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  • Francisca Maduneme releases two inspirational books

    Francisca Maduneme releases two inspirational books

     Two inspirational books, titled Standout Child and The Ministry of Ruth will be presented to the public at mid day on Saturday October 4,2025 at the Merit House, Maitama, Abuja.

    The books were written by Mrs. Francisca Uloma Maduneme, a public servant and a preacher.

    The two books hold up possibilities for women, in the face of odds that often undermine their attaining their full potentials.

    A statement made available to Nigerian Anchor, Thursday in Abuja explains that the books are inspirational and prescriptive.

    “Defeating poverty, deprivation and cultural barriers to record success remain a daunting challenge for women, more so in such a society as ours,” it was asserted.

    “In spite of the odds, possibilities exist for the girl child and women to make good. It takes perseverance, family support, wisdom and God’s hand to make this happen.”

    It was stated that “Francisca Uloma Maduneme deploys her creative mind to explore the themes of perseverance, loyalty, determination and family support as ingredients for career and relationship success for women.”

    While Standout Child anchors its theme on faith, resilience and education as the pathway for young persons to beats life’s odds, The Ministry of Ruth is steeped in Biblical narratives, from which the author drew timeless lessons in wisdom and faithfulness that women of all ages will find useful.

    Through the story of a remarkable relationship of Naomi and Ruth, a mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law, forged in shared loss and affinity, Francisca Maduneme speaks to women, dwelling on all that is possible and indeed, desirable in such a relationship, when wisdom prevails.

    The Ministry of Ruth points the way for women to achieve harmony in their lives and in their relationship with such significant persons around them like their mother-in-law, more so in a culture with extended family ties that often define the success or otherwise of enduring relationship.

  • Dangote/PENGASSAN: NLC mobilises for total lockdown

    Dangote/PENGASSAN: NLC mobilises for total lockdown

    The Dangote/PENGASSAN dispute is taking a turn for the worse as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its affiliate unions to immediately commence mobilisation for industrial action against the Group.

    This directive is contained in an internal memo signed by NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, on Monday in Abuja.

    The order follows a dispute between Dangote Refinery and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over the alleged sack of over 800 workers.

    Ajaero said the directive was prompted by what the congress described as the Dangote Group’s “anti-worker crusade” against Nigerian workers.

    He alleged that the conglomerate consistently violated Section 40 of the Constitution and ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which protect workers’ rights to association and unionisation.

    According to him, affiliates are placed on full alert and must begin unionisation drives in all Dangote facilities within their areas of jurisdiction.

    “The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with resistance. Each affiliate should establish an Action Mobilisation Committee and liaise with the NLC Secretariat within 72 hours,” Ajaero said.

    He urged affiliates to mobilise resources and members for nationwide action, stressing that unity of purpose and collective resolve were non-negotiable.

    Meanwhile, there is report that the Federal Government has convened a conciliatory meeting to prevent escalation of the dispute.

  • Association berates Dangote anti-workers practices

    Association berates Dangote anti-workers practices

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has expressed displeasure over the anti-workers practices displayed by Dangote Refinery.

    The National President of ASCSN, Mr Shehu Mohammed, in a statement on Monday, said that the arbitrary dismissal of workers for exercising their constitutional right to freely associate and belong to a trade union was a gross violation.

    Mohammed said that the arbitrary dismissal of workers was a gross violation of Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and a direct breach of Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.

    He expressed total solidarity with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), in condemning the unjust and anti-labour practices carried out by the management of Dangote Refinery.

    “Such acts are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in a democracy. We, therefore, stand shoulder-to-shoulder with TUC and PENGASSAN in demanding the immediate reinstatement of all affected workers.

    “We support the call for an independent investigation into the refinery’s anti-worker practices,” the national president said.

    He commended the decision of TUC to place affiliates on stand-by for a possible national action should the demands not be met.

    Mohammed warned that if the matter was not resolved within a reasonable time frame, the ASCSN might be compelled to join the national action in full force, in defence of workers’ rights and to ensure justice was done.

    “An injury to one worker is an injury to all. No employer, regardless of size or influence, will be allowed to trample upon the rights and dignity of Nigerian workers,” 

  • October 1st, an anniversary, and a country’s blues

    October 1st, an anniversary, and a country’s blues

    “If we are a serious people we should be looking back in anger as we celebrate the 65th anniversary of our country tomorrow. We have failed ourselves. We have failed Africa. And we have let down black people all over the world. The countries we started off with [indeed we were in front of some of them] have since left us behind. Nature endowed our country with so much natural resources to make it belong to the First World, but we have consistently given ourselves ruinous rulers whenever we have the opportunity to do so.”

