The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) held its head high as it commenced activities for the week following commendation from President Muhammadu Buhari for rallying shareholders to make Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) a company to reckon with.

Buhari who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources gave the commendation at the groundbreaking of the NLNG Train 7.

He said that the NLNG had always been associated with success and had become a global company.

“The NLNG Train 7 represents another historic milestone in the history of NLNG. NLNG story has been associated with success,” he said.

The president also said that the NLNG had contributed 114billion dollars in taxes to Nigeria, and tthat with NLNG Train 7, there would be more jobs that would touch the lives of everyone particularly the host community.

He expressed joy how the NLNG had transformed from just a project to a very successful company in about 30 years.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, urged all shareholders to work hard to ensure the successful completion of the project which he said would boost government’s efforts to make Nigeria a fully industrialised nation.

Sylva also said the project would help the nation’s gas development aspiration.

Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director (GMD), NNPC, said at the groundbreaking that there was consensus among shareholders and board members to take the next step towards providing additional capacity which should be greater than what was on ground.

The NNPC GMD thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his quick intervention which ensured the eradication of all pre-existing stumbling blocks on the path of NLNG Train 7 project.

Also in the week under review, Minister of State for Petroleum, Sylva commended President Buhari at a ceremony to mark the execution of Shareholders Agreement between the NNPC, the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Zed Energy.

The agreement signed was for the establishment of a 50 million litres of Petroleum Products Terminal in Brass, Bayelsa State, for his giant strides in the Niger Delta which were making huge impact on the people of the area.

Sylva said the N10.5 billion Brass Petroleum Products Terminal project was expected to deliver an automated 50-million-litre depot with two-way product jetty and an automated loading bay.

He added that the project would deliver six automated tanks for storage of 30 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 20 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) as well as Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK).

Speaking after signing the agreement, Kyari, NNPC GMD, said the Corporation was proud to be part of the project which aside ensuring products availability in all nooks and crannies of Niger Delta would also guarantee the nation’s energy security.

Kyari also said the project would generate employment.

The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Simbi Wabote said the milestone recorded was as a result of strong interagency collaboration and public-private sector partnership.

“The NCDMB will continue to drive such partnerships across the industry to bring development in Nigeria,” he noted.

Earlier, the Coordinator of the Project and Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr Bala Wunti stated that the project would enhance the economics of marine petroleum products distribution.

Still in the Week under review, the NNPC GMD, Kyari expressed delight at lawmakers’ readiness to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before the end of June 2021, to bring fiscal stability to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

Kyari said the passage of the bill would help to address a litany of challenges facing the nation’s oil and gas industry, noting that it was a piece of legislation that would change the fortunes of Nigeria’s economy.

He added that Nigeria, as a hydrocarbon resource dependent nation required much revenue from today’s oil to develop gas infrastructure for its energy transition.

On revenue generation, the House of Representatives Committee on Upstream expressed its readiness to continue to forge closer ties with the NNPC in order to grow the nation’s revenue for the interest of all Nigerians.

Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Musa Adar, made this known during an oversight visit of the Committee to one of NNPC’s Corporate Services Unit, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) in Lagos.

He commended NAPIMS for the cordial working relationship and assured that the Committee would sustain the visit to foster development of the country.

Mr Bala Wunti, Group General Manager, NAPIMS, assured that the Corporation would work with the National Assembly and all other relevant stakeholders to ensure that her operations remained visible to all.

Wunti said this would be achieved in line with the current management Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) drive.

In the meantime, Mrs Betty Ugona, Chief Innovation Officer, Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) a corporate services unit of the NNPC said that energy transition remained key to the Corporation’s sustainable business approach.

Ugona identified energy transition as viable and sustainable business approach for the NNPC in its strategic business plans in order to remain a going concern.

She said the Corporation established the Business Unit of RTI in March 2020 in order to remain relevant and competitive in the global energy mix.

She also explained that RTI was spearheading the drive by the NNPC to reposition itself as an energy company of global excellence through its core aspects of Research, Business efficiency and innovation.

Also in the week under review, the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD), Sir Billy Okoye, and the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Engr. Ahmed Dikko, were honoured by the Democracy Heroes Award Africa.

While Sir Okoye was honoured with the Best Administrator of the Year Award, Engr. Dikko was honoured with the Most Innovative Public Servant of the Year Award.

The honour bestowed on them at the group’s 9th edition of the awards aimed was for the various outstanding roles they played in the growth of the oil and gas sector and the country.

It was also to recognise Nigerians, who have contributed immensely to the sustenance of the nation’s democracy,

Receiving the award Okoye advocated the culture of having firm belief in the Nigerian project, saying, “Nigeria is a great country and as Nigerians, we must make this country greater”.

On his part, the Managing Director of PHRC, Dikko, expressed delight for being the winner of “Most Innovative Public Servant of the Year Award”.

He said that the award would spur his team to put in more effort towards delivering the Port Harcourt Refinery rehabilitation project in good time.

Commenting on criteria of selection, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Democracy Heroes Award Africa, Mr Olufunso Ajagbonna, pointed out that the honour was based on merit through public votes.

The NNPC Advance Leadership Programme Class 094 lifted School of the Blind in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with Braille Machine, Typewriters and Food items as part of its Cooperate Social Responsibility.

Mr Akpan Nkereuwem, President of the class, said the class was able to locate the FCT School of the Blind and found it deserving of the token of support because the Class 094 was also known as “The Eagle”.

Some members of the class also gave monetary donations to support one of the students, Lucky Pastor, who authored a book entitled “Braving the Storm: Rebranding the Mind”.

The headmistress of the school, Mrs Rose Uganden, thanked members of the Class for their generous donations to the school and urged them to continue to support the children.

A member of the class, Mr. Ogbonnaya Kalu spoke on their behalf.

The head boy of the school, Joseph David, also expressed gratitude to “The Eagles” for their kind gesture.

What you need to know about NLNGThe Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited was established in 1989 and did her first shipment abroad in 1999.

It has contributed 114 billion taxes to the Nation’s economy.

The NLNG Train 7 will attract 12 billion dollars Foreign Direct Investment and will create 10,000 jobs.

It will also help the Local content capacity development as 55 per cent of the project needed will be done locally in Nigeria and 49 per cent of installation will also happen in Nigeria.

It is the most successful business model in Africa.