AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG has asked the President and General Secretary of the parent body to concentrate their energies on redeeming their battered image and putting an end to the lingering crisis in the union instead of making capital out of the misfortunes of oil and gas workers who were involved in the helicopter crash last week.

A 79 years old elder, Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack in the Port Harcourt Zone of PTD gave the charge in a statement issued Sunday evening in Abuja.

It was widely published that the unfortunate incident occurred at 11:22 a.m along the waterways in Port Harcourt on Thursday, October 24, 2024 when the helicopter, a Sikorsky SK76 with registration 5NBQG and operated by East Wind Aviation, took off from Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the FPSO – NUIMS ANTAN oil rig. A total of eight persons were on board, but were all feared dead. 

Dagogo-Jack statement reads; “I was in far away Spain to see my dentist when my personal assistant sent me a press release from NUPENG wherein the leadership of the Union commiserate with the families of oil and gas workers who lost their lives in an helicopter crash on Thursday in Port Harcourt. 

There is nothing wrong in that and as an individual who believes in the sanctity of life, I solemnly say may the souls of the departed continue to rest in perfect peace.

“However what is expected of NUPENG’S General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi and the President, Williams Akporeha is to jointly concentrate on how to unite the union, especially PTD which is the only viable and surviving Branch; they should fix the cracks within it and drop all cases in court and allow a fresh breathe by bestoring leadership legitimacy on Comrade Lucky Osesua, Comrade Dayyabu Garga, Comrade (Chief) Peter Moudebelu (Onwa), Comrade Dr Humble Obinna Power and others.

This will ultimately restore sanity in the Union and bring about progress and prosperity and that is the popular opinion of all the members and the elders in the Union. If NUPENG’s leadership can swallow their pride and do this, their lost integrity, honour and dignity would be fully restored.

“Issuing press releases and statements and attempting to make capital out of every event and situation in the country which has no bearing with the union’s philosophy or interest would do them no good, it is purely a misplaced priority.

For example the victims of the helicopter crash were all PENGASSAN members; and that well organized union, has responded appropriately. NUPENG has done nothing to uphold and defend the rights of its members who have been subjected to humiliation, casualization and servitude in the oil and gas industry, but NUPENG is always quick to make public appearances on TV and making paid adverts on newspapers, on inconsequential matters and abandoning serious issues that have direct bearing on the lives and livelihoods of their members who are paying check-off-dues.

“Within NUPENG, many staff members have been sacked through trump up charges, some were set up, many branches are completely destroyed, no cohesion, no policy direction, no standard no principles, all the legacies of the union’s founding fathers are totally ruined by one man. It is also on record that the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale is always changing the Collective Bargaining Agreement of the staff, as well as the bye laws and the constitution of the union to suit his selfish and unholy narratives. What happened to integrity? What happened to moral rectitude? Running a Union as big as NUPENG as private estate is very ridiculous to say the least.

“It is, however, on record that Afolabi has no regard for the basic norms of human conduct. He lacks any self-awareness or self-scrutiny. He seems beyond embarrassment.

The only moral and social compass he follows is his own false and fraudulent ideas about what is appropriate and inappropriate, shameful or deceitful.
 “I have said it before and will repeat it again that Afolabi has shown himself to be the brightest bulb in the box, criticising others but lacking the capacity to stomach criticism so as to put him on the right track, that is not leadership.

So those who are associating themselves with him should have a re-think such that they would not soil their integrity and credibility in the eyes of the public, judiciary, law enforcement agencies and other industry stakeholders who are watching with keen attention and interest. May God restore stability and progress in PTD.”

Dangote backs Tinubu’s CNG drive, invests over $280m in trucks, infrastructure

… becomes the largest operator of CNG trucks in Nigeria

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

In a demonstration of its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s CNG Initiative, which aims to provide cheaper and cleaner fuelling alternatives for all Nigerians, Dangote Cement Plc has made significant investments exceeding $280 million in compressed natural gas (CNG) technology and infrastructure.  

President Tinubu, whose commitment to CNG deployment and clean energy is unmatched in Africa, has maintained his administration’s drive to create a conducive environment for private sector investments and expand Nigeria’s CNG infrastructure to enhance energy efficiency and drive economic growth. As part of this initiative, he ordered the distribution of 1 million free CNG conversion kits for commercial vehicles involved in transporting people, food, and goods. 

At a recent event, the President emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to utilise its vast natural gas resources in the transportation sector. He stated that CNG transportation is an economic necessity for Nigeria, signalling a significant shift in the country’s approach to public transportation and energy use.

“Utilising natural gas to power Nigeria’s transportation industry is the next way to go,” he stated. 

On its part, the Dangote Cement said the over $280m investment not only solidifies its leadership in the CNG sector but also reflects its dedication to mitigating climate change and supporting a transition to a low-carbon economy.

Arvind Pathak, the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, said the investment aims to acquire 100% CNG trucks as part of a long-term plan to transition its entire fleet to CNG.  

This move marks a significant milestone in Dangote’s clean energy transition, with the objective of operating most of its fleet on CNG by mid-2026. As at October, the company has received its first batch of 1,500 mono-fuel CNG trucks while expecting additional 1,600 CNG trucks; totalling 3,100 before the end of the year. 

