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Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan launch $389 million in investment projects

Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have launched 10 investment projects with a total value of $389 million, according to Jasurbek Choriyev, Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission.

Choriyev, who was serving as Deputy Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan when the interview was conducted, said the projects were launched during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Uzbekistan on August 23-24.

‘These projects include the construction of a network of filling stations by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). The first phase involves plans to build five filling stations in the Namangan, Jizzakh, Samarkand, Syrdarya, and Tashkent regions,’ Choriyev said.

He added that construction has also begun on the ‘Azerbaijan’ park, which will cover an area of 4 hectares in the New Tashkent district.

The projects form part of the expanding economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, with investments spanning energy infrastructure and other areas of bilateral cooperation.

Ex-Krrish Director remanded over alleged Rs. 70 m bribe to Namal

Former Krrish Group Executive Director and business personality Janaki Siriwardena, arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over an alleged Rs. 70 million bribe to MP Namal Rajapaksa, was yesterday remanded until 6 October by the Colombo Chief Magistrate.

The Magistrate also directed the Prison Superintendent to facilitate CIABOC officials in recording a statement from Rajapaksa, who is currently in remand custody, in connection with the investigation.

Officers of the CIABOC’s Special Investigation Unit reportedly arrested Siriwardena yesterday morning.

According to the allegation, the Rs. 70 million was paid to Rajapaksa on three separate occasions in exchange for his help in securing a property in Colombo Fort belonging to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) for Krrish Transworks Colombo Ltd., and in expediting the necessary approvals. The property relates to the Transworks Square land in Colombo Fort.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser MP Namal Rajapaksa has separately been further remanded until 30 September in the Airbus case.

More African stock markets cross $100bn as South Africa widens lead

Only three African stock markets have crossed the $100 billion market-capitalisation threshold, highlighting the concentration of the continent’s listed equity market and South Africa’s overwhelming lead over its regional peers.

South Africa’s stock market stood at $1.49 trillion as of September 21, down 0.6 percent from $1.5 trillion recorded on May 15, according to data compiled by BusinessDay.

Its market is more than 12 times the size of Nigeria’s $122 billion market and over 13 times larger than Morocco’s $111.09 billion exchange.

Nigeria has strengthened its position as Africa’s second-largest stock market, with market capitalisation rising 4.27 percent from $117 billion on May 15 to a record $122 billion.

Morocco, meanwhile, remained broadly unchanged at $111.09 billion, leaving a gap of about $11 billion between the Nigerian and Moroccan markets.

The sharp contrast between the three markets above $100 billion and those below the threshold becomes even more pronounced further down the ranking.

Egypt, Africa’s fourth-largest stock market, had a market capitalisation of $83.5 billion, up from $81 billion in May, while Botswana rose to $80.6 billion from $75 billion over the same period.

The next tier is significantly smaller. The BRVM, the regional exchange serving several West African economies, had a market capitalisation of $36.76 billion, while Kenya’s Nairobi Securities Exchange climbed to $31.9 billion from $25 billion in May.

Ghana also edged higher to $23.46 billion from $22 billion, while Tunisia and Tanzania stood at $15.8 billion and $15.18 billion, respectively, compared with $12.6 billion and $13 billion in May.

The figures underline the heavy concentration of Africa’s listed equity markets.

South Africa’s $1.49 trillion market is larger than the combined market capitalisation of the other nine exchanges in the ranking by a wide margin, underscoring the depth and scale gap between the continent’s largest market and its peers.

The disparity is even more striking at the company level.

BHP Group Ltd, the largest listed company on the South African market, has a market capitalisation of about $219.19 billion – almost twice the entire Nigerian market and roughly equivalent to the combined value of Nigeria and Morocco.

Despite the wide differences in market size, African equities have gained momentum this year.

Daba Finance, in a recent report, said African stock markets had recorded ‘one of their strongest performances in recent history’, with equities delivering double-digit gains in local currencies across the continent.

‘Many markets also generated exceptional returns in US dollars and euro terms,’ the platform said, attributing the performance to currency stabilisation, easing inflation in key economies and renewed global appetite for frontier and emerging-market assets.

