Connect with us

Oil & Gas

NNPC Tasks Graduate Trainees on Oil Sector Development

Published

on

Malam Mele Kyari
Share

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has urged the newly recruited Graduate Trainees (GTs) to join hands with other staff in building the corporation to become the National Oil Company (NOC) of choice, urging them to go the extra mile to achieving extraordinary results.

Mallam Kyari made the call during a virtual platform session with the 1,050 GTs recently.


The 1,050 GTs were newly recruited by the corporation as part of their onboarding programme.

The Federal Government COVID-19 guidelines limited physical contacts necessitating that the onboarding session held virtually.

The GMD charged the newly recruited employees of the corporation to come up with out-of-the-box ideas and help NNPC deliver on its mandate of crude oil exploration, refining, marketing, supplying and distribution of petroleum products as a key enabler of the national economy.

“This is a company you will love to work for. But more than that, you will stay here and build a very fulfilling career. I have been around here for 29 years, and I have enjoyed every moment of it,” Mallam Kyari enthused.

He assured the GTs of top management support, describing them as excellent minds that represent the future of the NNPC, adding that the corporation believed in promoting gender equality.

“From top down of the corporation, gender inclusiveness is reflected”, Mallam Kyari stated.

He urged the newly employed staff to uphold the NNPC core values of respect for the Individual, Integrity, Transparency, Accountability and Professional Excellence, assuring that the corporation was committed to their career growth and development.

Responding on behalf of the Graduate Trainees, Safula Karanga from Gombe State, commended the GMD for the strong leadership he has provided for the corporation through the completion of the recruitment process and the several medical interventions to the 36 states of the Federation to combat the novel Coronavirus pandemic.

Oluwatobi Ayo Yusuf from Lagos thanked the NNPC for the vision of providing a level playing field for all the participants in the recruitment process, describing it as the most fair and transparent recruitment that he has ever participated in in Nigeria.

On his part, Onianwa Vin-Kingsley described the NNPC’s recruitment process as remarkable, urging other private and government institutions to always take a cue from the National Oil Company in order to inspire confidence in Nigerian youths that are the leaders of tomorrow.

Speaking also, Onyeulo Ikenna, a first-class graduate of Chemical Engineering, stated that despite the rigorous online application for the NNPC job which almost deterred him from applying, he was impressed that he was employed without knowing any godfather anywhere.

Enyi Ada, from Port Harcourt in Rivers State said her NNPC journey disappointed all her negativity about how recruitment processes were conducted in Nigeria, saying despite Coronavirus pandemic, the NNPC was able to conclude the process seamlessly.

She said: “We are a special people who have been onboarded at a challenging times like thi”.

For Bolarinwa Simeon, a Civil Engineer, sounding philosophical, said life was willing to give you whatever you want and noted that the entire NNPC recruitment process was transparent and credible from the computer-based test to the interview.

Suleiman Mahmud said his journey to NNPC was miraculous as he applied on the last day of the submission of application and after receiving his offer of appointment his sick mother recovered from her age long ailment miraculously.

Oil & Gas

FG Inaugurates Committee to Enhance Gas Distribution in Urban Buildings

Published

on

Share

The Ministry of Petroleum Resources has inaugurated a Technical Working Group to enhance gas reticulation practices in Nigeria’s building industry.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Amb. Nicholas Ella inaugurated the Technical Working Group (TWG) between the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) on Wednesday.

Reports= says that reticulation refers to the process of creating a network of pipes or tubes to distribute gas or other utilities to buildings or industrial sites.

The permanent secretary restated the importance of creating energy smart cities, saying that modern urban development relies on efficient gas and utility distribution systems,

“Most modern cities in developed countries have evolved to energy smart cities where energy, specifically gas and other utilities are piped to districts and estates.

“However, one of the key tools in creating energy smart city is the National Building
Code which, in essence, sets the guidelines on Building Pre-design, designs, construction and post-construction stages,” he said.

The permanent secretary reiterated the benefits of reticulated gas systems for households and businesses alike, adding that it ensured metered supply akin to water and electricity,

According to him, it eliminates the need for cumbersome refills, and also enhances safety by burying pipes and incorporating advanced safety equipments.