    MOCKERY! This word probably best captures the slogan for the 65th anniversary of the independence of our country. The federal government unveiled the, what might as well be a tongue-in-cheek slogan, when it revealed the activities that will precede the anniversary celebrations of the country tomorrow. Nigeria gained political independence on October 1,1960, amidst funfare and much expectations from Africa and the Black World. The theme for the anniversary which will culminate tomorrow is “Nigeria @65: All Hands on Deck for a Greater Nation”. The theme is ostensibly designed to emphasize the critical place of unity, collaboration, and patriotism ‘among government institutions, the private sector, civil society, and citizens in building a nation of peace, prosperity, and progress”.

    As enunciated by the government the theme underscores the need for collective effort to consolidate past achievements and pursue greater national aspirations ‘under the Renewed Hope Agenda’. That’s where the ‘innovation’ ends. The other contents of the anniversary package are normal, routine and run-of-the-mill. They included Juma’at prayer on Friday, September 26, at 1:00p.m.; Inter-Denominational Church Service, on Sunday, September 28, at 10a.m.; and a World Press Conference, on Monday, September 29, at 10 a.m. During the rituals, and after them, our country will continue or return to its normal routine of bloodletting, grinding poverty, indifference of the ruling elite to the plight of citizens, insecurity, banditry, out of school children, increasing number of internally displaced persons [IDPs] in a country that’s not officially at war, renewed hopelessness, despondency, ‘japa’ syndrome [of youngsters and even adults] voting with their feet by fleeing the country in droves, profligacy of the rulers, arrested development, among other vices.

    “If some Nigerians thought that Buhari will be the end of a president stoking hate and division, then they did not reckon with the coming of his successor, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also of the APC. Even before he acceded to office and power, he had publicly declared that the presidency was his, and Yoruba’s. Embedded in his ‘emi lo kan’ slogan were selfishness, nepotism, corruption, division, disunity, among other vices. And he is living up to it. His appointments into critical and sensitive public offices are skewed to the extent that they make Buhari look like an apprentice and a saint.“

    Many previous rulers of our country, military and civilians, have been myopic, nepotistic, and suffered from tunnel vision. But the last 10 years of the rulership of the All Progressives Congress [APC] have stood out as signposts and symbols of everything that is designed to put pressure on the country’s fault lines. Former president, the late Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari [2015-2023] was a threat to the cohesion and unity of this country in spite of his claims to the contrary. He had said with his own mouth in a foreign land that while he would be in charge as president, he would only take care of those who voted for him during the 2015 presidential election. That statement that divided the country into 97% positive voters, and 5% naysayers [ignore the percentages that did not add up] became the state policy. The atmosphere of the country was fouled and poisoned, but the consolation for the targeted victims of Buhari’s publicly stated meanness was that during his eight years the country experienced more of his non-presence [not necessarily absence], and  ‘non-governance’. They were eight years of waste that dragged Nigeria backwards by, at least, one generation. During a media chat in December 2015 [the only one in his eight-year underwhelming reign], Buhari berated a section of the country, asking angrily and dismissively “what do the Igbo[s] want”? That was his reaction to a question about youth restiveness in the south east who were demanding for a referendum to settle the issue of the Igbo nation continuing to remain part of Nigeria. Buhari did not fail to tell the global audience of the prime time TV programme that he was part of the marauding soldiers during the civil war [1967-1970] who killed the restive youths’ fathers, their unarmed mothers, and siblings irrespective of whether they were combatants or not. Down the line during his reign, he derisively and derogatively referred to the Igbo nation as a dot in a circle. At no time did the accursed ruler describe any other nation within Nigeria in such demeaning, dismissive and insensitive terms. Buhari’s era may have been marked by ‘ungovernance’, but he left behind a legacy of hate and disunity.

