Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Industry leaders have said improved seismic surveys and faster permitting are critical to unlocking Africa’s frontier oil and gas potential

Africa’s oil and gas sector could be on the brink of a new exploration renaissance, driven by advances in seismic imaging, frontier data sets and faster permitting, industry leaders said at Africa Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies 2025 in Cape Town.

According to Emmanuelle Garinet, VP of Exploration Africa at TotalEnergies, Africa’s frontier basins hold significant volumes. She pointed to Namibia as an example of how seismic and subsurface data can de-risk projects: ‘When we decided to drill the Venus well, it was frontier, but we had a probability of success of more than 50 per cent because of the seismic data and direct hydrocarbon indicators.’

In the Republic of Congo, TotalEnergies’ exploration permitting process is moving at a markedly faster pace. ‘We got our permit in less than six months and are preparing for drilling by the end of the year,’ Garinet said. By contrast, South Africa’s permitting system has faced delays due to legal challenges, a problem she described as ‘unacceptable’ given limited budgets for global exploration.

Chevron’s CEO, Gavin Lewis, emphasised the critical role of comprehensive subsurface datasets in Africa. ‘Before you can do any AI-driven workflows, you need a dataset that illuminates what the subsurface looks like,’ he said.

‘What Africa has lost is the ability to sponsor multi-client subsurface datasets. The only basin that allows for large, regional high-quality datasets is the Gulf of America, which has allowed that basin to reinvent itself multiple times.’

VP of Exploration for bp, Bryan Ritchie, highlighted survey work in Egypt’s Nile Delta, where the company completed the first deepwater ocean-bottom node seismic survey over the Atoll field and noted that the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company plans to expand multi-client data coverage across a larger area of the delta. ‘We’re seeing new opportunities for these images,’ he said.

Beyond exploration, Woodside Energy’s VP of Exploration, Terry Gebhardt, said geoscience and subsurface data are also key to carbon capture and storage projects, as well as ‘maximizing efficacy and recovery’ in existing fields.

The panel discussion, sponsored by EnerGeo Alliance, also underlined the broader scale of investment in Africa’s oil and gas sector. Nikki Martin, President and CEO of EnerGeo Alliance, said African oil and gas capital expenditure is expected to rise to $54 billion by 2030, following a $6 billion surge in exploration spending in 2024.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Dr. Dele Alake, has called for the transformation of Africa from a raw mineral supplier to a global hub for mineral processing, innovation, and green industrialisation.

He said the continent should play a strategic role in powering the 21st-century economy through its vast mineral wealth.

Alake said this in a keynote address he delivered at the African Mining Week in Cape Town, South Africa, with the theme: Vision and Strategy – Setting the Stage for Minerals Industrialisation.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the minister noted that Africa is home to some of the richest mineral deposits in the world, stressing that the resources are critical to clean energy, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and global security.

Alake said: ‘Africa’s minerals have powered industrialisation elsewhere while our own economies remain under-industrialised. This paradox must end. Our vision must be clear: to move from extractive dependence to transformative industrialisation.

‘Our youth should no longer seek jobs abroad while opportunities lie buried beneath their feet. The time to industrialise is now. Let us set the stage for an Africa that is not just a participant in the global minerals economy, but a driver of its future.’

Highlighting the ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector, the minister, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Farouk Yabo, stated that the nation was incentivising local beneficiation from gold refining to Lithium processing; revoking dormant licences to promote serious investment; strengthening governance and transparency to attract credible global partners, and building a national critical minerals strategy.

Also, the minister addressed the ministerial roundtable of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) on the sidelines of the mining week, highlighting Nigeria’s efforts to create a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Alake said: ‘We are investing in digitising mining processes from data accessibility to mineral traceability. We are also focusing on bequeathing strong institutions and the right policies to drive reforms, hence the ongoing efforts to amend the 2007 Minerals and Mining Act to provide a more robust legislative framework that will propel investments in the mining sector.’

The minister emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to ensure traceability from mining to monetisation, affirming that the nation’s minerals are set to come from two sources: licensed holders or a seller and supplier buying from Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners (ASM) who are registered and formalised.

Echoing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Alake stressed that African countries must prioritise mapping their mineral resources to better understand the location and scale of deposits.