“The TWG is tasked with designing a comprehensive policy to implement best practices for gas reticulation using LPG, PNG, and Bio-Gas across Nigeria’s building sector.

“Key responsibilities include reviewing the current National Building Code, examining global gas distribution systems, and proposing quality standards for materials used in gas installations,” he said.

The permanent secretary emphasised the need for rigorous safety protocols and guidelines to ensure the efficient and safe use of gas in construction.

He urged the group to prioritise environmental sustainability in its recommendations, adding that the group is expected to submit its report by Nov. 15.

Earlier, Mr Samson Opaliwah, the Chairman of CORBON. expressed the council’s commitment to collaborate with the group to ensure safe uptake of gas for use in houses and housing estates in Nigeria.

“I assure you of the williness of CORBON to leverage the expertise and resources at her disposal to ensure that steps are put in place for gas infrastructure in buildings and estates.

“The gas infrastructure will be safe, sustainable and world-class.

” Our collective efforts will yield clear, standardised guidelines for safe and effective gas systems in buildings, matched with a skilled workforce to meet growing demands in Nigeria,” he said. (NAN)

Continue Reading

Oil & Gas

Utilise Oil, Gas Industry Report as Tool for Public Debate – NEITI

Published

on

Share

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has urged stakeholders to utilise its 2022/2023 oil and gas report for civic engagement, constructive dialogue, and public debate.

Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, made the call at the report’s public presentation on Thursday in Abuja.

The report was unveiled by Mr Ola Olukoyede, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside Sen.

George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, NSWG, NEITI and other dignitaries.

Orji emphasised the report’s significance in guiding policy, encouraging public debate, and improving governance in natural resource management.

He highlighted the report’s comprehensive data on revenues, governance structures, operations, and compliance within the oil and gas sector.

Speaking at the public presentation of the report, Akume reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency principles.

Olukoyede pledged to investigate the report’s findings and recommendations, noting that NEITI’s previous reports led to the recovery of over N1 billion.

The report is available on NEITI’s website, providing valuable insights into the sector’s performance and challenges.

The presentation was attended by Chairmen of National Assembly Committees, captains of industries, members of diplomatic missions, development partners, civil society organisations and the media. (NAN)

Continue Reading

Business Analysis

A Peep Into Dangote’s Refinery, The World’s Engineering Wonder

Published

on

Share

By Cletus Akwaya

Call it Dangote Republic and you would not be wrong, for that is what it means in real sense.

The ultra-modern Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical complex located at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos is the World’s Engineering wonder.

A guided tour for top Media executives in the country  by the President,  Dangote Industries Group himself, Alhaji Aliko Dangote on July 14, provided a rare privilege and opportunity to appreciate the project that has emerged as the World’s largest  single train petroleum refinery.

Dangote, the Kano-born business mogul and Africa’s richest man, whose vision for the industrial transformation of Nigeria led to the initiation of this project is certainly a fulfilled person, having accomplished such a gargantuan task in the spelt of just about 10 years.

The refinery, which is  built and equipped with the latest technology in the industry. It is a behemoth sitting on a huge land space of 2, 735 hectares, approximately seven times, the size of Victoria Island, the octane section of Lagos, which has become the abode for the very rich in the nation’s commercial nerve – centre over the decades.

The land was provided by the Lagos state government after the payment of $100million dollars by the Dangote Group as cost of the land.

The edifice didn’t come easy as the engineers had to reclaim 65million cubic metres of sand  through dredging of the Atlantic coastline to pave way for the construction of the refinery and its accompanying facilities especially the Jetty.

The Dangote refinery is not a stand-alone project as it has a coterie of associated industries and infrastructure making it a self-reliant complex.

For instance, the company has a fully developed port (jetty)for maritime operations for both in-take of crude and discharge of refined products. This perfectly compliments the huge pipeline network that lands into the Atlantic for intake of crude and loading of refined products to ships.  Its Jetty, which stretches 9KM into the international waters in the Atlantic Ocean and 12.5 KM from the refinery is perhaps one of the most modern in the world built with sand piles that shield the final landing points from the violent oceanic waves, thus providing for safety and stability of ships, barges and oil tankers.