The latest figures point to a two-speed African equity market: a trillion-dollar South African giant, two markets above $100 billion and a much larger group operating well below that threshold.

Nigeria has moved further above the $100 billion mark since May, while Morocco remains close behind. But the continent’s overall market-capitalisation landscape remains defined by the enormous gap between South Africa and its regional peers.

Loren-Leandro lawyer pushes back vs accusers, urges DOE to review records, withdraw cases

THE lawyer-spokesperson of Senator Loren Legarda has rejected allegations that the senator and her son, Batangas First District Representative Leandro Leviste, profited unjustly from the mega solar franchise his company secured years ago, and called the case pending against them with the Ombudsman as baseless and ridiculous.

Atty. Antonio ‘Tony’ La Viña maintained that the accusations are contradicted by the documentary and financial records.

Speaking before members of the media on Wednesday, La Viña challenged the Department of Energy (DOE) to review its own correspondence, distinguish the companies involved, and correct what he described as fundamental errors underlying the complaint against Legarda and Leviste. He also questioned the Office of the Ombudsman’s basis for pursuing the allegations of plunder and graft, urging it to examine the documentary evidence.

‘Una sa lahat, walang pera galing sa gobyerno na kinuha at binulsa ni Senator Loren o ni Representative Leandro. Walang plunder, walang government funds na kinuha in any of the projects. Dapat very clear sa atin yan [Firstly, no government money was pocketed by Senator Loren or Representative Leandro. There was no plunder, no government funds taken in any of the projects. That should be clear to us all] ,’ La Viña said.

The renewable energy projects under scrutiny were privately funded and the failure of a project to proceed does not, by itself, constitute plunder or graft, he asserted.

Addressing the multibillion-peso financial obligations publicly attributed to Leviste, La Viña clarified that the amounts involved different corporate entities. He maintained that the financial obligations legitimately assessed against Leviste’s companies had already been fully settled.

La Viña identified a DOE demand letter addressed to Mr. Emmanuel Rubio of SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC), which has been majority-owned and controlled by Meralco’s generation company, MGen, since 2024. He urged the DOE to distinguish SPNEC from Solar Para sa Bayan Corporation and the other Solar Philippines companies, emphasizing that the financial obligations of one corporate entity cannot simply be attributed to another.

‘It is clear that their letter asking for twenty-four billion to be paid, which was later changed to 10 billion, is for Mr. Emmanuel Rubio and not Leandro Leviste, and not the latter’s companies,’ La Viña said, partly in Filipino.

He also clarified that the Solar Para sa Bayan franchise was non-exclusive and had ceased to exist under the law’s automatic revocation provision after it failed to become operational. He attributed its non-implementation to the DOE’s failure to issue the necessary implementing rules and identify the areas where the franchise could operate.

‘It wasn’t implemented because the government, the Department of Energy, failed to issue the rules and regulations to implement the solar franchise. The government, or DOE, also did not release a list of the places where it can be implemented,’ La Viña said.

He rejected allegations that Leviste had monopolized renewable energy service contracts, explaining that the 42 solar contracts awarded to him represented only a portion of the 518 solar service contracts nationwide.

A Senate Energy committee hearing in 2024 had elicited from the DOE a report that nearly half of the companies issued show-cause orders for failure to have operational projects longer after the usual period of 1-3 years belonged to Leviste.

La Viña emphasized that a renewable energy service contract involves exploration and pre-development and that projects may not proceed because of land availability, grid connectivity, and other feasibility concerns. Investors bear the financial risks and must settle applicable obligations when projects do not proceed.

He questioned whether the failure of a privately funded renewable energy project to proceed could constitute plunder or graft, stressing that the nature of service contracts must be properly understood in evaluating the allegations before the Ombudsman.

La Viña separately rejected allegations linking Legarda to her son’s renewable energy ventures, maintaining that the senator neither participated in the management of Leviste’s companies nor used her public office to advance their business interests.

