General
NNPC Assets Restructuring Looms for Efficient Oil Production
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is considering a restructure of asset ownership in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to increase dwindling crude oil production.
The Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Mrs Olu Verheijen, said restructuring the national oil company would revitalise Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and ensure energy security and sustainable development.
Speaking at the ongoing Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) Conference in Lagos, she stressed that achieving the three-million-barrel daily oil production goal requires performance-based stewardship even as she questioned NNPC’s capacity to deliver incremental growth.
The development comes amid concerns over low oil production. Crude oil production hovered around 1.3- 1.5 million barrels per day in the last two years, according to data from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Mrs Verheijen noted that restructuring the national oil company will revitalise Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and ensure energy security and sustainable development.
She revealed that the NNPC E&P Limited produces just 220,000 barrels a day, about 10 per cent of the national output.
Mrs Verheijen expressed doubts that the NNPCL can fund and execute the drilling campaigns needed to increase production.
According to her, unlike in the era of international oil companies onshore, the current joint venture partners can no longer carry the NNPC, asking if the state-owned firm can deliver the incremental growth needed on its sole balance sheet.
If not, the special adviser said the country must have the courage to restructure asset ownership and invite those who can deliver credible operators in the technical capacity, the financial depth, and the governance discipline, saying revitalisation requires performance-based stewardship, not sentiment.
“Independence will also matter more than ever, but independent must not mean inert. Our journey to three million barrels depends on companies like Renaissance, Oando, Seplat, Aiteo, and others moving beyond workovers and infill drilling toward bold, large-scale greenfield developments.
“Campaigns of the magnitude of Shell’s Forcados or ExxonMobil’s satellite field and NGL projects that truly move the needle, but at the same time, NEPL (NNPC E&P Limited) is now a critical lever for growth, and they only produce 220,000 barrels a day; that is less than 10 per cent of our national production. But can it fund and execute the drilling campaigns needed to juggle that figure?
“And unlike the IOC era onshore, its JV partners can no longer carry NNPC, so we must ask the hard question: Can an NNPC deliver the incremental growth we need on its own balance sheet? If not, we must have the courage to restructure asset ownership and invite those who can deliver credible operators in the technical capacity, the financial depth, and the governance discipline. Revitalisation requires performance-based stewardship, not sentiment,” she revealed.
Mrs Verheijen outlined a broader framework she calls the ‘four R’s’— reserves, revenues, reliability, and responsibility, as the yardstick for Nigeria’s energy sector.
On reserves, she said, “Rebuilding the opportunity set. Exploration is not a PowerPoint slide. It is a risky business. But risk has a price, and clarity is the discount. Since 2023, under President Tinubu’s leadership, Nigeria has worked to restore that clarity.”
She stressed the need for Nigeria to act fast to attract investment, saying the world is not standing still, and the countries will not wait for one another to catch up.
“For us in Nigeria, we must do more and move faster to attract exploration and production investment. And our investors have never been so spoiled for choice. The decisions they take will depend on clear, hard-headed assessments of where they can most easily deploy capital and achieve the best returns,” she stated.
She added that the Tinubu administration had prioritised reforms that make Nigeria a destination of choice for investments.
She further highlighted revenue generation and domestic value creation. According to her, in just 18 months, the current government had unlocked over $8 billion in final investment decisions through Ubeta, Bonga North, and HI.
“With a clear line of sight to another $20 billion, these aren’t signatures, they’re shovels in the ground. We’re commercialising gas through long-dated GSAs, anchoring LNG pipeline, gas-to-power, industrial uptake, expanding midstream infrastructure that turns stranded molecules into bankable assets.
“But our revenue agenda goes beyond exports. It is about domestic value creation, gas-to-power to stabilise our grid, LPG and CNG to replace fossil fuels, petrochemicals and fertilisers to strengthen agriculture and build our industrial base, and a refining that ends import dependence and positions Nigeria as a reliable supplier not just to Nigeria but to West Africa,” she said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The South African Consulate General in Lagos, in partnership with Brand South Africa and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), is hosting the 4th edition of the South Africa Focus Week in Lagos, Nigeria, from April 22 – 26, 2026.
The annual platform continues to grow as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering social cohesion between South Africans and Nigerians while positioning South Africa as a preferred destination for business, tourism, and education. Since its inception in 2023, South Africa Focus Week has attracted over 1,500 participants, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors, including trade and investment, arts and culture, tourism, aviation, and the culinary industry.
The 2026 edition holds particular significance as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s democratic Constitution, enacted in 1996, as well as 32 years of unbroken diplomatic relations between South Africa and Nigeria, established in February 1994. These milestones underscore the enduring partnership between the two nations, rooted in shared history and strengthened through formal agreements and ongoing collaboration.
