General
Nigeria, Ghana Sign MoU on Local Content Regulations
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Ghana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, (MoU) towards developing and deepening local content regulations in Ghana’s upstream petroleum sector.
The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 2024 Annual Local Content Conference and Exhibition held at Takoradi, Ghana between the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Commission Ghana (PCG).
The deal is valid for three years and is centred on the desire to build synergies through information sharing and the transfer of skills of mutual interest and benefits.
Under the MoU, NCDMB will offer PCG strategic advice and guidance in the areas of laws, frameworks, knowledge exchange, procedures for baseline study, data collection on capacities that exist in Ghana, design of strategic plans for local content implementation in Ghana and other capacity development initiatives.
The MoU would also foster collaboration, provide opportunities for global experience, and facilitate the advancement of knowledge, leading to local content development in the upstream petroleum sector.
In addition, NCDMB will offer technical support in the development of the framework for the formulation of regulations and policies for PCG Local Content laws.
NCDMB was established in 2010 by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development, NOGICD, Act, and is mandated to monitor, guide, develop, and promote local content practice in the Nigerian oil and gas sector and linkage sectors.
On the other hand, the PCG was established by the Petroleum Commission Act, 2011 (Act 821) to regulate and manage the utilisation of petroleum resources and coordinate the policies in the upstream petroleum sector under the laws of the Republic of Ghana.
NCDMB had signed a similar agreement with the Technical Secretary of the National Content Monitoring Committee of Senegal (ST-CNSCL) in February 2022. The ST-CNSCL is the agency responsible for the coordination and supervision of the development and implementation of local content strategies in the Senegalese oil and gas sector.
Speaking earlier at the conference in Ghana, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, urged African oil and gas service companies to collaborate among themselves and leverage their unique capabilities.
“This approach would grow African local content sustainably and help meet the aspirations of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” he noted.
He expressed delight at the collaborative spirit displayed by African countries, noting that “this event is a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering strategic partnerships and driving sustainable growth within our sector.”
Commenting on the theme of the conference, Attracting E&P Investments to Boost Local Content: New Pathways, the Executive Secretary underscored the necessity for innovative approaches and collaborative efforts to unlock Africa’s hydrocarbon resources, estimated at over 125 billion barrels, accounting for about 10 per cent of global reserves.
He reiterated the role of NCDMB as a business enabler, supporting the development of an efficient indigenous supply chain and delivering quality service competitively in the oil and gas industry.
Reflecting on NCDMB’s achievements, Engr. Ogbe noted significant progress in local content development, with an increase from less than 5 per cent in 2010 to 54 per cent in 2023, attributing the growth to the robust NOGICD Act, strategic implementation by the Board and collaboration by industry stakeholders.
He further highlighted the importance of economies of scale in attracting new investments and optimizing capacity utilisation in the exploration and production value chain.
He also celebrated the establishment of the African Energy Bank by the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
The bank is expected to fund major oil and gas projects across the continent, mitigating the reluctance of Western financial institutions to support new investments in the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Rabiu Kwankwaso, disclosed that Mr Peter Obi, the party’s presidential candidate, signed agreements committing himself to serving only one four-year term if elected in 2027.
Mr Kwankwaso explained that the documents comprised a formal agreement involving the political party and a separate personal accord between himself and Mr Obi.
According to Mr Kwankwaso, the deal stipulates that the presidency will return to Northern Nigeria in 2031 upon the completion of an Obi-led administration’s four-year tenure, if elected next year.
“We have agreed to formalise it in writing,” Mr Kwankwaso stated. “We have executed one document for the party and another between the two of us,” he revealed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today late on Monday.
He reiterated that Mr Obi would honour his pledge and resist pressure to seek a second term, expressing confidence in the former Anambra State governor, noting that his interactions had convinced him that he would respect the agreement.
“I personally believe him, and, based on what I now know about him, I do not believe he will change his mind when the time comes,” he said. “We are all gentlemen.”
Mr Kwankwaso added that he and Mr Obi would continue to collaborate after the proposed administration completes its term.