    Former President Muhammad Buhari (late)

    If some Nigerians thought that Buhari will be the end of a president stoking hate and division, then they did not reckon with the coming of his successor, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, also of the APC. Even before he acceded to office and power, he had publicly declared that the presidency was his, and Yoruba’s. Embedded in his ‘emi lo kan’ slogan were selfishness, nepotism, corruption, division, disunity, among other vices. And he is living up to it. His appointments into critical and sensitive public offices are skewed to the extent that they make Buhari look like an apprentice and a saint. To be fair to him, his appointments have, unlike Buhari’s, not been promoting a sectarian agenda. But it may be worse in its appearance of innocence. His appointments create the impression of building a cult and rewarding fealty to a cult leader. That could prove more dangerous and unsettling for this country at critical times. Tinubu is not restrained in putting his name or allowing his acolytes to affix his name on public buildings, institutions, and infrastructure, none of which he built in the two years of his four-year tenure. His appointment of the Yoruba into offices is virtually restricted to Lagos state where he was a governor from 1999-2007. And almost all the beneficiaries are from amongst his boys who worked for him as governor. Of course, there had been some outcasts from that cohort. They are frozen out. Lamentations have been rife in the two years of Tinubu so far including from his own Yoruba nation.

    Buhari made sure he mocked Nigerians during his campaign for reelection in 2018/2019 with his campaign slogan of ‘NextLevel’ which was plagiarized anyway. Now Tinubu is following suit by mocking Nigerians with the theme of the country’s 65th anniversary activities. If he did not intend to be cynical, how do you proclaim ‘All Hands on Deck for a Greater Nation’ while your actions promote the exclusion of swaths of the Nigerian society? There are many instances of Tinubu’s action being at variance with his calls for all hands to be on deck to build a greater country. Let’s illustrate with one. There has not been any national census in this country for about 20 years. The prescription is that a head count should happen in a country every ten years. Nigeria has not had any since the controversial and disputed census of 2006. The bungling and failed regime of Buhari pretended it would conduct one. It didn’t. And it couldn’t have. If it tried, the outcome would have been a disaster. Just as his regime was.Now Tinubu’s regime is preparing for a national head count. I wager that it also will not be able to deliver a credible census before his tenure expires in 2027. By the way, he has put his thumb on the scale, so whatever census he conducts with the present structure and personnel will be controversial and the results will be vigorously and justifiably disputed.

    Independence Day Speech, 1960

    Nigeria has 36 states and the federal capital territory. For the most part the country operates on the basis of an informal six geopolitical zones-the south east, south west, south south [in the southern part of the country], and the north east, north west, and the north central [in the northern part of the country]. These geopolitical zones are thin on law but strong on convention. As may be necessary, the zones form the basis for appointments and allocation of resources from the central government when states cannot be used. For instance, each geopolitical zone has a regional development commission created, staffed, and funded by the federal government in Abuja. Each of the commission is backed by an Act of the National Assembly [NASS]. However, many months ago this regime constituted a body of supreme overseers for the census it said it was planning to conduct. And the regime showed its hands. It was so glaring that even the blind will see the machinations and devious plots for the census. Members of the High Level Committee on National Population and Housing Census were drawn from three of the country’s six geopolitical zones. Even that does not tell the whole story. The Committee has three members from the North and five members from the south. Still the story is incomplete and the figures misleading. In the north only two geopolitical zones were represented- the north west and the north central. The north east, the zone of the Vice President, Alhaji Mohammed Kashim Shettima, was omitted. The real story is in the membership of the Committee from the south of the country. All five members are from the south west, the region of the president of Nigeria, Alhaji Tinubu. South east was not represented. South South was excluded. If this imbalance is not a basis to challenge the census and dispute the results, then what is? In many countries census results form a strong basis for resource allocations. It’s no less so in our country. How then do you justify the exclusion of critical segments of the country from membership of the High Level Committee which will superintend the population and housing census? But the exclusion of some stakeholders has become the standard fare of this country.

    If we are a serious people we should be looking back in anger as we celebrate the 65th anniversary of our country tomorrow. We have failed ourselves. We have failed Africa. And we have let down black people all over the world. The countries we started off with [indeed we were in front of some of them] have since left us behind. Nature endowed our country with so much natural resources to make it belong to the First World, but we have consistently given ourselves ruinous rulers whenever we have the opportunity to do so. We can console ourselves that we did not give ourselves successive military juntas from the 1960s to the 1990s, but that will be no valid excuse for allowing the ruination of Nigeria. In some other countries, citizens are known to have chased away bad military rulers. For elected leaders, except for once, we have also shown ourselves incapable of removing rulers who failed in their first term but chose to cling on to power by manipulating the ballot. May it never be that we will keep looking into the future in forlorn Hope.