The 2025 economic relationship between South Africa and Nigeria reflects a strategically significant, multi-dimensional partnership anchored in trade, energy security, investment flows, and strong institutional cooperation. While bilateral trade remains structurally imbalanced – with South Africa exporting US$468.48 million and importing $1.69 billion, resulting in a $1.22 billion deficit – this dynamic is largely driven by South Africa’s reliance on Nigerian crude oil, positioning the relationship as one of strategic interdependence rather than imbalance alone.
This partnership is further elevated by the relative economic weight of both countries. According to IMF projections, South Africa’s economy is valued at approximately $443.6 billion, while Nigeria’s stands at around $334.3 billion in nominal terms for 2026. As two of the largest economies on the continent, their bilateral engagement constitutes a central axis of African economic activity, with disproportionate influence on the success of continental integration efforts.
Beyond trade, the relationship is reinforced by deep two-way investment linkages. South African firms -including MTN Group, Shoprite, and Standard Bank – maintain a strong presence in Nigeria, while Nigerian companies such as Access Bank and Paystack have established a growing footprint in South Africa. Although investment flows are asymmetrical and some Nigerian firms have faced operational challenges, these exchanges reflect an emerging bi-directional economic corridor that extends beyond goods trade into services, finance, and digital innovation.
Aligned with Brand South Africa’s mandate to build the country’s global reputation and competitiveness, the week-long programme will convene leaders from government, business, civil society, academia, and the media. Discussions will focus on leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a tool for market access and global positioning, with Nigeria serving as a key focal point.
The South Africa Focus Week has features a series of high-level engagements and cultural activities designed to deepen economic ties and promote collaboration: South Africa–Nigeria Infrastructure Investment Conference (April 22, 2026) which was held under the theme South Africa–Nigeria Partnership: Unlocking Infrastructure Opportunities,” the conference will bring together key stakeholders in infrastructure development to explore collaborative projects in road, rail, and transportation systems.
The forum also examined the role of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) and facilitated discussions on project financing and implementation with institutions such as the DBSA and Nigeria’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
This was followed by the 2nd Economic Diplomacy Roundtable (Thursday, April 23, 2026), which was hosted in partnership with MTN Nigeria under the theme Role of Technology in Infrastructure Development, the roundtable will convene senior government officials, private sector leaders, and industry experts to identify investment opportunities and strengthen strategic partnerships.
Friday, April 24, was for Arts and Culture Experience, which is a dedicated cultural day will showcase Lagos’ creative spaces and features a panel discussion on South Africa’s arts, film, music, and culture. The programme includes a South African film screening, engagements with filmmakers, and a networking reception aimed at fostering collaboration between the creative industries of both countries.
The event continues on Thursday, April 25, with Freedom Day Celebration and Closing Ceremony. This commemorative event will celebrate 30 years of South Africa’s Constitution, 32 years of freedom and democracy, and the enduring diplomatic relations between South Africa and Nigeria. The ceremony will also provide an opportunity to reflect on outcomes from the week and outline future areas of cooperation.
The celebration forms part of Brand South Africa’s Global South Africans Programme, which recognises and connects South Africans in the diaspora as ambassadors of the nation’s values and identity.
The week climaxes with the 4th edition of the South Africa Golf Tournament at Ikoyi Golf Club on Saturday, April 26, 2026, which will be done in partnership with Crossflex International.
According to a statement, the event aims to strengthen people-to-people relations through sports diplomacy, bringing together South African and Nigerian golfers in a spirit of camaraderie and collaboration.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Mr Tunde Ayeni, has been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Spokesperson of the anti-money laundering agency, Mr Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest of the businessman on Friday but declined to provide further details, according to TheCable.
Mr Ayeni was accused of diverting the N36.5 billion and $30 million loans from Polaris Bank Limited to companies with which he has links.
He was alleged to have obtained the credit facilities for marine security, electricity distribution, and real estate projects, but moved them to telecom investments tied to NITEL/MTEL assets via a NATCOM account.
After the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked the operating licence of Skye Bank in 2018, it nationalised it to Polaris Bank.
The EFCC has been looking into the alleged diversion of funds by Mr Ayeni, resulting in his arrest in Abuja on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
He is being grilled over the matter and would be arraigned in court once the investigation is concluded.
This is not the first time Mr Ayeni has been nabbed and probed by the EFCC, as this happened a few months after his bank lost its licence.
The then acting spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Tony Orilade, said Mr Ayeni was quizzed by detectives over issues related to fraud and embezzlement allegedly committed by him when he was Chairman of the bank a few years ago.
By Adedapo Adesanya
“We are fully committed to working with the new Commissioner of Police and giving all necessary support towards the successful discharge of his responsibilities.”
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