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JUST IN: President Tinubu Signs Executive Orders On Petroleum Sector Reform

Published

1 year ago

March 6, 2024

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday signed three executive orders, targeted at positioning Nigeria as a preferred oil and gas investment destination in Africa.

In a statement obtained by Vanguard, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, stated: “Following extensive engagements, analyses, and benchmarking with other jurisdictions, the President has initiated the amendment of primary legislation to introduce fiscal incentives for oil & gas projects, reduce contracting costs and timelines, and promote cost efficiency in local content requirements.

“Recognizing the urgency to accelerate investments, the President has directed as follows, Introduction of fiscal incentives for non-associated gas, midstream and deepwater developments, streamlining of contracting process to compress the contracting cycle to six months and ⁠the application of the local content requirements without hindering investments or the cost competitiveness.

“The details of these Policy Directives will be gazetted and communicated by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

“These incentives were developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Ministry of Petroleum, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.

“The Special Adviser to the President on Energy has been directed to continue coordinating the aforementioned stakeholders to ensure the implementation of these directives within a stipulated time frame.”

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s oil production grew by 8.7 percent in January 2024 to 1.64 million barrels per day when compared to the 1.51 million barrels per day produced over corresponding period last year, latest data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, has indicated.

The Commission in its crude oil and condensate production report for the month of January 2024 showed that average daily liquid production was 1.42 million barrels while average daily condensate production was 217,097 barrels.

A closer look at the report showed that in total, oil production for the month of January was 50.95 million barrels, made up of 44.44 million liquid production and 6.7 million barrels of condensate oil.

The Commission disclosed that Forcados with 8.7 million barrels and Bonny with 6.9 million barrels, were the highest reporting terminals.

The Commission Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe had recently said that NUPRC has adopted measures that would tackle challenges facing the oil and gas sector and boost production in the country.

In a presentation in Lagos, Komolafe said Nigeria’s oil production currently averages 1.586 million barrels per day, made up of 1.33mbpd liquid production and 256,000 condensate oil production.

He explained that measures adopted by the Commission include improved transparency in hydrocarbon measurement and accounting, collaborative work programme administration with the exploration & production companies, and close monitoring to ensure that they meet their work programme obligations.

Others are acceleration of field developments through timely approvals and ensuring speedy execution, production optimisation by ensuring wells are tested periodically and produced at optimal rates, identifying candidate wells for work-over and interventions as well as the adoption of Enhanced Oil Recovery processes and technologies.
VANGUARD

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Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

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US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”