactly 2: 53 am on Monday, the Nigerian labour unions suspended their industrial action as they struck a temporary agreement with representatives of the Nigerian government for a two-week suspension of new electricity tariff among others. Minister of State for Labour, Mr. Festus Keyamo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who announced this on his verified Twitter handle @fkeyamo, declared that the unions – Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) – reached an agreement with the government at 2.53am on Monday morning and the “strike suspended.”…

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Journalists sent out as Nigerian Government, Labour Union’s Meeting holds behind closed door

Aliyu Aliyu

  Nigerian Government, Labour Unions’ Make or Mar meeting dovetails into a technical session   Less than three hours into the planned nationwide protest and industrial actions by the organised labour unions in Nigeria, the crucial meeting between the Nigerian Government and leadership of labour has slipped into behind closed door as journalists were asked to leave the venue. The two parties stated that the decision to ask the newsmen leave the venue as at 10:07 pm on Sunday was because the meeting entered into a technical session. The two…

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How BBNaija Laycon mobbed 60% Total Votes, Won N85m Grand Prize + Votes’ STATISTICS

Lukman Olasunkanmi

  Olamilekan ‘Laycon’ Agbeleshe mobbed 60 per cent of the total votes cast to, on Sunday, emerge winner of the N85 million Grand Prize for the Big Brother Naija ‘Lockdown’ reality show. Laycon beat fellow housemasters Nengi, Neo, Vee and Dorathy to win the coveted grand prize worth N85 million. While the winner clawed 60 per cent of the votes, leaving a paltry 40 per cent for the remaining four finalists, Dorothy who is second polled 21.85 per cent; while Nengi got 18.03 per cent of the votes. The two…

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Encomium as Nigeria’s ‘King of Energy Reporting,’ Yakubu Lawal retires from NDPHC on 60th birthday

Efe Wellington

  Platforms Africa, Energy Journalists’ group, friends all over Africa celebrate Media Icon, accomplished administrator – Yakubu Lawal – on retirement, 60th birthday.   It was an havest of Encomium as General Manager, Public Affairs, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Alhaji Yakubu Lawal, retired from active services coinciding with his 60th birthday. Lawal, a veteran energy journalist whose sojourn in the profession spanned many decades, worked for The PUNCH, Guardian among other Nigeria’s top newspapers before joining the NDPHC. He has travelled to some of the major countries of…

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Why COVID-19 Couldn’t Kill more Africans – WHO + Death, Infections’ STATISTICS

Precious Ibekwe

  More than 80 per cent of Africans who were infected with the virus were asymptomatic, the United States, with slightly more than a quarter of Africa’s population, has recorded 7.1 million cases and more than 206,000 deaths – WHO   Africans may be twice as likely to experience COVID-19 without any illness, compared with people in the rest of the world, according to preliminary analysis by the African branch of the World Health Organization. The results from several blood-sample studies in Africa could help to explain the low death…

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NNPC, SEEPCO ink OML 143 deals as JV gas investment hits $600m

Efe Wellington

  . NNPC, SEEPCO mull OML143 gas flare cut   The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Sterling Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO) have signed an agreement for the development and commercialization of gas from the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 143 that could help reduce gas flaring in the country. Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony which held at the NNPC Towers, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, described the execution of the deal as a great milestone as well as a testament to NNPC’s commitment…

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PENGASSAN orders Nigerian oil workers services’ withdrawal nationwide + MEMO issued

Efe Wellington

Nigeria’s oil workers mobilise for NLC, TUC strike over fuel price, electricity tariff hike Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has begun mobilisation of oil workers nationwide for the strike organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress TUC strike, slated to begin on Monday, September 28, 2020. PENGASSAN, which declared its decision to join the strike in circular tagged; “Call To Action,” obtained by Platforms  Africa, ordered withdrawal of services nationwide. The circular issued by the  National General Secretary, Mr. Lumumba…

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