Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has denied issuing a directive that gas supply to power generating companies (GenCos) be halted. In a statement on Wednesday, the authority also denied instructing wholesale gas suppliers to stop further supply of gas to companies due to failure in payment obligations. The NMDPRA described reports stating that it has directed the stoppage of gas supply to GenCos over N2trn debt as “false and completely unfounded”. “It has absolutely no bearing on the information shared at a recent stakeholders’ engagement held in Lagos between the Authority, the OPTS, IPPG and other…

Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, PCNGI, and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, to facilitate the implementation of the CNG policy in the Niger Delta region. The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who spoke during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the PCNGI, led by the Programme Director, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, stated that the CNG initiative was critical for the country. Ogbuku observed that the Presidential CNG Initiative was a component of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s intervention, which was directed at providing succour…

FIFA on Wednesday confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, underlining the Gulf kingdom’s growing influence in world sport despite criticism of the country’s human rights record. At the same time, a virtual Congress of world football’s governing body confirmed that Morocco, Spain and Portugal will be joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup, in which three games will also be played in South America. The Saudi bid was waved through by acclamation during the meeting of FIFA’s 211 national member associations, with no rivals standing in its way. “It is a proud day, a day of celebration, a day that we invite the entire world to Saudi Arabia,”…

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday declared the seat of Senator Monday Okpebholo, representing Edo Central Senatorial district, vacant. This comes as Senator Okpebholo bids farewell to the 10th Senate, following his election as Governor of Edo State. Akpabio also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct elections as soon as possible to fill the vacant seat. This move is aimed at ensuring that the people of Edo Central Senatorial district continue to have representation in the Senate. Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the declarations after a valedictory session for Okpebholo organised by the Senate. Akpabio urged Okpbeholo…

The national grid has collapsed for the 12th time in 2024. A tweet via the official handle of Nigeria’s National Grid confirmed that the grid collapsed at about 2:09 pm on Wednesday. “The major grid setback has occurred and the restoration is to commence,” the handler wrote. The development was also confirmed in a statement by Jos Disco to its customers. The utility company, however, said the grid collapsed around 1: 33 PM today, leading to the loss of power supply to its feeders. “We hope to restore normal power supply to our esteemed customers as soon as the grid…

An Allied Air Cargo aircraft on Wednesday suffered a tyre burst causing it to skid the Runway 22 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday. The plane with registration number 5N-JRT had five passengers on board, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said in a statement. FAAN spokesperson, Obiageli Orah, said the passengers were rescued and taken to the hospital for medical attention. She explained that the airport has temporarily shut down the runway following the incident. The incident was said to have caused significant disruptions, with several departures delayed as authorities work to clear the affected…

The wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for a united action to end tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria and contribute to the global fight to eradicate the disease. She lamented that about 10.8 million people developed TB in 2023, with 1.6 million people losing their lives, adding that 12 per cent of the global burden affected the most vulnerable, including children and young adolescents. Meanwhile, the Nigerian private sector has indicated its willingness to contribute about $25 million towards the TB response. Speaking at the opening of the 2024 National TB Conference, with the theme, ‘Public-Private Partnership and…

The Nigerian Navy has deployed 15 warships and three surveillance helicopters for the 2024 Chief of Naval Staff Annual Sea Inspection, aimed at bolstering maritime security, curbing threats, and enhancing crude oil production in the Niger Delta.The exercise, codenamed Exercise DEIN ABAJI, which translates to “Calm Waters” in the Kalabari language of Rivers State, highlights the Navy’s capacity to secure the maritime environment and support economic growth. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Onne, Rivers State, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, emphasised the Navy’s dedication to improving national security and supporting maritime stakeholders through collaborative…

German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has been received at the Aso Rock Villa by President Bola Tinubu. Although Steinmier arrived in Abuja on Tuesday evening, he met the President on Wednesday. Accompanying him were business delegation of CEOs and high-ranking board members of some of Germany’s most successful companies in the fields of IT, high-tech and energy. Steinmeier is the second German leader to visit Nigeria in the last 14 months. Earlier in October 2023, specifically 29th, German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, visited the country for his two-day working visit where he met business leaders in Lagos a day after. The visit…

Nigerians may soon experience a total blackout, as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority has directed gas producers to cease supplying gas to indebted generation companies (GenCos). Leadership reports that the Authority stated that the substantial debts owed to producers had hindered their ability to sustain operations. It called on gas off-takers, particularly power generation companies, to ensure timely payment for the gas supplied. The federal government and some GenCos currently owe over N2 trillion in legacy debts to gas producers in Nigeria. Speaking at a stakeholder sensitisation workshop on wholesale supply operations in Nigeria, the Authority’s Chief…