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Ethiopia: Dams, Plantations Threat to Kenyans

Published

9 years ago

14/02/2017

By Dipo Olowookere

Dropping water levels in Kenya’s Lake Turkana following the development of dams and plantations in Ethiopia’s lower Omo Valley threaten the livelihoods of half a million indigenous people in Ethiopia and Kenya, Human Rights Watch said today.

Based on publicly available data from the United States Department of Agriculture, Lake Turkana’s water levels have dropped by approximately 1.5 meters since January 2015, and further reduction is likely without urgent efforts to mitigate the impact of Ethiopia’s actions.

Human Rights Watch research based on satellite imagery shows that the drop is already affecting the shoreline of the lake, which has receded as much as 1.7 kilometers in Ferguson Gulf since November 2014. The Gulf is a critical fish breeding area, and a key fishing ground for the indigenous Turkana people.

“The predicted drop in the lake levels will seriously affect food supplies in the Omo Valley and Lake Turkana, which provide the livelihoods for half a million people in both Kenya and Ethiopia,” said Felix Horne, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The Ethiopian government’s moves to develop its resources should not endanger the survival of indigenous people living downstream.”

In 2015, the reservoir behind the new Gibe III dam in Ethiopia began filling. Water that previously flowed unimpeded into Lake Turkana, replenishing seasonal drops in lake levels, has since been held behind the Gibe III dam.

In 2015, the annual July-November flood from the Omo River into Lake Turkana did not occur, resulting in a drop of water levels of 1.3 meters from November 2014.

The very limited artificial release of water from Gibe III in 2016 was not enough to replenish water levels in Lake Turkana. As of January 30, 2017, lake levels were approximately 1.5 meters lower than they were two years earlier according to the data.

People living in fishing communities along Lake Turkana who spoke to Human Rights Watch in August 2016, were generally aware of the risks posed by Gibe III but largely uninformed about the plantations and the devastating impact they could have on their livelihoods.

When Human Rights Watch visited communities around Ferguson Gulf on the western lake shores that month, local residents had noticed changes from previous years in the lake levels.

People who depend on fishing for their livelihood said that their daily catch has been reduced. One 50-year-old woman living near Lake Turkana told Human Rights Watch in August 2016: “It has been difficult these days…the main issue has been hunger.

There is reduced water in the lake.” While multiple factors contribute to the decline, including overfishing and unsustainable fishing practices, a further drop in lake levels will most likely reduce catches even further.

The Kenyan government has done little to address the impact from Ethiopia’s Omo Valley development, or to press Ethiopia to take steps to mitigate the damage and to consult with and inform affected communities about the impact of the project.

The governments of Kenya and Ethiopia should urgently work with these communities to ensure upstream industrial works does not devastate their livelihoods, Human Rights Watch said.

In addition to the industrial developments in lower Omo, climate change is exacerbating the already significant problems the Turkana people face in getting sufficient food and water, and maintaining their health and security.

“The Ethiopian government has shown scant regard for the lives and livelihoods of already marginalized communities who are reliant on the Omo River and Lake Turkana for their livelihoods,” Horne said. “In its rush to develop its resources it has not developed strategies to minimize the impact on those living downstream.”

Ethiopia’s Gibe III dam, which opened on December 17, 2016, is a key component of a massive industrial project in the lower Omo Valley that includes a cascade of water-intensive mega dams, and sugar and cotton plantations.

The sugar plantations have been under development in the Omo Valley since 2011. Based on Human Rights Watch estimates derived from satellite imagery, approximately 19,500 hectares of land has been cleared on the east bank of the river for sugar plantation development.

An additional 10,500 hectares has been prepared for irrigation on the west bank. The sugar plantations are planned to be 100,000 hectares. According to the Ethiopian Sugar Corporation, the first of the four sugar processing factories should be ready to begin production in early 2017.

In Ethiopia, livelihoods of those living in the Omo Valley depend on cattle grazing and planting crops in the rich alluvial soil along the banks of the Omo River. This alluvial soil is replenished by the annual flood, which deposits water and nutrient rich sediment along the banks. A lack of floods in 2015 and an inadequate artificial flood in 2016 are making it more difficult to grow food along the Omo River.

Some communities have also reported restricted access to the Omo River and food shortages in 2016.

