By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has renewed its agreement with TotalEnergies for a 24-month extension of technology deployment to detect, measure, and reduce methane and carbon emissions.

According to a statement, the agreement was signed by NNPC’s Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mr Udy Ntia and TotalEnergies Country Chair and Managing Director, Mr Matthieu Bouyer, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Mr Ntia said the duo renewed the agreement to extend the deployment of Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environmental Applications (AUSEA) technology across its upstream operations.

The agreement is aimed at helping the state oil company meet its gas flare reduction obligation in keeping with its Oil & Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC) commitments, Oil & Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0 participation and near-zero methane ambition by 2030.

It is a follow-up on an earlier agreement signed in 2023 for the adoption of the AUSEA technology.

Mr Ntia expressed satisfaction with the first phase of the deployment of the technology and hoped it would scale across more assets.

“Today’s signing represents a practical step in NNPC Limited’s journey to build a credible, transparent and action-oriented decarbonisation programme.

“Through the AUSEA initiative, we are strengthening our ability to detect, quantify and prioritise methane abatement opportunities using advanced measurement technology,” Mr Ntia said in the statement.

He also called for the institutionalisation of progress reporting, in line with compliance requirements and the possibility of leveraging the transfer of the AUSEA technology.

On his part, Mr Mike Sangster, TotalEnergies’ Senior Vice President, Africa, expressed satisfaction with the cooperation his company has been enjoying from the NNPC over the years.

He said TotalEnergies was the first oil-producing company in Nigeria to end gas flaring in all its assets, adding that the AUSEA technology was instrumental to that feat, even as the company looked forward to near-zero methane emissions by 2030.

AUSEA is a drone-based technology developed by TotalEnergies in partnership with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Reims.

It helps in the identification of unaccounted emission sources and the establishment of a basis for querying and improving current emission reporting processes. It also helps in the provision of data to review the operational system and implement corrective actions, as well as estimation of flare combustion efficiency.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr  Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered an immediate intensification of waste evacuation operations across the state following the recent accumulation of refuse in several communities.

The directive has activated a coordinated response involving the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) and the Ministry of Environment, with the agencies tasked with accelerating sanitation efforts in affected areas.

Announcing the move in a post on his X handle, Mr Sanwo-Olu said additional waste collection trucks and personnel had been deployed to clear the backlog, while sanitation workers had commenced round-the-clock operations to restore cleanliness across the state.

“Dear Lagosians, I have directed an immediate scale-up of waste evacuation across Lagos following the recent build-up of refuse in some parts of our state,” the governor stated.

He noted that the environmental agencies had already intensified operations and assured residents that visible progress was being made.

A Business Post assessment across several areas of the state showed heaps of refuse packed across curbs on major roads and street corners.

“LAWMA, LASEPA, and the Ministry of Environment are currently working around the clock. We have deployed extra trucks and personnel to clear the backlogs across all affected neighbourhoods. You should already see progress on the streets, and we will not stop until our city is completely clean again,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu also highlighted the scale of the challenge, noting that Lagos generates more than 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, making continuous intervention and collaboration essential to maintaining environmental standards.

While assuring residents of the government’s commitment to addressing the situation, the governor called on Lagosians to support the clean-up effort by adhering to proper waste disposal practices.

“As we continue this cleanup, I ask for your partnership. Please bag your waste properly and avoid dumping refuse in drainage channels or on the roads,” he added.

By Adedapo Adesanya

A concealed illegal crude oil storage facility in Delta State, with approximately 17,000 litres, has been uncovered by the Nigerian Navy.

The discovery, made under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, highlights the increasingly sophisticated tactics employed by crude oil thieves in the Niger Delta, even as security agencies strengthen intelligence-driven operations to protect critical oil infrastructure.

According to the Navy, personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) DELTA uncovered the illegal site following actionable intelligence on suspected crude oil theft activities around the Ugbokodo Creek axis of Delta State.

In a statement issued this week by the Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, the operation combined ground surveillance with aerial reconnaissance to expose a carefully disguised reservoir used to store stolen crude oil.

Although initial inspections showed no visible signs of illegal activity, drone imagery later revealed a large, freshly excavated reservoir hidden beneath thick vegetation, wooden planks and leaves to evade detection.

The Navy said the site showed clear evidence of recent illegal operations and appeared to function as a temporary holding point within a wider illicit crude supply chain.

The discovery underscores the evolving methods adopted by criminal syndicates as authorities intensify the crackdown on oil theft across the Niger Delta.

The Navy noted that integrating intelligence gathering with advanced aerial surveillance capabilities has significantly improved its ability to detect and disrupt illegal activities that would otherwise remain hidden.

The maritime force said the reservoir, recovered products and related materials were secured and processed in line with existing operational procedures, effectively denying economic saboteurs access to resources intended to sustain further criminal activities.

The operation forms part of ongoing efforts by the Nigerian Navy to curb crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal refining activities that have continued to erode government revenues and undermine investor confidence in the oil and gas sector.

Oil theft remains one of Nigeria’s biggest challenges, costing the country billions of dollars annually through lost production, environmental degradation and damage to critical infrastructure.

The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining pressure on criminal networks through persistent surveillance, intelligence-led operations and coordinated interventions aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s energy assets and protecting the nation’s economic interests.