He stressed that Legarda’s relationship with her son does not establish her participation in the transactions or contractual obligations of his companies.

‘There’s nothing in the charges of the Ombudsman that involves Senator Loren Legarda. So, why was she dragged into it?’ La Viña said.

He questioned the basis for including Legarda in the complaint and challenged the authorities to identify evidence establishing her personal participation in any alleged wrongdoing.

He said both had submitted their counter-affidavits within the prescribed period, disputing claims that their submissions had been delayed.

How car bonds, agents hike vehicle registration fees behind hidden receipts

Fresh evidence has emerged showing how intermediaries and car bond operators are collecting millions of Shillings from vehicle and motorcycle owners through non-itemised receipts, weeks after the Ministry of Works and Transport issued a stern warning against overcharging for digital number plates.

During a recent joint inspection led by the Commissioner for Transport and Road Safety, Mr Winstone Katushabe, alongside the Uganda Police, authorities caught a car bond operator charging motorists Shs 850,000 for a new digital registration plate. The mandatory, gazetted fee set by the government is Shs 714,300.

However, additional documents reviewed by this reporter reveal a wider pattern across the vehicle registration and clearance chain, raising serious questions over whether motorists are systematically paying unexplained fees to private agents.

In one instance, a receipt issued on September 3, 2026, by Transedge Interfreight Holdings Co. Ltd records a lump-sum payment of Shs 1,485,000 listed simply as “Taxes + DPC plates + clearance.” Market research indicates that applicable taxes and clearance fees for this specific transaction should not have exceeded Shs 200,000. Combined with the official digital plate fee of Shs 714,300, the baseline costs total roughly Shs 914,300, leaving an unaccounted difference of Shs 570,700 without any itemised breakdown.

The transparency gap is even more severe for low-income earners, particularly motorcycle operators. A receipt from Khams Works Limited details an unbreakdown payment of Shs 2,100,000 for a motorcycle-related registration, while another document from Yuku Shipping and Logistics Ltd shows a similar payment of Shs 1,980,000.

While these documents do not on their own establish criminal wrongdoing, they highlight a systemic issue where motorists are handed total figures that blur the line between mandatory statutory fees, official plate costs, and private service markups. For boda boda riders, who rely on motorcycles as a vital source of livelihood to pay rent and school fees, these undocumented charges impose a heavy financial strain.

Contacted for clarification, Joint Venture ITMS, the firm managing the digital number plate rollout, reiterated that the gazetted cost for a new vehicle plate remains strictly Shs 714,300. An ITMS representative confirmed that motorists must not pay above the official rate for the plate itself, adding that an anti-corruption hotline (+256 326 88530) has been created to report demands for informal payments.

Addressing the information gap that leaves vehicle owners reliant on third-party intermediaries, Ministry of Works and Transport officials advised the public to track registration progress independently through the Motor Vehicle Registration (MVR) portal (portal.mvr.go.ug) or via their dedicated hotline (0200 420 000). Officials noted that delays often stem from flawed customs declarations rather than number plate processing, urging motorists to verify application stages before paying additional fees to claims of “delayed plates.”

Ruwasa Hanang tasked with strengthening water supply

Manyara Regional Commissioner, Martine Shigela, has directed the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (Ruwasa) in Hanang District to allocate an annual budget to extend clean water services to all unserved sub-villages in Masusu Village.

Shigela issued the directive on Thursday, September 24, 2026, during an event to hand over and launch a clean water and environmental sanitation project in the village, implemented by WaterAid Tanzania in collaboration with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

He urged residents to recognise that, once handed over, the project is their property and they have a responsibility to protect and maintain it. “Alongside launching this project, I would like to remind citizens that this project belongs to us, not WaterAid. This is not a church project. This project is ours, so taking care of and protecting it is our duty,” said Mr Shigela.

He said despite the project being completed, water had not reached many sub-villages, requiring Ruwasa to allocate funds annually to expand the service.

“Within this village I know water has not reached many sub-villages. Now I direct Ruwasa in your annual budgets, allocate a budget bring funds take water to sub-villages that lack water,” he directed.

