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AfrOil PIPELINES & TRANSPORT AfrOil

The remaining deals will “be fast-tracked, supply its oil.
including the Tanzanian HGA, and we quickly Uganda does not currently produce any oil,
carry out the implementation of EACOP pro- but it started finding commercial volumes in
ject,” he added. 2006 and estimates it could recover some 1.4bn
A foundation stone for the pipeline was laid barrels. But for development to begin, Uganda
in August 2017 but there has been little progress will need a route for exporting crude to interna-
since then. The start of construction in earnest tional markets.
is yet to be determined, and first of all funding EACOP was initially due to start up in 2017,
will need to be finalised. Once work does begin, but progress has stalled because of upstream
it is expected that the project will take three years delays. Similarly, a plan to build Uganda’s first
to complete. oil refinery has also fallen behind schedule.
Total is in the process of acquiring Tullow When built, the plant will be able to process up
Oil’s stake in the project, and the fields that will to 60,000 bpd of crude. ™

PERFORMANCE
Nigerian fuel shortages

loom as key roads closed

NIGERIA THERE is a risk of fuel shortages in northern discussion nothing has been done on the road.
Nigeria, following the shutdown of key road As leaders, we have to do the necessary and pro-
links used to bring fuel imports to the region tect the lives of our members from avoidable
from the south. accidents and attacks from hoodlums,” the PTD
The Niger State government stopped fuel said. “So starting September 17, our members
tankers and other heavy vehicles from using will not be lifting products from Lagos to the
link roads in the province’s Minna area on Sep- northern part of the country.” Operations will
tember 15, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) not resume until the Bida-Agai-Lapai-Lambata
union said in a statement. This step was taken road is usable or Minna roads re-open, it said.
so that repair work on the roads could be done Niger State authorities responded to the
faster. halting of fuel shipments saying that it was the
The PTD has subsequently halted the supply federal government’s job to repair Bida-Agai-
of fuel from the port of Lagos through Niger Lapai-Lambata, as it is a federal road. The
State to Nigeria’s north. The union explained roads the local administration closed in Minna
that the only alternative road, Bida-Agai-Lap- belonged to the state, and it was acting within
ai-Lambata, was not suitable for motor vehicles, the law to do so.
describing it as a “death trap.” “We are affirming our position: There is no
PTD leaders got wind of the Niger State gov- going back on the state government’s decision
ernment’s plan weeks ago and urged authorities on the ban on articulated trucks from playing
to fix the poorly maintained Bida-Agai-Lapai- the state-owned roads,” Ibrahim Balarabe, the
Lambata route. They got assurances that this chief of state of the Niger State governor, told
would be done, the union said reporters. “We will stand on our position and
“Unfortunately, over two weeks after our we will not relent on that.” ™

Petroleum tanker trucks went idle on September 15 (Photo: Naira Metrics)

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