“The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a group, as a party, and as friends and brothers,” he said. “After our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North. That is the consensus.”
The former defence minister did not state that he would be the NDC presidential candidate in 2031; his comments referred broadly to the presidency returning to the North, rather than to his personal political ambitions.
Mr Obi has repeatedly pledged to serve only one term if elected; however, he has yet to publicly confirm the specific details of the documents described by Mr Kwankwaso.
In the 2023 Presidential polls, Mr Obi was the Labour Party presidential candidate while Mr Kwankwaso contested on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Over 1.14 million hectares of degraded land have been restored by the Nigerian government, with more than 1.5 million trees planted across the country in the past year.
This information was revealed by the Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Abbas Lawal, at the 2026 Top Management Retreat and National Tree Planting Campaign in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He said these achievements were made through initiatives of the federal government like the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project and the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
According to him, the restoration of the land and the planting of trees demonstrate a clear national commitment to securing environmental sustainability while advancing economic growth.
The Minister reemphasised that the environment is not an abstract concept, pointing out that “it is the air we breathe, the land that feeds us, the rivers that sustain communities, and the climate that shapes the future.”
He praised Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State for his giant strides in the environment sector in the state, urging other state governors to emulate him by providing sponsorship for their students to the various Federal Colleges of Forestry Resources Management institutions located across the six geo-political zones of the country to encourage and boost Forest education in the country.
He described the decision of Mr Zulum to sponsor 540 indigenes of the state to a forestry college in Maiduguri as commendable.
Mr Lawal also informed the participants of the programme that the Presidential Executive Order on the Prohibition of Exportation of Wood and Allied Products, 2025, is a key policy instrument under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, saying it protects Nigeria’s forest resources, curbs illegal logging, and encourages tree planting as a national duty.
He pledged the Federal Ministry of Environment’s continued partnership with state governments on afforestation, ecosystem restoration, and other interventions tailored to their needs.
“Nigeria’s environmental future can be secured by protecting natural heritage, strengthening climate resilience, and advancing inclusive and sustainable development for present and future generations,” he declared.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it has probed the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, concerning its investigation into the activities of a purported Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).
The commission stated that it invited Mr Gbajabiamila to help establish how the organisation operated for about two years from within the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, despite not being established by any law or presidential proclamation.
It said Mr Gbajabiamila fielded questions from investigators when he visited its headquarters in Abuja on Monday, but failed to give more details regarding his revelation.
“Mr Gbajabiamila arrived at the Commission in the afternoon and spent some time attending to enquiries from investigators, after which he departed the premises,” said Mr Okor Odey Head, Media and Public Communications of the ICPC, in a statement on Tuesday.
The agency clarified that Mr Gbajabiamila was not arrested, stating that his appearance “was on the invitation of its investigators and consistent with its ongoing efforts to gather all relevant facts in the matter.”
“He was not arrested; he simply willingly honoured an invitation,” the statement added.
“Investigations continue, and further updates will be communicated as appropriate.”
The ICPC statement came a day after Mr Gbajabiamila’s lawyer, Mr Jiti Ogunye, announced on Monday that he had appeared before the commission’s investigators.
Mr Ogunye said Mr Gbajabiamila visited the commission at about 3.00 p.m. on Monday, in full cooperation with the ICPC, acting as directed by President Tinubu.
“My client gave his testimony, responded to questions accordingly, and has returned to his duty post,” Mr Ogunye wrote.
Mr Tinubu ordered the ICPC earlier this month to investigate the fake agency scandal and submit its findings within 30 days.
The federal government disowned the PFIPC as a fraudulent entity allegedly operated by Mr Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is accused of posing as its director-general.
The scandal came to public attention after Mr Adeyemi allegedly claimed that he paid N400 million in bribes to facilitate the establishment and operation of the purported agency, including money paid to an individual he believed was Mr Gbajabiamila. Using official government documents, the organisation allegedly secured office space at the Federal Secretariat, obtained budgetary allocation, opened accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria and employed public servants.
Mr Adeyemi was recently apprehended by the Nigerian Police Force.