WaterAid Tanzania Country Director, Ms Anna Mzinga, said the project cost Sh729.258 million and called on Ruwasa and other stakeholders to ensure the service becomes sustainable.

She said the project uses solar energy to pump water during the day, prompting experts to recommend connecting it to Tanesco’s grid through a hybrid energy system so the service remains available at all times efficiently and affordably.

“We would like to call upon our water stakeholders; namely the rural water supply and sanitation agency (Ruwasa) to put these plans in place and be able to connect electricity to the water system of this project for the benefit of citizens,” said Ms Mzinga.

She said the project had completed three water points serving approximately 500 people, while the source has the capacity to serve 15 points.

“So I would like to ask our Ruwasa experts again if the opportunity arises to invest in the expansion of this project to reach all citizens of this village more closely,” she noted.

She said the project was implemented over 12 months, from October 2025 to September 2026, as the third phase of funding from LDS, reaching 100 percent of all targeted areas.

The initiative is expected to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene services across the village.

The project includes a 30,000-litre water tank, a school drinking water station, toilets, handwashing stations and menstrual hygiene facilities.

WASH and climate change education has been provided through WASH clubs to residents of Masusu and neighbouring villages.

Overall, the project has reached 2,600 people, including 669 pupils and eight teachers at Masusu Primary School.

It has also increased access to clean water for 500 community members through three prepaid water points.

Masusu residents, including, Mr Noah Leitaika, said the project had reduced the burden of lacking safe water and toilets.

“We thank WaterAid because they have already brought us good service. We have great joy in lifting the bucket off the mother’s head. Even our children used to leave homes with dirty water to drink while at school. But now that challenge has vanished,” he said.

Another resident, Ms Mariam Joseph, said they had initially been drawing water from Gisambala wells, with some households lacking toilets.

“With very great joy today we receive this water project and spare us from walking long distances to Gisambala where there are wells. Also the community is receiving education and proper toilet use,” she noted.

Second FIFA Arena in Philippines launched in Puerto Princesa

The Philippine Football Federation (PFF), together with FIFA and the Puerto Princesa Football Association (PPFA), officially launched another FIFA Arena in the Philippines on Thursday, September 24.

The new FIFA Arena is located at the Ramon V. Mitra Sports Complex in Barangay Sta. Monica here, marking a milestone moment for grassroots football development in Palawan. It is an all-weather quarter pitch with artificial turf, purpose-built for small-sided football for children and teenagers. It provides a safe, accessible, and optimal space especially for elementary and junior high school-aged players to develop the fundamentals of the game.

This is the second FIFA Arena built in the country, following the first, which opened in Balanga, Bataan, on January 21.

Beyond the pitch inauguration, the event also marked two other firsts for the Philippines: the FIFA Boots for All Program, through which FIFA and PFF distributed 500 pairs of boots to young players in Palawan, and a FIFA Medical Session for Children focused on health education and emergency response.

PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez called the launch a convergence of opportunity, access and child welfare through football.

“Today is about more than just simply opening a football pitch in a beautiful city. We are bringing together opportunity, access, health, and the protection of our children – all through football,” Gutierrez said. “Through the FIFA Arena, we provide a safe, accessible and all-weather space where children can play… this is a gamechanger for Philippine football.”

Gutierrez also highlighted the significance of the Boots for All and Medical programs debuting in the Philippines.

“We know that for many children, having proper football boots can be a barrier to playing the game. Through this program, we can help remove that barrier,” he said, adding that the medical initiative aims to equip coaches and young players with “better practices in emergency response, health and player welfare.”

“This pitch is yours. Play here. Learn here. Make friends here. Challenge yourself. And perhaps one day, from this very pitch in Palawan, we will see a young player take the next step – from grassroots football, to representing Palawan, to representing the Philippines, and maybe even playing on the biggest stages in the world.”