  • A Tribute to Professor Tunde Adeniran at 80: A Life of Scholarship, Integrity, Service, and Stewardship

    A Tribute to Professor Tunde Adeniran at 80: A Life of Scholarship, Integrity, Service, and Stewardship


    By Wale Alonge

    It is indeed the honor and privilege of my life to write this tribute in celebration of a great man: a public servant in the best tradition of the word, an elder statesman, an academic of unparalleled brilliance, a servant in the Lord’s vineyard, a patriot, and above all, the true epitome of what we Yoruba call Omoluabi.

    To know Professor Adeniran is to encounter a rare gem—a humble, decent, dignified embodiment of humanity and grace. I only recently had the privilege of meeting and knowing him by divine grace and providence. Our relationship began, of all places, through our posts on a Pan-Yoruba social media platform, inspired by our mutual respect for and convergence of perspectives on the Nigerian question and the advancement of Yoruba interests in it. Social media is not always a bad thing; in fact, some life-altering positive relationships can come from it, as it has for me.

    Since then, I have had the privilege of interacting with him via phone calls and text messages, and finally meeting him in person in his simple but elegant home in Bodija. His home was devoid of the obscene opulence often found in the houses of other Nigerians who have occupied even less prestigious political offices. My visit turned out to be a double blessing, as I also had the great privilege of meeting another remarkable leader of our time, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi, with his iconic well-manicured beard and characteristic grace.

    From that occasion and since, I have been deeply enamored by Professor Adeniran’s uncommon humility, simplicity, intellectual depth, approachability, and devotion to God. His humility and simplicity stand out as rare qualities among the Nigerian elite class, especially for someone so stupendously accomplished and globally respected across multiple fields of human endeavor—in academia, politics, diplomacy, and the ministry.

    Today, September 29th, Professor Tunde Adeniran joins the octogenarian class. This is the true definition and testament to God’s amazing grace. Four-score years on earth is no small feat, but to live those years with purpose, principle, and impact is the true measure of greatness. As you celebrate your 80th birthday, Professor Adeniran, I join the multitude of your admirers around the world in saluting not only the length of your days but the extraordinary depth of your contributions to Nigeria, Africa, and the global community.

    From humble beginnings, endowed by your Creator with an inquisitive mind, an insatiable quest for knowledge, and a disciplined pursuit of excellence, you charted a course that blended brilliance in academia with distinction in public service. As a scholar, your erudition in political science elevated discourse and sharpened understanding of democracy, governance, and development. I have personally been inspired by your books, which you generously gifted me during my visit. I regard it as a special privilege that two of my own children are alumni of Columbia University, the same iconic institution from which you also graduated. They feel a sense of pride to share that alma mater with you.

    As a professor, you have shaped countless minds and continue to do so as Professor Emeritus. To the wider intellectual community, you are an icon who has influenced policy and thought. To generations of students, colleagues, and mentees, you were not just a teacher but a model of integrity and intellectual courage.

    In public life, you exemplified that rare breed of scholar-statesman. You demonstrated uncommon patriotism when you left your dream job at the United Nations to serve your country. You are, indeed, a true and inspirational patriot.

    In every office you held, you left a legacy of transformational and innovative leadership, improving each position and leaving without a stain on your reputation. As Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, you represented our nation with dignity, grace, and class, earning the respect of the international community.

    Your tenure as Minister of Education marked a season of reforms anchored on your deep belief that education is the most powerful tool for national transformation. I was delighted that part of your 80th birthday celebration included a colloquium on education—a fitting honor for a man who has contributed so much to Nigeria’s educational advancement. Whether in diplomacy or governance, you have carried yourself with humility, candor, and a firm commitment to the common good.

    Your foray into politics was never about the pursuit of power, fame, or wealth, but about service to humanity and the betterment of our people. You are one of the few who transitioned from the quiet halls of academia into the murky waters of Nigerian politics and returned with your white robe unstained. You remind us that politics, when practiced with conviction, can be an avenue for noble service.

    Beyond your public achievements, your private virtues are even more inspiring. A man of deep faith, you have consistently anchored your life on the unshakable foundation of God’s grace. Your elevation to knighthood by the Methodist Church stands as testament to your lifelong service to God. You are a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and mentor who has touched lives not by position alone but through genuine compassion, empathy, and accessibility. Despite your many accomplishments, your humility remains disarming and your warmth, ever reassuring.

