Energy

By Ali Elias Nigeria’s Dangote refinery is shaking up global fuel markets as it ramps up production, cutting into Europe’s once-lucrative gasoline exports to West Africa and leaving many refiners across the continent under pressure. Since operations began in September 2024, the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) facility near Lagos has steadily increased output. Once heavily dependent on European imports, West Africa is now sourcing a large share of its petrol locally, thanks to Dangote’s rising production. Industry figures show European gasoline exports to West Africa fell sharply in the first seven months of 2025, averaging about 285,000 bpd—a one-third drop compared to last year. In July alone, Dangote refinery processed a record 595,000 bpd of crude, signaling its rapid march towar...

By Ali Elias Africa’s largest refinery, the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is facing a critical test as it struggles to secure crude oil from local producers, forcing it to consider importing Russian crude — a move that could drag Nigeria into global geopolitical tensions.Despite being designed to transform Nigeria from a net importer into a major exporter of refined petroleum products, the refinery has been running below capacity due to lack of crude feedstock. International oil companies operating in Nigeria have continued prioritizing exports to more lucrative foreign markets, leaving Dangote’s facility scrambling for domestic supply.Frustrated by the shortfall, Dangote has taken legal steps, suing the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to enforce regu...

Photo courtesy TBI: Dignitaries at the naming ceremony of the 40,000 cubic metres (CBM) WAGL Energy Limited’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel in Ulsan, South Korea, on Monday. By Ali Elias President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lauded WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture of NNPC Limited and Sahara Group, for their commitment to strengthening Africa’s clean energy value chain with the commissioning of a new Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel, MT Iyaloja (Lagos). The President, represented at the ceremony by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the investment reflects strategic foresight, technical excellence, and a dedication to energy access, affordability, and security across the continent. The commissioning of MT Iyaloja (Lagos) also highl...

Photo courtesy: TBI By Els William Seplat Energy plc, in partnership with NNPC Limited, has achieved a landmark milestone in Nigeria’s energy sector: the first-ever domestic supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – butane – from the Bonny River Terminal (BRT) in Rivers State. Historically, LPG from BRT was exclusively exported. This inaugural domestic loading involved 12,600 metric tonnes, marking a strategic pivot towards reinforcing local energy accessibility.This milestone comes against the backdrop of Seplat’s broader infrastructure investments aimed at reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported cooking gas. Speaking on behalf of the company, CEO Roger Brown said, “Usage of gas and LPG is on the rise in Nigeria, and reliable supply is critical in ensuring energy security in-country...

Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo) on August 5 hosted young professionals from Nigeria and other African countries at its offices in Lagos, as it continues to support the growth of future leaders in the energy industry on the continent. The 25 engineers and geologists from Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad, Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Angola and Uganda, were part of the Africa Young Professionals programme attending the Nigeria annual international conference and exhibition (NAICE) of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Lagos last week. They visited SNEPCo to learn more about the operations of a company which launched Nigeria into the league of deep-water producers in 2005, when it began production at Bonga, the country’s first oil and gas project in water depths...

By PR Officials of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) shared insights on Nigeria’s local content implementation and lessons for other African nations on Wednesday, Day 2 of the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, at Windhoek, Namibia. The Director, Corporate Services at the NCDMB, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu made a presentation on the Local Content Success Stories in Nigeria and Lessons learnt. Likewise, the General Manager Corporate Communications, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi, and PETAN Chairman and member of NCDMB Governing Council, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya participated in a panel session, titled “Local content development: How Namibians can benefit from the oil and gas industry.” In his presentation, Halilu listed Nig...

By PR … Plan Collaboration with APPO, AU Oil and gas service providers across Africa have formed a continental forum known as the African Local Content Organisation (ALCO), with the goal of collaborating among themselves to deliver complex projects, creating and retaining value in the multibillion dollar African energy sector and growing the economy. The organisation was unveiled on Wednesday, Day 2 of the 2025 Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, at Windhoek, Namibia. Membership is open to national associations of service providers in the oil and gas and mining sectors across the African continent. Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and member of NCDMB Governing Council, Mr. Wole Ogunsanya introduced the organisation and explained that the body woul...

By PR Nigeria’s local content successes in the oil and gas industry was a constant reference point in discussions at the opening day of the 2025 Namibia Oil and Gas Conference, which began on Tuesday at Windhoek, Namibia.  The event is being attended by policymakers, international oil and gas operating and service companies, Namibian indigenous players and other stakeholders. The goal is to enhance the local content ecosystem in the Southern African country’s evolving oil and gas industry.  The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) are participating at the Namibian event in furtherance of their collaboration in the promotion of African local content, creation of opportunities and new markets ...

By PR The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NDDC) on Monday reiterated its commitment to the development and strengthening of specialised oil and gas industry skills, while emphasising the need for operators and service companies to fully identify with the Board’s initiatives in that regard to facilitate national development.   Speaking at the kick-off of the Nigerian Content Non-Compliance Remediation (NCNC-Rem) training programme at Aveon Offshore Limited, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, the Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, said the Board was handing over young Nigerians shortlisted from its Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Joint Qualification System (NOGIC JQS) to the company for specialised training to fit them for industry operations.&n...

By PR The new leadership of ESSO Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, affiliate of ExxonMobil corporation on Tuesday paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe.  The ESSO delegation was led by the Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Jabir Baxi, to the Board’s liaison office in Lagos. He was accompanied by the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, Femi Ogunbi; Africa Human Resources Manager, Bala Aliyu; and Nigeria Human Resources Manager, Mrs Emem Abraham.  At the visit, Mr Baxi affirmed the company’s commitment to developing local content and complying with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.  The meeting also touched ...