Furthermore, the plantations necessitate clearing of land used by agro-pastoral indigenous groups including the Bodi and the Mursi. The Bodi have been the most heavily affected, with a significant area of their land cleared.

“The projections of the water drawdown on Lake Turkana, routinely rubbished by Ethiopia’s government, are coming true and lake levels have started dropping,” Horne said. “This should serve as a warning about what could happen if the Ethiopian government continues to ignore the needs of downstream communities in its rush to develop its resources.”

General

Navy Launches Operation Delta Sentinel to Achieve 2.5mb/d Oil Output

Published

4 hours ago

15/01/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Navy has launched Operation Delta Sentinel, a new maritime security initiative designed to curb crude oil theft, secure critical oil assets and support the federal government’s ambition to ramp up crude production to 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.

The operation, which replaces Operation Delta Sanity II, was formally unveiled at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder Jetty in Port Harcourt, marking a renewed push to stabilise the Niger Delta and protect Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy.

Speaking at the launch, Commander Task Group 26.1, Operation Delta Sentinel, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, said the initiative was aligned with the Federal Government’s drive to boost oil exploration and production under the Project 1 Million Barrels Per Day initiative of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

“The transformation from Operation Delta Sanity II to Operation Delta Sentinel is necessitated, among other considerations, by the Federal Government drive to increase oil exploration and production,” he said, adding that, “It is further anticipated that oil production would be about 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.”

Rear Admiral Ibrahim, who is also the Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, said Operation Delta Sentinel would run for an initial one-year period, subject to 90-day renewable mandates, and would focus on denying criminal networks access to Nigeria’s maritime and oil infrastructure.

“Our objective is clear and unambiguous: to deny criminal elements freedom of action, protect critical national oil assets, support legitimate economic activities and contribute to enduring peace and stability in the Niger Delta,” he stated.

He explained that the operation would rely heavily on intelligence-driven missions, enhanced inter-agency collaboration and advanced surveillance tools, including Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure, new maritime platforms, and manned and unmanned air assets.

“Our approach will be deliberate, innovative and technology-enabled. These capabilities will enable us to optimise asset utilisation, improve situational awareness and maintain a proactive operational posture,” he added.

The Navy said early indicators already show progress, noting that crude oil losses have dropped by about 90 per cent, from 102,900 barrels per day in 2021 to 9,600 barrels per day as of September 25.

Earlier, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Chiedozie Okehie, highlighted the achievements of Operation Delta Sanity II, which was launched on December 30, 2024, to combat crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.

“Operation Delta Sanity II lived up to expectations and made measurable contributions to national security and economic stability,” the Naval commander said.

According to him, between January 1 and December 31, 2025, the operation led to the arrest of 203 suspects, the deactivation of 324 illegal refining sites, and the seizure of stolen petroleum products valued at over N3.65 billion.

“An estimated 3.78 million litres of stolen crude oil, over 1.09 million litres of illegally refined AGO, 86,210 litres of PMS and 74,300 litres of kerosene were seized and appropriately handled,” he disclosed.

Rear Admiral Okehie added that the Navy’s operations, supported by collaboration with regulators, security agencies, oil industry stakeholders and host communities, contributed to a significant decline in crude oil losses, with NUPRC reporting the lowest loss levels since 2009 in September 2025.

With Operation Delta Sentinel now in force, the Navy said it is positioning itself as a key enabler of Nigeria’s oil production growth, investor confidence and long-term stability in the Niger Delta.

General

NUPRC, NRS Seal Oil Revenue Alliance Under New Tax Laws

Published

5 hours ago

15/01/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) have moved to formalise a closer working relationship under the country’s new tax regime to ensure that upstream oil and gas revenues get tighter oversight and improved collection.

The renewed revenue alliance was activated when the chief executive of NUPRC, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, paid a strategic visit to the chairman of NRS, Mr Zacch Adedeji, at the tax agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.

The engagement comes less than two weeks after new tax laws took effect on January 1, 2026, mandating deeper collaboration between sector regulators and revenue authorities in the collection of oil and gas proceeds accruing to the Federation.

Speaking during the meeting, Mrs Eyesan said the engagement was part of her post-assumption consultations aimed at aligning the upstream regulator with critical national revenue institutions.

