Page 17 - AfrOil Week 05 2023

AfrOil NEWS IN BRIEF AfrOil

The Executive Secretary NCDMB Simbi Kesiye
Wabote gave the assurance on Monday at the
Board’s liaison office, Abuja, when he received
a delegation from the Ministry of Commerce &
Mines, Republic of Guinea, who had come to
understudy the Nigeria’s Local Content policy.
Wabote recalled that other African nations
like Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda and others
have benefitted from Nigeria’s guidance on local
content and the Board would continue to pro-
vide similar support to any interested African
nation that requests for its assistance. He added
that the Board’s objective is to extend local con-
tent practice across the content, in line with the
Sectorial and Regional Market Linkage Pillar of
the Nigerian Content 10-year strategic roadmap.
He described the African Continental Free
Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a revolutionary agree-
ment that promises broad collaboration among
African nations and deepen trade among the for becoming a reference point in Local Content sites and creeks in Rivers State.
1.3bn Africans, helping to create investment in Africa and beyond. Oil theft in Nigeria has been a significant
and job opportunities. He stressed the need for The General Manager, Planning, Research problem for years, peaking in 2022, when the
African countries to consider the comparative and Development, NCDMB, Alhalji Abdulma- country lost over $2bn in revenues. Theft even
advantages of member nations and take advan- lik Halilu stated that the Guinean team would be caused Nigeria to miss its OPEC allowance on
tage of capacities that have already been devel- taken through the Board’s core operations and numerous occasions, contributing to the coun-
oped in other countries, rather than replicating models in research and development, projects try’s ever-worsening forex problem.
similar facilities. certification, capacity building and funding. bna/IntelliNews, 27 January 2023
Speaking further, the Executive Secretary He noted that the essence is for the delegation
advised the Guinean delegation to remain com- to identify successful programmes of the Board
mitted to the implementation of local content that can be transferred and implemented suc- PROJECTS & COMPANIES
policy, describing it as a long journey, which cessfully in their jurisdiction.
would require strong political will from their NCDMB, 31 January 2023 Equatorial Guinea to
leaders and the development of tools, processes,
communications strategies, and stakeholder Nigeria’s Joint Task Force revamp Zafiro gas field
engagements.
He recalled that Nigerian introduced the Operation Delta Safe reports Equatorial Guinea is pushing forward with plans
policy when the local content level was less than to revamp its Zafiro gas field and boost produc-
5% in 2010 and the local supply chain lacked the progress in fight against tion levels, the country’s Minister of Mines and
capacity to execute critical projects in the coun- Hydrocarbons has announced.
try, which resulted in most of the opportunities illegal oil refining Speaking at an event hosted by the African
going to expatriate personnel and companies. Energy Chamber, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima
He informed that the enactment of the Nige- Nigeria’s Joint Task Force, Operation Delta announced that the Zafiro field had achieved a
rian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Safe, has made remarkable progress in the fight production rate of 12,000 barrels per day (bpd)
(NOGICD) Act and the focussed implemen- against illegal oil refining in the South-south and revealed that the country intends to re-es-
tation in the past 12 years have resulted in the region over the past two weeks, the Defence tablish connections to the wells in February, with
growth of in-country capacity to 54% at the end Headquarters (DHQ) has claimed. the goal of gradually increasing output.
of 2022. According to Musa Danmadami, the Defence The minister’s announcement comes as Exx-
The leader of the Guinean delegation, the Media Operations Director, troops have suc- onMobil’s licence for the Zafiro field is winding
Executive Director of the Bourse for Subcon- cessfully destroyed 39 illegal oil refining sites, 48 down, amidst a series of technical issues. Pro-
tracting and Partnering in Guinea (BSTP), Sai- cooking ovens, 103 storage tanks, 27 dugout pits duction is being maintained at the Serpentina
foulaye Balde, explained that the team would and 33 wooden boats, while also recovering one and Jade facilities and more gas ventures are pre-
spend days with the NCDMB team to learn tug boat, a barge, three pumping machines, three dicted ahead. Zafiro’s issues include the need for
about the Board’s implementation models and speed boats and 13 vehicles. a new floating production storage and offloading
pick up ideas they can implement in their juris- Speaking on January 26, Danmadami also (FPSO) vessel and platform.
diction. He noted that Guinea had a booming explained that the ongoing operation has Afreximbank, the top source of funding for
mining sector, which is dominated by expatri- resulted in the seizure of a substantial amount of hydrocarbon projects in Africa, will finance a
ates, with little local content input. He conveyed illicitly obtained oil products, including 274,000 significant portion of Equatorial Guinea’s future
his country’s desire to increase indigenous par- litres of crude oil, 71,000 litres of automotive die- oil endeavours. The funds will be sourced from
ticipation in their nation’s mining sector and sel, and 15 AK-47 rifles. Forty people have also the Africa Energy Bank, Afreximbank’s brand-
deepen value addition. been arrested. new project aimed at raising $2bn, which is
Balde underscored the history of cooperation Air operations as part of Operation Delta Safe being initiated by the bank.
between Nigeria and Guinea and hailed Nigeria have also seen raids on several illegal refining bna/IntelliNews, 30 January 2023

Week 05 02•February•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P17