Pathak stated, “By mid- 2026, Dangote Cement aims to operate a fleet predominantly powered by CNG. To facilitate this transformation, we are investing in expanding our CNG fuelling infrastructure, ensuring that our growing fleet has reliable access to CNG as our fuel.” He said plans are afoot to aggressively pursue this timeline of deployment, beginning from the first quarter of 2025. “We are keeping our eyes on the ball to ensure that we do not miss our target dates of full compliance”, he added. 

Pathak said that the company’s CNG infrastructure investments have positively influenced Nigeria’s transition to cleaner fuels. He added that the CNG station at Obajana, capable of refuelling over 3,000 trucks, exemplifies this commitment, with a second station currently under development in Ibese to further support fleet operations. 

President/Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said the company’s investments in CNG are also in line with Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, which aims for net-zero emissions by 2060.  

“In this pursuit of transition to clean energy, we are optimistic of a remarkable accomplishment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as he has taken the lead in the nation’s drive towards energy efficiency. This presupposes private sector intervention to support this noble idea initiated by the President,” Dangote added. 

He noted that the company’s early adoption of CNG has made it the largest operator of CNG trucks in Nigeria, emphasising that the initiative is a boost to President Tinubu’s quest towards enhancing the nation’s energy independence and contributing to a more secure energy future.

  According to him: “We are now using CNG vehicles, especially with the new policy of the Federal Government, launched under the Renewed Hope Agenda by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We are committed to a cleaner and greener future.”

NCDMB to Sponsor New R&D Projects, as Triple Helix Nigeria Unveils Vision

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has signaled plans to support new research and development projects as part of its Technology Innovation and Incubation Strategy and the enduring commitment to catalyze innovation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and linkage sectors.

The new R&D projects will add to the 14 applied research projects NCDMB currently sponsors at various stages of technological readiness, one shining example being the Amal Technology, which manufactures gas leak detection devices and printed circuit board at Abuja.

The Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe hinted this in the keynote address he delivered at the 2024 edition of the Triple Helix Nigeria SciBiz Conference in Abuja, attended by industry representatives, researchers from knowledge institutions and policymakers, with theme “Integrating Research, Innovation, and Policy: Triple Helix Pathway to Research Commercialisation.”He described research and innovation as the lifeblood of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon industry, adding that NCDMB has consistently applied local content development to enhance research and commercialisation of innovative solutions for the country’s oil and gas sector.

This way, it hopes “to accelerate the circle of innovation and wealth creation by fostering partnerships between universities, research institutions, and industry players.”Represented by the General Manager Research and Statistics, Mr. Silas Ajimajaye, the Executive Secretary charged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of innovation and work together to build a future where research and development are at the forefront of the national agenda.

According to him, “Creating an ecosystem where research, innovation and policy can interact has never been more critical as we steer through the complexities of the 21st Century,” noting that “the Triple Helix Model of academia, industry, and government collaboration is an appropriate international business framework that adds to our strength of innovation and ensures that all efforts go into fuelling the grand old aim – National Development.”

He further disclosed that “the $50 million Nigerian Content Research and Development Fund was created by the Board in 2020 from the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF), and was designed to provide much-needed research funds in the oil and gas R&D space.”

The President, Triple Helix Nigeria, Alhaji Abdulmalik Halilu, in his presentation, said the THN, whose membership has grown from an initial 12 founding members to 240, realises the fact that research and innovation have fuelled human and societal development and that the body seeks to catalyse enterprises so oriented.According to him, THN is committed to foster value creation in the Nigerian economy in line with local content philosophy of looking inwards, promote the development of technology skillsets required to solve African problems by Africans, promote strong advocacy platform for building research capabilities in knowledge institutions, and foster structured partnerships between industry and research community, to attract research-based funding in the direction of Africa-based researchers.On the organisation’s vision, Halilu who is Director, Monitoring and Evaluation at the NCDMB, revealed that “Triple Helix Nigeria seeks to inspire at least 10 knowledge institutions to accelerate innovation and have at least 10% equity in 10 listed companies in the next 10 years.” Speaking further, Halilu canvassed that the role of universities in this era was no longer confined to the education of minds or the advancement of theoretical knowledge, instead, they must play a central role in the commercialization of research, turning knowledge into tangible products that drive economic growth.

He added that “the transition from education through research to commercialization heralded an evolving frontier where academia, industry, and government collaborate under the Triple Helix model to ensure research transcends the boundaries of laboratories and classrooms, to solving real-world problems and fostering economic prosperity.”Earlier in a welcome address, the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Conference, Professor Eucharia Oluchi Nwaichi, said her members were “so joyous to witness 156 authors submitting 47 high-quality papers on various subjects that directly contribute to the theme of this Conference – “Integrating Research, Innovation, and Policy: Triple Helix Pathway to Research Commercialisation.”She expressed her confidence that “together, we can build a robust ecosystem where research meets industry, innovation drives policy, and Nigeria rises as a global leader in science, technology, and innovation.”

The 2024 Triple Helix Nigeria SciBiz Conference 2024, held from October 23 to 25.