    At 80, your legacy cannot be confined to a single discipline or arena. You are a bridge between academia and governance, diplomacy and grassroots service, scholarship and faith. You have taught us that leadership is not about titles but about impact—not about self-glorification but about service.

    As we celebrate you today, we also celebrate the countless lives you have touched—the students you inspired, the diplomats you influenced, the citizens you empowered, the family you nurtured, and the friends you uplifted. Your shoulders, though slim in appearance, are mighty in strength and dependability. They have carried many, and your life has opened doors for countless others.

    May this 80th milestone be a season of joy, reflection, and fulfillment for you. May your remaining years be filled with peace, health, and the comforting knowledge that you have lived your life with honor and left indelible footprints in the sands of time. May you know no sorrow, nor shed tears over your loved ones. May your years be long and may you live them filled with joy, peace, good health, and the abundance of God’s blessings and grace.

    Happy 80th Birthday, Professor Tunde Adeniran—a teacher of teachers, a diplomat of diplomats, a patriot of patriots, and a statesman of statesmen. To me personally, you are a great mentor, an inspiration, an uncle, and a role model for how to live a life of impact. Your life remains an enduring testimony to the power of knowledge, the beauty of service, and the grace of God.

    With my highest respect, deep love, and affection.

    Adewale Alonge, PhD, Founder & President, Africa Diaspora Partnership for Empowerment and Development. www.adped.org

  • Tinubu jets out of Abuja again

    Tinubu jets out of Abuja again

    President Bola Tinubu arrived in Lagos on Friday for a working visit, as Nigeria prepares for a low-key  65th Independence Anniversary.
    ‎
    ‎This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga on Friday in Abuja.

    ‎
    ‎Tinubu travelled to Lagos after attending the coronation of the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, in Oyo

    State.

    PLEASE READ: Tinubu travel to France: Buhari, Jonathan, Obasanjo – which Nigerian president travel pass?

    ‎
    ‎While in Lagos, the President is expected to engage with key private sector leaders and senior government officials.
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    ‎He will travel to Imo on Tuesday to inaugurate projects executed by Gov. Hope Uzodimma.
    ‎
    ‎As part of the Independence anniversary, the President will also commission the remodelled National Theatre, Lagos, which has been renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and the Creative Arts.

  • Air Peace boosts fleet, receives second Embraer 190 

    Air Peace boosts fleet, receives second Embraer 190 

    Nigeria’s national carrier, Air Peace has taken delivery of its second Embraer 190 aircraft, boosting its fleet and strengthening capacity for domestic and regional operations.

    This was disclosed at a statement signed by the airline’s spokesperson, Mr Efe Osifo-Whiskey, on Friday evening in Lagos.

    The 96-seater jet, with registration mark 5N-CER, landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at exactly 2.42 p.m. on Friday.

    He noted that the airline was also set to welcome additional Embraer units in the coming year.

    “We are delighted to receive our second E190 and expect more next year. Fleet expansion is intentional, aligning with our mission to ease air travel.

    “The Embraer 190 suits domestic and regional operations, ensuring reliable services while enhancing efficiency and passenger experience.

    “The new aircraft reinforces our role in fleet modernisation and regional growth, connecting cities, uniting communities, and contributing to national and continental development,” he said.

    He added that Air Peace planned to unveil new domestic routes, expand international services, and deepen its regional presence.

    It can be recalled that the airline received its first E190 in June, highlighting its strategic investment in modern, right-sized aircraft for Nigeria’s aviation sector. 

  • From zero to net exporter: Nigeria, NLNG reshaping global supply

    From zero to net exporter: Nigeria, NLNG reshaping global supply

    Dr Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director of NLNG, calls for global cooperation to tackle methane emissions and accelerate climate action.

    By: Desmond Ejibas

    For decades, Nigeria has been a key player in the global oil and gas industry, essentially due to its massive reserves as well as exploration and exportation capacity.

    When stakeholders converged recently on Milan, Italy, for the Gastech Exhibition and Conference, it was an opportunity for the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) to present its robust initiatives, including the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in bolstering efficiency.

    At the conference, which attracted more than 50,000 participants from 150 countries, NLNG and NNPCL showcased sweeping reforms, bold strategies, investments, and future ambitions plans designed to sustain the Nigeria’s status as a net exporter of natural gas.