‘After national mapping, it is the duty of countries to ensure only licensed operators are mining. We must also build adequate capacity for effective supervision,’ he said.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris took time out last week to interrogate characterisations in sections of the foreign media of religion-induced attacks and violence in the country. He was piqued by claims from some international platforms and online commentators that terrorists in Nigeria were carrying out a systematic genocide against Christians.

Though he named neither the offending social media platforms nor the commentators, the minister considered their claims so grave that he had to issue a statement to correct the wrong impressions created.

‘The federal government strongly condemns and categorically refutes recent allegations by certain international platforms and online influencers suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians. Such claims are false, baseless, despicable, and divisive’, he said.

He sees as misrepresentation of reality, the portrayal of Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group and that though Nigeria is faced with security challenges, couching the situation as a deliberate, systematic attack on Christians is inaccurate and harmful. He is largely right.

The minister’s position seems to find further support in subsisting incidences of such attacks across the country. So, when he said the criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology regardless of faith, he is backed by facts.

But that is not all there is to the matter. Yes, the criminals target all those who reject their ‘murderous ideology’ without regard to faith. They attack Muslims who do not identify with their own brand of teaching. They also attack Christians because they belong to a different religious fate. If other people who do not belong to any of these two religions are attacked, they were caught in the course of the onslaught on the two dominant religious groups. But what is this murderous ideology? And who are its purveyors in our circumstance?

Answers to these posers may chart the part to the misinterpretation and mischaracterisation of the security challenges in the country by the foreign media. And they may well be located in the way religion-induced violence and attacks on worship places budded and escalated in the last couple of years.

The first bomb attack on worship places surfaced around 2011 when the Boko Haram insurgents attacked St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla near Abuja on a Christmas day leaving in its trail deaths, sorrow and awe. More than 30 worshippers were killed, many others injured and properties of inestimable value destroyed.

This was followed very closely by bomb blasts at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church Jos, Plateau State and another at a Church in Gadaka, Yobe State. Those attacks were received with mixed feelings given their targets. But Boko Haram was later to begin attacks on Mosques following mounting suspicions on its motive.

The situation became complex when the so-called bandits whose motivation has not proved different from that of Boko Haram joined the fray. In the last two months or so, bandits are known to have mounted attacks on Mosques in the northern parts of the country bringing in their wake the death of innocent Muslim worshippers.

Bandits struck in August this year, during prayer time at Anguwar Montau Mosque in the Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State. At least 32 worshippers were killed in reprisal for the killing of their commanders by villagers the previous weekend. Malumfashi youths were so aggrieved by the attack that they took to protests blocking the Malumfashi-Funtua highway.

A couple of days ago, armed bandits stormed a Mosque in Yandoto community, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State killed at least five people and abducted several others. The attack came less than a week after gunmen abducted worshippers during morning prayers at a mosque in Gidan Turbe village also in Tsafe LGA of the same state.

Before this time, a bomb attack and mass shooting during mass service at St, Francis Catholic church, Owo, Ondo State had left more than 50 people killed. The Nigerian security agencies then fingered ISWAP for the dastardly killings. Four of the masterminds have since been arrested and are facing prosecution.

Yet, herdsmen attacked St Paul’s Catholic Church, Aye-Twar, Katsina Ala, Benue State last August. Chairman of the Nigerian Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA) Katsina Ala, Rev. Fr. Samuel Fila gave a disturbing account of the attack. According to him, ‘the attack has finally shut down all pastoral activities since all the 26 outstations have been occupied by herdsmen long before now.

The malevolent attach left in its wake the desecration and destruction of the parish church, destruction of the parish secretariat, the burning to ashes of the Father’s House, destruction of household items, pastoral logistic vehicles in addition to many other items’ the NCDPA chairman recounted.

All these seem to reinforce Idris’ argument that the terrorists operating in the country attacks Muslim and Christian places of worship and therefore puts a lie to the narrative of a systematic genocide against Christians. What could have then, led the foreign media outfits and commentators to their conclusion? Could it be a deliberate voyage on mischief or the general biases and ignorance that sometimes blur western media perception of events in Africa and the less developed nations?

Even as the motivations of western media platforms remain a matter of conjecture, it would appear they were deceived by the profile of the terrorists. Who are these terrorists operating in Nigeria and what is their mission?