FIFA Council Member and former PFF President Mariano Araneta Jr. echoed the significance of the initiative, noting that “football development begins at the grassroots – with a child, a ball, and a place to play,” and commended the collaboration between FIFA, PFF, government agencies and the local community. FIFA Regional Lead and Development Manager for East and Southeast Asia Lavin Vignesh said the arena is part of FIFA’s broader push to build more pitches across the country, adding that the real highlight of the day was seeing ‘the boys and girls… so happy with this new pitch” and “very excited with the new boots.”

He noted that Philippine football, particularly the women’s national team’s back-to-back World Cup qualifications, continues to inspire the next generation.

FIFA Arena Project Consultant Amlan Kamal explained that the Arena, Boots for All, and Football for Schools programs work together to build “a holistic ecosystem around football,’ while FIFA Senior Health and Medical Projects Manager Khloud Sebak shared that Puerto Princesa marked the first time FIFA Medical’s global health promotion content was introduced in a host country, with materials made available through FIFA’s website, YouTube, and the Football for Schools app for accessibility even in remote areas.

PPFA President Dio Paolo De Guzman said the arena turns a long-standing dream into reality for Palawan’s grassroots football community.

“This is the start of the journey to develop more young players, our grassroots for Palawan,’ he said, announcing plans for free Saturday training sessions open to kids across the province under licensed coaches.

The event was attended by PFF and FIFA officials alongside local government leaders, including Puerto Princesa City Administrator Atty. Herbert Dilig, representing Mayor Lucilo Bayron; Vice Mayor Atty. Peter “Jimbo” Maristela; City Councilor Epitacio Lao, representing 3rd District Rep. Gil Acosta Jr.; and city councilors Gerry Abad, Karl Dylan Aquino, Matthew Mendoza, Erwin Edualino, and Luis Marcaida III. Also present were former Vice Mayor Nancy Socrates, former Vice Mayor and PPFA founder Vicky De Guzman, and City Sports Director Atty. Gregorio Austria.

The Puerto Princesa FIFA Arena forms part of an ongoing nationwide effort by PFF, in partnership with FIFA, AFC, AFF, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), regional football associations, local government units and private companies to expand access to quality football pitches across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Since the initiative began in 2026, quality pitches have also been inaugurated in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, in partnership with AFF, and in Leganes, Iloilo, in partnership with Filinvest Land Corporation, while construction of new full-sized pitches is already underway in Naga City and Baguio City in partnership with PSC.

ADA University hosts lecture-concert within ‘Art Masterpieces’ project

The 18th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival is being held from September 18 to 30 with the organization of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture.

As part of the festival, the Culture Ministry’s Scientific, Methodological and Qualification Center for Culture (MEMIM) under the Ministry of Culture is holding lecture-concerts for the second consecutive year as part of its “Art Masterpieces” (S?n?t incil?ri) project, the ministry’s press service reported.

A lecture-concert was held at ADA University within the project. The event was organized with the support of the Uzeyir Hajibayli Baku Academy of Music, Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, ADA University and the International Mugham Center.

The event was attended by ADA University Rector Professor Hafiz Pashayev, university faculty members and students, as well as guests.

Welcoming the participants, ADA University Vice Rector Gunay Ziyadova spoke about the events organized by the university as part of the Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival. She expressed satisfaction that a project dedicated to the great composer was being held at the university and thanked the organizers.

Jahangir Salimkhanov, an adviser to the Minister of Culture, described the 18th Uzeyir Hajibayli International Music Festival as an important event in the country’s contemporary cultural life. He noted that the festival helps promote the legacy of Uzeyir Hajibayli and said the composer’s talent, skill and dedication continue to serve as an example for younger generations.

MEMIM Director Vugar Gumbatov, PhD in Art Studies and Associate Professor, said the project aims to promote Uzeyir Hajibayli’s outstanding contribution to the development of Azerbaijan’s musical culture and introduce his artistic legacy to a wider audience, particularly young people. He also thanked the leadership of ADA University for providing the necessary conditions for the event.

The programme then continued under the moderation of Saadat Tahmirazgizi, a MEMIM specialist, PhD in Art Studies and Honoured Cultural Worker.