    In its submissions, Nigeria said it was leveraging artificial intelligence, methane abatement, workforce development, and massive investments to reposition it as a global gas powerhouse reshaping global supply chains.

    Mr Olakunle Osobu, Deputy Managing Director of NLNG, told a panel session that AI had become central to operational excellence, safety, and productivity across the company’s infrastructure.

    “With more 10,000 operators and technicians working simultaneously towards a common goal, the use of AI is not only imperative but compulsory.”

    He explained that AI had been embedded into every aspect of NLNG operations, from safety protocols to machine performance, making the company more efficient, agile, and productive.

    “Our standard is to improve everything we do, every day,” he said.

    Highlighting workforce training breakthroughs, Osobu disclosed that AI-driven tools had cut operator training time from up to 12 months to just two or three months, improving productivity and reducing costs.

    According to him, AI optimises equipment management, enables machines to function faster while generating actionable insights that simplify complex decisions.

    He described the shift as “smart work over hard work”.

    READ ALSO: National oil assets: are buccaneers coming? [2]

    Osobu stressed, however, that the company’s technology team regularly reviewed deployments to ensure cost-effectiveness and demand-driven application.

    More so,  Dr Philip Mshelbila, Managing Director of NLNG, called for global cooperation to tackle methane emissions and accelerate climate action.

    Speaking at another panel, Mshelbila described methane as more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, with a 12-year atmospheric lifespan, making its reduction a fast-track climate solution.

    He said fossil fuel emissions arose from coal mining, flaring, venting, fugitive releases, and incomplete combustion, all requiring targeted mitigation strategies.

    Mshelbila identified prevention, detection and measurement, and intervention as the three pillars for combating methane emissions across the energy sector.

    He explained that prevention required designing facilities to minimise leaks, detection relied on advanced monitoring, while intervention focused on reintegrating otherwise wasted gas into systems.

    “NLNG has reduced Nigeria’s gas flaring by more than 40 per cent since inception 26 years ago. Methane is energy, provided it is kept in-pipe.

    “We have invested in detection, measurement, monitoring, and reporting systems to manage methane emissions,” he said.

    Mshelbila said NLNG had joined the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership and was working towards Gold Standard certification, with a new boil-off gas compressor set for inauguration.

    He announced that the company would soon inaugurate a boil-off gas compressor to reintegrate methane that would otherwise be flared.

    According to him, inclusive frameworks, access to finance, and technology-sharing are crucial for smaller operators to adopt advanced methane abatement systems.

    On supply, Mr Nnamdi Anowi, NLNG’s General Manager of Production, said that the company was shifting towards third-party gas sourcing following International Oil Companies’ divestments.

    “Today, 75 per cent of our feed gas comes from third-party suppliers; by October, we expect our second tranche, ensuring adequate supply into 2026 and 2027.”

    Anowi highlighted Africa’s energy poverty, with 60 per cent of the population lacking access, stressing that affordable gas could transform the continent into a global manufacturing hub.

    “What happened in Nigeria when power availability improved can happen across Africa.

    “With energy, industries thrive, jobs are created, and production shifts to the continent.”

    He described Nigeria as a ‘gas-rice nation with largely untapped offshore reserves,’ stressing the importance of infrastructure and investment to unlock them.

    “The Federal Government has rolled out incentives for offshore gas exploration and production.

    “This is where LNG plays a critical role, delivering energy to the parts of Africa that need it most,” Anowi said.

    He confirmed NLNG’s six-train capacity of 22 million tonnes per annum, with Train 7 under construction to expand output by 30 per cent, despite utilisation averaging 60 per cent in recent years.

    Anowi reaffirmed NLNG’s commitment to combating energy poverty and spurring industrial growth in Africa.

    Dr Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, addressed workforce development, citing global projections of 14 million new energy jobs by 2030 and a 60 per cent reskilling need.

    She said NLNG’s graduate trainee and professional programmes were designed to bridge digital, renewable, and sustainability skill gaps while embedding purpose, creativity, and hybrid work flexibility.

    Horsfall explained that trainees underwent structured mentorship, rotations, buddy systems, overseas placements, and innovation-driven initiatives such as hackathons and coding clubs.

    “NLNG’s attrition rate remains lower than industry averages. Our young professionals are motivated and engaged because we deliver on our promises,” she said.