Top on the list is the Boko Haram insurgents. They are opposed to western education and propelled by the weird desire to institute an Islamic state. Islamic State for West Africa Province ISWAP is another. It broke away from Islamic State (IS) another radical religious group linked to Al-Qaida. Its name gives out its doctrinaire.

There are also the bandits whose motivations are yet to be clearly decoded. At one time, they share the same characteristics with the killer herdsmen. And at another, it is difficult to draw a line between them and the Boko Haram insurgents or other terrorist groups masquerading around. They are largely responsible for the attacks in Katsina and Zamfara among other states in the north.

Attacks on worship places also come from the insurgency of the herdsmen ranked by Global Terrorism Index as the fourth most deadly terrorist group in the world. The case of Katsina Ala is just a tip of the iceberg of such attacks and despoliations. Of course, there are other less effective ones like the Lukarawa. The proliferation of these terror groups propelled by strange religious ideological leanings could obviously send wrong signals.

There are other forms criminalities in and around the country. But their purveyors are not engaged in mounting attacks on places of religious worship. So, it is not unlikely that the profile of these insurgents, doctrines and their preoccupation with attacks on places of worship may have influenced the foreign media platforms.

They may not have captured the real situation on ground. But the fact that such attacks could lend themselves to misinterpretation outside our shores, illustrates most poignantly the danger in the activities of insurgency groups propagating religious beliefs that run at cross purposes with the secularity of the country. That is the issue to contend with.

Admittedly, the government has been waging a relentless war against the insurgency of these extremists. In recent times, arrests of key leaders of the insurgent groups have been made. There are also copious reports of their being neutralised in huge numbers by the security agencies.

But the resurgence of the attacks as the tempo of the 2027 general elections draw nearer raises suspicions of political colouration. Data collected by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project shows there have been 43 separate attacks on Church premises this year.

This should instruct a re-assessment of the current strategy in prosecuting the war against terrorism to secure total defeat. As long as the terror groups pursue their weird religious doctrines, so long will their motivations lend themselves to misinterpretation.

Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, has called for the protection of investors, entreprenuers as well as employers of labour in the country. He said this in a position paper on ‘Protecting investors and employers: A national policy imperative’ made available to The Nation, yesterday.

Yusuf, an economist, noted that while investors, entrepreneurs, and employers are the lifeblood of every modern economy, as they take risks, mobilise capital, create jobs, generate tax revenues, and drive innovation, but in Nigeria, their rights and investments remain inadequately protected.

Noting that the labour unions play a legitimate role in protecting workers, he nonetheless insisted that their activities must align with the law and national interest. Reforms in this aspect should include proportionality of industrial actions; designation of strategic sectors- including energy, health, transport, and ICT, as essential services, where strikes are restricted or prohibited; introduction of compulsory arbitration in essential sectors to prevent economic paralysis; clear sanctions and restitution requirements for unlawful strikes that inflict damage on businesses and the economy.

‘Labour rights should end where those of employers begin. Investors should have as much rights to protect their investment as labour unions have the rights to protect the workers. There is a need for a fair and equitable balance. Mandatory publication of audited union accounts and governance records to enhance transparency,’ Yusuf said.

According to him, while significant legal safeguards exist for workers and employees, there is no comprehensive framework that protects the interests of investors and employers.

‘This imbalance undermines investor confidence and leaves those who create jobs vulnerable to disruptions- particularly from industrial actions by labour unions. The real sector is especially exposed, given its large workforce, high fixed costs, and significant sunk investments. There are worries as well about the seemingly unlimited powers of regulatory institutions,’ Dr. Yusuf said.

He therefore muted that a robust policy response that creates a fair, predictable, and secure investment climate; protects those who create jobs; and ensures that industrial relations are governed by law, due process, and mutual respect, has therefore become imperative.

‘Protecting investors and employers is not a privilege, it is a national economic imperative. Without them, there can be no sustained growth, no employment, and no national prosperity. Nigeria must, therefore, urgently institutionalise a fair, secure, and predictable business environment that protects those who take risks to create wealth. This is not about weakening labour unions, but about balancing rights and responsibilities, to foster sustainable economic growth, social stability, and national security,’ he argued.