A lecture by Doctor of Art Studies and Associate Professor Leyla Zohrabova focused on Uzeyir Hajibayli’s major contribution to the development of Azerbaijan’s musical culture.

The artistic programme featured musical works by Uzeyir Hajibayli as well as dance performances. The performances were presented by the J. Jahangirov Choir of the International Mugham Center, led by Presidential Prize laureate Tarana Yusifova; ADA University students; the Detase SABAH violin ensemble of the Uzeyir Hajibayli Baku Academy of Music; and faculty members and students of Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts.

The programme also included an aria from the opera Nargiz by People’s Artist Muslim Magomayev and Paraphrase by Honoured Artist Emil Afrasiyab, a composition based on one of Uzeyir Hajibayli’s works.

The musical and dance performances were met with applause from the audience.

The next lecture-concert within the “Art Masterpieces” project will be held on September 28 at Khazar University.

NMDPRA sets 2028 target for transition to ‘Willing Buyer, Willing Seller’ gas market

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has set September 24, 2028 target for Nigeria’s domestic gas market to transition to a fully established willing buyer, willing seller framework.

The Authority also tasked industry stakeholders to develop clear markers and deliver on their promise to ensure Nigeria grows its gas production and consumption.

The Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Mallam Rabiu Umar, made this known yesterday at the Gas Market Maturity Workshop, organised under the Decade of Gas initiative at the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Abuja.

He noted that gas must be affordable for Nigerians while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s investment reforms. This transition, he further explained, is in line with the Nigeria decade of gas goal to become a gas powered economy by 2030.

Umar said the transition would be based on measurable conditions that demonstrate the maturity of different segments of the gas market, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

‘Invariably, this is the first time that we have been bold enough to set a clear target for our gas market transition’ he noted

According to him, the PIA envisages a shift from a market largely coordinated through regulation to one driven increasingly by commercial contracts between willing buyers and willing sellers. He said Section 167 of the Act provides for the gradual movement of the domestic gas market towards a point where price regulation can step back as commercial contracting and competition become stronger.

‘The journey we are starting should lead us to a place where we should target a 24-month at best period within which we will be able to declare the market to be truly a willing buyer, willing seller market,’ he said.

The NMDPRA boss stressed that the transition must not be based on broad statements of intent but on clearly defined indicators, thresholds and safeguards. He identified supply availability and diversity, the number and quality of buyers and sellers, access to transportation infrastructure, strength of contracts, payment reliability, delivery obligations, market information and credible price signals as key indicators of market maturity.

Umar noted that Nigeria’s domestic gas supply remained tight, despite the country’s vast gas resources, stressing that infrastructure development must be matched by sufficient gas molecules to utilise the infrastructure. He also stressed the need to ensure that major gas infrastructure projects, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline, have sufficient gas supply to make them commercially useful.

‘If you look at supply, for example, on the domestic side, it is still tight, no matter how you look at it. We have a lot of work to do in our infrastructure space. The focus right now is not just delivering the infrastructure, but ensuring that we have enough molecules to fill the pipeline,’ he said.

He assured that the role of the regulator would also evolve as the market develops, with greater emphasis on establishing market rules, ensuring fair access, protecting competition and monitoring market conduct.

Consequently, the Authority, he said, has commenced consultations on draft regulations on anti-competitive practices, aimed at translating the competition provisions of the PIA into enforceable regulatory rules.

The NMDPRA chief executive also called for a realistic assessment of the different segments of the Nigerian gas market, noting that they were at different stages of development.

He said the sequencing of the transition would require determining which market segments were ready to move first, the thresholds they must meet and the safeguards required before liberalisation.

Umar further disclosed that the authority was nearing the conclusion of the process for the issuance of gas distribution licences, with the exercise expected to be completed in the coming weeks. He said qualified companies would be issued gas distribution licences in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The NMDPRA boss also said the authority was working to deepen the domestic utilisation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), stressing that increased domestic utilisation of the country’s gas resources would be an important indicator of economic growth.