    She added that the company had embedded climate priorities into job descriptions while building ESG leadership capacity from staff to board level.

    At the opening plenary, Mr Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), said Nigeria was targeting 60 billion dollars in fresh investments.

    He said the plan was to raise natural gas production to 12 billion cubic feet per day, and crude oil output from 1.6 million barrels to three million barrels daily by 2030.

    Ojulari highlighted major projects including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline, the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline, and NLNG expansion projects covering Train 7 and future Trains 8 and 9.

    He said Nigeria already supplied 60 per cent of LNG to Portugal and Spain, while driving LPG adoption and a Compressed Natural Gas transition scheme for vehicles and machinery.

    “Geopolitical shifts such as the Russia-Ukraine war have accelerated regional pipeline projects to strengthen energy security; Nigeria is ready to play a central role,” Ojulari said.

    He noted that the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021 had transformed NNPC into a limited liability company, enabling global partnerships and direct funding.

    In addition, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to using its 210 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves to drive industrialisation.

    Ekpo said Train 7 would boost NLNG’s output to 30 million tonnes annually, while Nigeria pursued regional pipelines with Morocco, Algeria, and Equatorial Guinea to expand connectivity.

    “Our natural gas is the bridge to renewables, and the anchor for developing countries like Nigeria to avoid being left behind in the global energy transition,” he said.

    Sen. John Owan, Minister of State for Industry, said Nigeria’s new strategic framework targeted raising industry’s share of GDP from 10 per cent to 25 per cent by 2035.

    He said the framework, validated under President Bola Tinubu, marked a turning point, shifting Nigeria from a resource-based to a productive and innovative economy.

    Owan highlighted Tinubu’s reforms, including petrol subsidy removal and exchange rate unification, which had stabilised markets and attracted new investment interest.

    “Nigeria is more of a gas-based country than an oil country; our energy policy is grounded in resources and long-term development goals,” he said.

    Mr Olalekan Ogunleye, NNPC’s Executive Vice President, said the company was revising Nigeria’s gas master plan to position the country as a sustainable global supplier.

    He cited the Atlantic Gas Pipeline with Morocco to connect 16 African economies, while also supporting gas-based industries to generate jobs and attract investors.

    “This is the best time to invest in Nigeria. Opportunities are vast, and the environment is ready,” Ogunleye said.

    Oil and gas experts say Nigeria’s participation at Gastech 2025 underscores its ambition to emerge as a leading global energy hub.

    Desmond Ejibas writes for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

  • UNGA80: Nigeria, 100 others unveil NDCs climate plan

    UNGA80: Nigeria, 100 others unveil NDCs climate plan

    Nigeria and leaders from 100 other countries have announced a new national climate action plan at a summit on the sidelines of UNGA80 in New York..

    The summit was convened by Secretary-General António Guterres alongside President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva of Brazil, host of the COP30 conference, which will be held in November in the Amazonian city of Belém.

    At the Climate meeting for Heads of State and Government, Vice President Kashim Shettima announced Nigeria’s new National Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

    In a strong show of momentum, major economies – including China, the world’s largest emitter, and Nigeria – unveiled economy-wide targets to slash emissions across all greenhouse gases and sectors, making pledges that signal a more unified push toward deep decarbonization.

    Meanwhile, other nations stepped forward with bold commitments: scaling up renewable energy, cracking down on methane, protecting vital forests, and accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels.

    Together, these announcements mark a turning point in global climate ambition, setting the stage for COP30 and a decade of decisive action.

    At the outset of the summit, leading climate scientists Johan Rockström and Katharine Hayhoe provided a stark assessment of global efforts so far to honour the Paris Agreement, the landmark 2015 treaty that seeks to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

    Ten years on, greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming continue to rise, and annual global temperature change exceeded 1.5 degrees for the first time last year.

    “This is a deep concern,”  Professor Rockström, chief scientist at Conservation International. “An even deeper concern is that warming appears to be accelerating, outpacing emissions.”

    Yet it is still possible to meet the 1.5-degree goal, and the two experts highlighted solutions, including transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy sources and transforming food systems to eliminate waste.

    “We cannot prevent this catastrophe alone. But together, we can. By setting stronger targets, moving on faster timelines, and making deeper commitments,” said Professor Hayhoe, a winner of the 2019 UN Champions of the Earth Prize.