The complex is accessed by 200KM network of concrete under-lay and well asphalted road network to ease vehicular traffic. The refinery has its dedicated steam and power generation system with standby units to adequately support operations of the various plants in the complex.

 It has successfully completed a 435 MW power generating plant for its operations. The power generated from this plant surpasses the entire distribution capacity of Ibadan Electricity Distribution company, which supplies electricity to five states of the Federation including Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara.

The Dangote refinery with a capacity of 650,000 bpd of crude oil is designed to handle the crude from many of the African countries, the Middle East and the US light crude. Its petrochemical plant is designed to produce 77 different high-performance grades of polypropylene, which is the major raw material for numerous industries and other refineries. With a huge refining capacity, Alhaji Dangote said the products from the refinery company would easily meet 100 per cent the needs of  Nigeria’s demand for gasoline, diesel, Petrol and Aviation Jet with 56 per cent surplus for export, from which the company projects to earn a princely $25billion  per annum from 2025.

The company has facility to load 2,900 trucks with its various products in a day by land and millions of litres of products through the waters depending on where the orders come from. The $25million projected revenue in 2025 could translate to a huge relieve for the nation in dire need of foreign earnings to shore-up the value of the nation’s currency.

The associated industry, the Dangote Fertilizers Limited also situated in the complex utilises the raw materials from petrochemicals to produce different varieties of fertilzers especially Urea, NPK and Amonia grades of fertilizers. Apart from the local market, Dangote is already exporting its fertilizers to other countries including Mexico, a testament to its high quality that meets world standards.

This feta,  the President of Dangote industries explained was possible because of the high quality, the company has opted to pursue. In between the refinery and the fertilizers complex lies a 50,000 housing estate, which provided accommodation for the construction workers at the time of construction especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020, when workers remained encamped on the project site to continue with the work.

What stands out the Dangote Refinery is perhaps not in its sheer size and capacity but in the fact that  it is  perhaps the only of such projects whose Engineering, Procurement and construction(EPC) was done directly by the company without engaging the world renowned refinery constriction companies  like Technip Bechtel (USA)Technip (France)Aker Solutions (Norway)Chiyoda Corporation (Japan)SNC-Lavalin Group (Canada)J. Ray McDermott (USA)JGC Corporation (Japan)Hyundai Heavy Industries (South Korea)Foster Wheeler (USA) and Daelim Industrial Company (South Korea)

“The design of the refinery was handled by dozens of Engineers and technical experts assembled in India and Houston, Texas, USA to execute engineering designs of the refinery,” said Edwin Kumar, the Executive vice President, Oil and Gas for the Dangote Group who midwifed  the birth of the refinery complex.

“We didn’t give out contracts to anybody, we bought every single bolt and equipment ourselves and had it shipped into the country,” Dangote explained to his guests.

Part of the equipment imported into the country was the procurement of over 3,000 cranes to handle the evacuation of huge consignments of machinery from the wharf and for subsequent installation at the construction site. The cranes have become an unusual assemblage of such equipment to be found in one place on the African continent.

If there was any doubt that Alhaji Aliko Dangote is Africa’s richest man, the successful completion of the refinery and petrochemical complex at the cost of about $20billion has further confirmed his status as Africa’s leading businessman and entrepreneur.

However, Dangote does not really accept that he is the richest man on the continent,
“When you are rich, you accumulate cash, but when you  wealthy, you create wealth” he told the top Media executives on tour of the huge project, explaining that he would rather  prefer to be referred to as a “Wealthy man.”

And consistent with his business philosophy, Dangote hinted of plans to list the refinery on the Nation’s stock exchange by the first quarter of 2025. His vision is to avail the public of 20 per cent of the shares so as to ensure participation by Nigerians and even international portfolio investors.

The refinery company and the entire of Dangote Group at the moment provides direct employment to about 20,000 Nigerians and much indirect jobs to Nigerians, making it the highest employer of labour outside the government.

