Headline

FG Approves Amendment Of 2022/2023 Deep Offshore Oil Block Bid Round

Published

3 years ago

April 1, 2023

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the amendment of the 2022/2023 Deep Offshore oil block mini-bid process to accommodate concerns raised by potential local and international investors.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) stated in Abuja on Saturday that the amendments would address concerns over the terminal date of the current administration to the closure of the bid schedule.

Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, said in the statement that the amendments would also boost confidence in the transparency and continuity of the process.

Komolafe said following the approval by the president, the NUPRC had extended the deadline for the submission of bids to May 19.

He said it had also revised the timeline for concluding activities of contract negotiations and signing to between July 3 and July 28.

The extension of time would afford interested international oil companies enough time to enter into, and conclude necessary joint venture arrangements with indigenous companies.

It would also allow for proper evaluation of relevant data by all bidders, Komolafe said.

He added that the bid round was progressing in accordance with the Schedule which had been published as part of the guidelines.

“Outstanding activities for the conclusion of the exercise include the Technical/Commercial bid submission and the Ministerial Consent/Contract Negotiation and Signing.

“The Technical/Commercial bid submission involves data access, purchase, evaluation, bid preparation and submission, bid evaluation and publication of results as well as commercial bid conference and announcement of winners.

“The Commission is fully committed to conducting the bid round in a manner that guarantees the achievement of the objectives of the exercise,’’ he assured.

Komolafe added that constant interrogation and oversight of the process showed two concerns that the Commission felt might impact the success of the exercise if not immediately addressed.

He listed the concerns as the plan to conclude the bid process before the transition to the incoming government and the need to guarantee the participation of qualified indigenous companies, working collaboratively with multinational oil companies.

The collaboration would leverage technology, funding and expertise in the deep offshore, he noted.

Komolafe said also that the NUPRC had announced the requirement for Joint Venture arrangements between international oil companies and indigenous companies and amended the guidelines accordingly.

He said the measure would address the issue of collaboration between indigenous and interactional oil companies and was also in consonance with, and supports the Nigerian Content requirements of the bid round.

Komolafe said it was also in accordance with the Nigerian Constitution which provided that the resources of the nation should be harnessed in a manner that promoted national prosperity and an efficient, dynamic and self-sustaining economy.

Headline

12 Die, 30 Missing In Peru Landslide

Published

14 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

At least 12 people, including three children, died in a landslide at a river port in central Peru on Monday, and 30 were reported missing, officials said.

The landslide submerged a boat with about 50 passengers on board, and another with none, as they were docked at the port of Iparia in the Amazon jungle region of Ucayali, according to a police report cited by the Andina news agency.

Six people were injured, it added, and a search and rescue operation was underway at the start of the Peruvian rainy season.

Without giving a toll, Peru’s COEN national emergency operations centre said on X that tragedy struck at dawn due to “erosion” of the bank of the Ucayali river.

It said the navy has been called in to help.

AFP

Headline

Nigeria Grants Asylum To Guinea-Bissau Opposition Candidate

Published

14 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian embassy in Guinea-Bissau has granted asylum to Fernando Dias da Costa, the country’s opposition presidential candidate, following alleged threats to his life after last week’s military coup, The Cable Reports.

The coup was announced by military officers on Wednesday, just days after Guinea-Bissau’s presidential election in which both incumbent President Umaro Embaló and his main challenger, da Costa, claimed victory before official results were released.

Nigeria condemned the takeover and urged an immediate return to constitutional order.

In a letter to the President of the Economic Community of West African States Commission, Omar Touray, dated November 30, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said President Bola Tinubu had approved asylum and protection for da Costa inside the Nigerian embassy in Bissau.

Tuggar wrote that the decision was made “in response to threats made against da Costa’s life.”

“In this regard, it would be appreciated if you would kindly mandate the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau to provide him protection and security while in the premises of the Nigerian embassy,” the letter stated.

The foreign affairs minister’s Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, confirmed the letter’s authenticity to The Cable on Monday.

He said, “The decision of the Federal Government of Nigeria to grant asylum and provide protection to Fernando Dia Da Costa falls squarely within Nigeria’s sovereign responsibility and longstanding commitment to regional peace, stability, and democratic governance.”

He added that Nigeria acted “in the broader interest of de-escalation,” saying the government had exercised its discretion “to prevent further deterioration of tensions and to promote social cohesion in Guinea-Bissau and the wider West African sub-region.”

According to Abdulkadir, the intervention aligns with ECOWAS principles and reflects Nigeria’s role as a stabilising force in West Africa.

Following the coup, ECOWAS held an emergency virtual summit of heads of state and subsequently suspended Guinea-Bissau from the regional bloc until constitutional order is restored.

Headline

Trump To Attend FIFA World Cup Finals Draw On Friday

Published

15 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The White House on Monday confirmed US President Donald Trump would attend the draw for the FIFA World Cup finals in Washington later this week.

The United States will co-host the 2026 tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.

“On Friday, President Trump will attend the FIFA World Cup final draw at the Kennedy Centre,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

Trump has made the World Cup a centrepiece event of both his second presidency and the 250th anniversary of US independence next year.

But the giant sporting extravaganza has not escaped the political turmoil caused by Trump’s hardline stance on a host of issues.

Trump, a Republican, has raised the possibility of moving games from some US host cities amid a crackdown on what he says is crime and illegal migration in some Democratic-run areas.

AFP