    Under the Paris Agreement, governments are required to submit climate plans called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) laying out bold action for the next decade.

    The treaty has made a difference, the Secretary-General said, as projected global temperature rise dropped from four degrees to less than three over the past 10 years, if current plans are fully implemented.

    “Now, we need new plans for 2035 that go much further, and much faster,” he said.

    “Delivering dramatic emissions cuts aligned with 1.5 degrees; covering all emissions and sectors; and accelerating a just energy transition globally.”

    He stressed that COP30 “must conclude with a credible global response plan to get us on track” and outlined five crucial areas for action: accelerating the transition to clean energy, drastically cutting methane gas emissions, forest conservation, cutting emissions from heavy industry, and ensuring climate justice for developing nations.

    With just a few weeks until COP30, President Lula wondered “whether the world will arrive in Belém with its homework done.”

    He said that “the energy transition opens the door to a productive and technological transformation comparable to the Industrial Revolution” and NDCs “are the road map that will guide each country through this change.”

    For its part, Brazil has committed to reducing all greenhouse gas emissions between 59 per cent and 67 per cent, covering all sectors of the economy, he said, and continues efforts to end deforestation by 2030.

    At the meeting, President Xi Jinping of China announced that by 2035, the country will reduce economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by seven to 10 per cent from peak levels.

    The country will also increase the share of non-fossil fuels in total energy consumption to over 30 per cent, expand wind and solar power capacity sixfold compared to 2020 levels, and make “new energy vehicles” the mainstream in new vehicle sales, he said in a video message.

    Meanwhile, “the clean transition is moving on” in the European Union, where emissions are down nearly 40 per cent since 1990, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

    European countries are also “doubling down on global partnerships” and will remain the world’s largest providers of climate finance, she said, while also mobilizing up to 300 billion Euros to support the clean energy transition worldwide.

    For Belize, the 1.5-degree goal “is not an aspiration” but “a threshold between hope and hardship, between flourishing communities and forced displacement, between shared prosperity and irreversible loss,” Prime Minister Johnny Briceño, said.

    Its new NDC covers concrete actions, such as expanding renewable electricity generation to cover 80 per cent of domestic needs by 2035, restoring some 25,000 hectares of degraded forest, and planting a million trees over the next three years.

    “But let me be clear, ambition can only succeed if matched by support for small climate vulnerable nations like Belize.

    “This means scaled up, predictable finance; accessible technology and genuine partnerships,” he said, noting that “success depends on all of us acting with unprecedented urgency, solidarity and climate justice.”

  • “Osamede,” a Nollywood  historical hits  cinemas, Oct. 17

    “Osamede,” a Nollywood  historical hits  cinemas, Oct. 17

    “Osamede”, a historical epic film by Ivie Okujaye, is set for cinema release nationwide on Oct. 17.

    The ace filmmaker and actress made the announcement in a post on her verified Instagram page.

    The post reads: “The beauty of culture lies in what our ancestors left us!”

    “Osamede comes from the heart of the Benin Kingdom, a story about a young woman who dares to change everything, drawing strength from the legacy of her people”.

    “#Osamede The movie is coming to cinemas nationwide Oct. 17, “she said.

    Produced by Lilian Olubi under Gold lilies Global services, “Osamede” is directed by AMVCA winning filmmaker James Omokwe.

    It features ace Nollywood stars, including Ivie Okujaye in the lead role, alongside Lexan Aisosa Peters, William Benson and  Tosin Adeyemi.

    Others are  Etinosa Idemudia and veteran filmmaker Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, among others.

    Shot in Benin City, reflecting traditions of the ancient Benin empire,‘Osamede’ explores themes of resilience, identity, female empowerment, and historical legacy.

    The plot tells the story of Osamede, an orphaned girl who discovers she holds the mystical power of the Aruosa stone, a sacred object believed to have been bestowed by ‘Osanobua’.

    The epic film is set against the backdrop of the 1897 British invasion of the Benin kingdom, bending themes of resistance, betrayal, and supernatural destiny.

    ‘Osamede’ had its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Market on May 17, at the Pavillion Afriques section of the festival.

    It has also screened at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival (SVAFF), where it was extoled for its attempt to reclaim African mythology while retelling a pivotal moment in Nigerian history.

    With its October release, ‘Osamede’ is expected to spark renewed conversation around the representation of African history in cinema and the global rise of Nollywood’s storytelling power.