Most interestingly, the highly technical operations of Dangote refinery is operated by over 70 per cent of local manpower who work in the refinery control, centre, the numerous production and quality control laboratories among others. Some of the staff who explained their tasks to the visiting media executives said they were graduates of Engineering and allied disciplines recruited mostly from Nigerian universities and trained in various institutions abroad for periods ranging from sixth months – one year to master refinery operations. Through this strategy, Dangote has ensured transfer of technology to thousands of Nigerian youths.

“We don’t  know where they come from as long as they are Nigerians and if they decide to leave and join international oil companies for better job opportunities, we have no problem with that,” Dangote responded to a question on the strategy to retain the technical manpower for stability of the refinery’s operations.

The Dangote Refinery is a Republic of some kind,  at least an economic or industrial Republic.

But the man who presides over this ‘industrial empire’, Alhaji Dangote says his only ambition is to boot the nation’s economy and ensure netter life for Nigerians.

“When you import any product into Nigeria, you are importing poverty and exporting our jobs to those countries from where you are importing” Dangote said  adding “this is why I want economic nationalism in Nigeria.”

Dangote’s vision even goes beyond Nigeria as he has cement factories and other business concerns in about 13 African countries including Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, etc. This signifies his continent-wide  dream to transform Africa’s economies.

There has been attempts by some international oil companies to frustrate the successful take-off of the refinery, through over pricing and in some instances outright  denial of crude supplies for processing. This made Dangote to commence importation of crude from the US. However, the cheering news that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has finally approved a supply arrangement has raised hopes that full operations will commence and that the long-awaited Dangote oil products will reach consumers around the country from August.

At last, the Dangote Group may have achieved its objective to serve as the elixir to Nigeria’s industrialisation effort. This is perhaps the greatest legacy of Africa’s richest man to his country of birth.

Continue Reading

Read Our ePaper

Top Stories

NEWS2 hours ago

Abuja Stampede: CAN Mourns

ShareBy Laide Akinboade, Abuja The National Leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) at the weekend, said it is...

NEWS2 hours ago

Benue unveils Zeva Premium Lager Beer

Share The Benue Government on Sunday unveiled a new beverage, Zeva Premium Lager Beer, produced by Benue Investment and Property...

NEWS2 hours ago

NAFDAC, Manufacturers Collaborate to Strengthen Food Safety Culture in Nigeria

Share The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has partnered with the Association of Food, Beverages,...

NEWS2 hours ago

CHAN: Nigeria, Ghana Clash Ends in Goalless Draw

ShareThe Nigeria, Ghana final qualifying fixture in the race to next year’s African Nations Championship ends a goalless draw in...

NEWS2 hours ago

FG Lifts Ban on Mining to Boost Zamfara IGR – Minister

Share Alhaji Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, says President Bola Tinubu has lifted the ban on mining in...

NEWS2 hours ago

Kaduna’ll be Secure During Yuletide-CP

Share The Police Command in Kaduna State said it  has enhanced security measures ahead of the yuletide festivities in the state....

NEWS2 hours ago

IG Visits Family of Man Who Died in Police Custody in Ilorin 

ShareThe Inspector-General (IG) of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Sunday paid an unscheduled visit to Ilorin in view of the death...

NEWS2 hours ago

2024 was Turbulent for us But God Strengthened us, Makinde Says

ShareGov. Seyi Makinde on Sunday in Ibadan said God’s intervention helped the government and people of Oyo State to go...

SPORTS2 hours ago

NPFL: Late Penalty Kick Helps Kwara United to Narrow Win

ShareA penalty kick awarded late in the game on Sunday helped hosts Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin to a...

Missing N500bn: Probe CBN, Falana, Others Tell PMB Missing N500bn: Probe CBN, Falana, Others Tell PMB
POLITICS2 hours ago

Poverty, Behind Deadly Stampedes Across Nigeria, says Falana

ShareBy Mike Odiakose, Abuja Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, on Sunday attributed the deadly stampede that claimedmore than 105...

Copyright © 2021 Daily Asset Limited | Powered by ObajeSoft Inc