“With the new tax laws now in force, it is important that NUPRC and NRS work in close coordination to ensure that oil and gas revenues due to the Federation are fully captured,” Mrs Eyesan said.

“Our mandate goes beyond regulation. It includes ensuring transparency, efficiency and accountability in revenue flows from upstream petroleum operations.”

She stressed that effective collaboration between both agencies would strengthen compliance, reduce leakages and support government revenue targets at a time of heightened fiscal pressure.

On his part, Mr Adedeji said the tax authority was committed to working with sector regulators to maximise revenue mobilisation under the evolving legal framework.

“The oil and gas sector remains critical to Nigeria’s revenue base, and collaboration with NUPRC is essential to meeting government revenue targets,” Mr Adedeji said.

“With clearer laws and better data-sharing between our institutions, we can significantly improve collection efficiency and enforcement.”

Both agencies agreed to deepen cooperation through information sharing and coordinated operational strategies, in line with the provisions of the new tax laws governing petroleum operations.

The meeting concluded with a shared resolve by NUPRC and NRS to prioritise national interest, tighten revenue assurance mechanisms and ensure that Nigeria derives maximum value from its upstream petroleum resources.

General

Applications for Second Cohort of Moniepoint’s DreamDevs Initiative Open

Published

5 hours ago

15/01/2026

Modupe Gbadeyanka

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

To double down on Africa’s tech talent pipeline, the continent’s leading digital financial services provider, Moniepoint Incorporated, has opened applications for the second cohort of its flagship transformative programme, DreamDevs initiative.

A statement from the organisation disclosed that entries are expected to close on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and should be submitted via dreamdevs.moniepoint.com.

Selection will be based on technical aptitude, learning potential, and alignment with Moniepoint’s values of innovation and excellence.

DreamDevs was created to bridge the tech talent gap in Africa by equipping recent graduates with industry-ready skills and real-world experience.

Each year, just 20 high-potential candidates are selected into an intensive bootcamp, with the strongest performers progressing into internship and full-time roles at Moniepoint.

Last year’s cohort delivered four hires – three interns and one full-time engineer – validating the programme’s role as a high-impact talent pipeline.

Targeting graduates from technology, computer science, engineering, and related fields with foundational programming knowledge in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, DreamDevs offers a rigorous nine-week boot camp that immerses participants via hands-on training from leading software engineers. Standout performers will secure six-month internship placements at Moniepoint, with potential progression to full-time employment based on performance.

“The results from our first cohort validated our belief that with the right training and support, Africa’s young tech talent can compete globally.

“This year, we’re doubling down on our commitment by aiming to convert half of our participants into full-time employees. For us, DreamDevs is all about creating sustainable career pathways that drive Africa’s digital economy forward,” the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Moniepont, Mr Felix Ike, said.

“We’re proud to support the government’s vision of building three million technical talents while also creating direct employment opportunities through initiatives like DreamDevs. This multi-faceted approach ensures we’re contributing to national goals while simultaneously addressing our industry’s immediate talent needs.

“By investing in young people and providing them with practical experience, startup incubation support, and product development opportunities, we are not only creating high-impact jobs and driving sustainable economic growth across the continent,” he added.

Sharing his experience, a member of the first cohort and now a Backend Engineer at Moniepoint, Mr Victor Adepoju, said, “The organisation of the programme was top-notch. The training covered a wide range of topics and provided a solid foundation I could continue to build on.

“I learned a great deal about cloud technologies, particularly Google Cloud Platform. The program also emphasised valuable soft skills, including planning, organisation, and prioritisation, which have been very useful in my day-to-day work.”

DreamDevs aligns with Moniepoint’s broader vision of using technology to power the dreams of millions and engineer financial happiness across Africa. It complements the company’s existing talent development programs, including HatchDev – a collaboration with NITHub Unilag that produces 500 specialised developers annually across software engineering, intelligent systems, and IoT/embedded systems as well as its hugely popular, Women-in-Tech which is now in its fifth year. The initiative is also in tandem with the federal government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, for which Moniepoint serves as a key sponsor. While the 3MTT programme focuses on mass technical skills training across Nigeria, DreamDevs provides a specialised pathway that takes graduates from foundational training through to employment, creating a complete talent development ecosystem.