He said the government was also seeking to expand the use of compressed natural gas (CNG), while several LNG and gas-to-power projects were being developed across the country.

According to him, greater domestic gas utilisation could support power generation, reduce dependence on imports and minimise transmission losses associated with moving electricity over long distances.

He added that the authority was committed to creating a predictable, coherent and transparent regulatory environment capable of attracting long-term investment into the gas sector.

Umar said gas projects required substantial upfront investment and long-term contracts before investors and financiers could commit capital.

‘For you to take an FID in a gas investment, you need to have a long-term contract,’ he said, adding that the authority was willing to engage with individual projects to identify regulatory measures that could support their development.

Also speaking, the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Secretariat, Ed Ubong, said Nigeria could achieve a willing buyer, willing seller gas market before the end of the first horizon of the Decade of Gas programme in 2030.

Ubong said the programme had identified clear markers for achieving the target, including increasing gas supply to 12.6 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.

He said 16 key infrastructure projects were expected to support the growth of the gas market, while more than 60 projects capable of creating about 15 billion cubic feet per day of gas demand had been identified on the demand side.

He noted that a mature gas market would also require the development of a successful gas-to-power market and greater access to cooking gas.

In her speech, the President of the Nigerian Gas Association, Mrs. Yetunde Taiwo, an engineer, said the transition to a willing buyer, willing seller market must be driven by clearly defined milestones.

Taiwo said the NGA had consistently advocated for a commercially driven gas market but stressed that the transition must be properly sequenced to avoid moving either prematurely or too slowly.

She said, ‘As NGA, what we would like to see really is to see those goalposts, those milestones that have been set, that makes it a realistic journey for us to say we have achieved a willing buyer, willing seller status.’

According to her, Nigeria had made significant progress in the gas industry over the past decade, but substantial work remained to be done.

She called for stronger collaboration between government, regulators and industry, with government providing clear policy direction, regulators establishing predictable rules, and industry continuing to invest, innovate and execute projects.

Taiwo said the ultimate objective should be a gas market capable of attracting investment, encouraging greater participation and delivering reliable gas to industries, businesses and consumers.

Fisheries Commission Inaugurates Two National Committees

The Governing Board of the Fisheries Commission has inaugurated two national-level fisheries co-management committees to strengthen participatory, science-based and coordinated fisheries management under Ghana’s new fisheries law.

The committees – the Scientific and Technical Committee (STC) and the Fisheries Management Operational Committee (FMOC) – were inaugurated at separate ceremonies held at the Fisheries Commission Conference Room in Accra on September 15, 2026.

The inauguration was supported by Global Fisheries and Resilience Action (GFRA) under the Inshore Exclusion Zone Enforcement and Transparency (IEZET) Project.

Executive Director of the Fisheries Commission, Professor Benjamin Campion, explained the governance arrangements under the new Fisheries and Aquaculture Act and highlighted the respective roles of the Governing Board, the Fisheries Commission and the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Ghana’s fisheries governance framework.

Chairman of the Governing Board, Professor Wisdom Akpalu, underscored the importance of the committees in strengthening science-based, evidence-informed and participatory fisheries management.

‘We are depending on you to proof test all the scientific … and technical work that will come to your committee,’ he said, urging members to critically assess recommendations to support sustainable fisheries management in Ghana.

The Scientific and Technical Committee, chaired by Dr. Angela Lamptey, is mandated to provide scientific and technical advice to inform fisheries management decisions.

Under its revised mandate, its scope has been expanded to include inland fisheries and aquaculture, in addition to its existing responsibilities relating to marine fisheries.

The Fisheries Management Operational Committee, chaired by Mr. Daniel Owusu, is mandated to translate scientific and technical advice into coordinated operational action.

Its functions include the development of annual implementation plans, coordination among relevant divisions of the Fisheries Commission and other stakeholder institutions, and ensuring that institutional representation remains consistent with the requirements of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025.

Together, the two committees are expected to strengthen the link between scientific advice and implementation, while providing structured platforms for collaboration among government institutions, technical experts and fisheries stakeholders.