General
NCDMB to Host African Local Content Investment Forum
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is set to host the African Local Content Investment Forum (ALCIF) in Lagos on March 7, 2022.
This was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mr Simbi Wabote in a statement, on Saturday in Abuja. He said the event will foster sustainable funding of African oil and gas projects, noting that the current energy transition agenda was posing new challenges to Africa.
Mr Wabote said the forum would also provide a platform for African leaders in the oil and gas industry, financial sector, regulators, and regional bodies to meet and shape the industry’s future in Africa amidst energy transition realities.
He said that it would elevate Africa’s indigenous oil producers and national oil companies as the next generation of project producers involved in the equity financing of exploration and field development activities.
This, he said, also positions Africa’s oil and gas service companies as funding blocks for research and development of technology required for exploration and production operations.
The NCDMB boss further said that it would position Africa’s financial institutions as providers of debt financing for oil and gas projects.
“The ongoing global energy transition is driving most International Oil Companies (IOCs) to declare commitments to reduce carbon emissions thereby scaling down investments in hydrocarbons development in favour of expanding renewable portfolios.
“Leading global financial institutions are also reducing or eliminating portfolio allocations to oil and gas projects,” he said.
According to him, the board’s sponsorship of the forum is in furtherance of the Nigerian Content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap.
Mr Wabote said that it had a key aspiration to promote local content across the African continent and ensure access to the market for oil and gas capacities that have been developed locally.
The board, he said, consistently provided guidance to several African countries on the implementation of local content policies in their jurisdictions.
According to the organisers, the local content policy which has been implemented successfully in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry offers the most appealing economic development models for a self-reliant and resilient African economy.
Africa accounts for eight per cent of the world’s hydrocarbon reserves with an estimated 126.388 billion barrels equivalent.
The continent contributes three per cent of global Gross Domestic Production (GDP) despite having a population of over 1.373 billion people and being the second largest and second most-populous continent on earth.
Analysts believe that the continent has the human resource base to leverage its hydrocarbon, minerals, and other natural resources to improve its GDP contribution.
Expected at the event are delegates from 18 countries mostly from the African Petroleum Producers Association (APPO), 140 financial institutions, and 400 participants from around the continent.
The event is being facilitated by the Heritage Times and has as its theme: “Developing a Pan African Strategy towards Sustainable Funding of Africa Oil and Gas Projects”.
The ALCIF is sequel to the first African Local Content Roundtable hosted by the board in June 2021 at the NCDMB Towers in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom–Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), established in 2019 as part of a 16-year legacy of UK-funded infrastructure support to Nigeria, convened over 100 senior stakeholders on Tuesday, December 2, to review its progress and formally close out its current phase of operations.
The event brought together representatives from federal and state governments, development partners, development finance institutions, and the private sector to reflect on UKNIAF’s work across the power, infrastructure finance, and roads sectors. Discussions focused on institutional reforms, capacity development, and the sustainability of tools and processes introduced over the past six years.
Since inception, UKNIAF has delivered targeted technical assistance designed to embed evidence-based reforms, data-driven decision-making, and improved institutional performance. Its interventions have mobilised significant financing, strengthened regulatory and planning systems, and enhanced investor readiness across multiple infrastructure markets.
In the power sector, participants highlighted landmark achievements including the development of Nigeria’s first Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines a least-cost and low-carbon pathway for expanding electricity supply. UKNIAF also supported the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in building advanced real-time data capabilities for tariff monitoring, grid management, and outage tracking. The programme enabled pioneering states to establish their own electricity markets following constitutional reforms.
In infrastructure finance, UKNIAF was recognised for strengthening project preparation systems and enabling access to capital. Notable accomplishments include supporting the mobilisation of $75 million from the African Development Bank to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme in two states, and accelerating mini-grid and solar deployment through improved technical standards at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
UKNIAF also designed a national project preparation facility, for which N21 billion was allocated in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to build a pipeline of bankable projects.
Speaking on this, Mr Frank Edozie, UKNIAF Team Lead, described the programme’s close-out as a “handover for sustained delivery,” emphasising that strengthened institutions now hold tools that make Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape more transparent, climate-smart, and investor-ready.
On his part, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, commended the programme, noting that its technical assistance and advisory services had helped lay the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive electricity supply industry.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Corporation at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Nigeria, praised the partnership, highlighting achievements ranging from state-level electricity market reforms to unlocking major financing and designing Nigeria’s Climate Change Fund.
Enugu State Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, underscored the lasting influence of the programme, stating that UKNIAF’s impact continues through the expertise and leadership transferred to national and sub-national institutions.
The close-out event reaffirmed stakeholders’ commitment to sustaining tools, reforms, and knowledge products developed under UKNIAF, while strengthening collaboration among public, private, and development actors in the infrastructure ecosystem.
Participants included federal and state agencies such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Federal Ministry of Power, Ministry of Finance, NERC, REA, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, alongside development partners including the African Development Bank, World Bank, and IFC, as well as private sector and civil society stakeholders.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, has been slashed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Lagos-based oil facility brought down the ex-depot price of the petroleum product by 15.58 per cent or N129 per litre to N828 per litre.
Though the company had yet to release an official statement on this development, real-time market data on Petroleumprice.ng on Friday showed the new price.
Punch reports that data from the platform also showed fresh reductions across several private depots following the refinery’s latest review.
Sigmund Depot cut its ex-depot price by N4 to N824 per litre, Bulk Strategic dropped its price by N3, and TechnoOil slashed its by N15.
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