Yusuf argued that investors in the country operate in an environment marked by uncertainty and institutional weakness. He noted key sources of vulnerability to include a of comprehensive legislation guaranteeing the rights of investors or shielding them from harassment, arbitrary regulatory decisions, or unlawful shutdowns; unrestrained union actions follow arising from a growing culture of coercion, intimidation and impunity among labour unions, resulting in industrial actions that are often out of proportion, which frequently escalate into large-scale disruptions that paralyse production, inflict huge financial losses and undermine national economic stability.

The CPPE boss also noted the role of regulatory unpredictability, arising from frequent policy reversals, inconsistent enforcement and opaque regulatory processes which raise business risks and discourage long-term investments; bureaucratic bottlenecks and weak dispute resolution which stems from cumbersome procedures, unauthorised enforcement actions and protracted legal disputes that create delays and uncertainty, undermining investor confidence and productivity. He noted that these factors erode Nigeria’s competitiveness, deter both local and foreign investment and slow economic growth and job creation.

Yusuf also said that these have not been without its economic and social consequences. For instance, investor vulnerability, he explained, carries serious macroeconomic and social consequences.

‘When investors lose confidence, capital flight intensifies, foreign direct investment declines, and domestic enterprises contract their operations. The resulting chain reaction includes job losses, declining tax revenues, and reduced economic growth.

‘Unrestrained strikes in strategic sectors such as energy, transport, and health disrupt production, threaten national security, and endanger public welfare. Policy inconsistency and regulatory arbitrariness make long-term planning difficult, deepening Nigeria’s dependence on imports and weakening its industrial base.

‘Without corrective reforms, these trends will continue to erode national competitiveness, discourage innovation, and diminish Nigeria’s economic resilience,’ he said.

The CPPE therefore mulls new investor and employer protection framework that will establish a fair, balanced, and predictable environment for business. Specifically, the Group noted that this new policy objective should protect investors and employers from arbitrary actions by regulators, labour unions, and government agencies; rebalance industrial relations to ensure fairness and due process for all parties; safeguard strategic sectors of the economy from disruptions that threaten national stability; promote regulatory and policy stability to reduce uncertainty and enhance competitiveness and ensure accountability and enforcement of laws by unions, regulators, and employers alike.

Specifically, it said the country should enact a dedicated Investor and Employer Protection Act to provide a strong legal foundation for safeguarding investors’ rights. The Act should, it said, should codify the rights and obligations of investors, employers, regulators, and unions; prohibit unlawful actions such as intimidation, coercion, unauthorised shutdowns, and harassment; establish penalties, damages, and restitution mechanisms for violations.

‘The Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) should be strengthened for faster, impartial resolution of industrial disputes. An Independent Investment Ombudsman Office should also be created to handle investor complaints and mediate disputes involving government agencies,’ the CPPE boss said.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kaduna Sector Command, has confirmed the death of four persons in a crash on the Kaduna-Abuja highway yesterday evening.

Sector Commander, Corps Commander Iliyasu Tijjani, who confirmed the incident, said the crash occurred about 4:30 p.m. at Kakau, near Gonin Gora, on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis.

He said the accident involved a gas-laden tanker and a Toyota Hilux vehicle, both heading towards Kaduna, adding that preliminary investigations showed that the Hilux, which was on high speed, rammed into the tanker from behind.

‘The crash was caused by excessive speeding and dangerous overtaking,’ Tijjani stated.

According to him, five persons; four males and one female, were in the Hilux at the time of the crash. ‘Sadly, the four male occupants were confirmed dead at St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, while the only female passenger is receiving treatment at the FRSC Clinic, Tollgate, Kaduna,’ he said.

Tijjani added that the impact of the collision was severe, leading to significant damage to the Hilux and disruption of traffic flow on the busy highway until emergency responders cleared the scene.

He warned motorists against speeding and reckless overtaking, stressing that most road crashes on the Kaduna-Abuja highway are caused by impatience and violation of safety rules.

‘Drivers must always obey speed limits, maintain safe following distances, and avoid dangerous manoeuvres. The Corps will continue to enforce traffic regulations to save lives on our roads,’ he said.

The Sector Commander commiserated with the families of the deceased and assured that the FRSC, in collaboration with other emergency agencies, remains committed to ensuring safer road use across Kaduna State.

Funeral service for Beatrice Akinjogunla of Ugbe-Afo, Ondo, holds at St Peter Anglican Church, Ugbe-Afo on October 10. Service of Songs is October 9.

Social commentator and influencer Reno Omokri has sparked mixed reactions online after asserting that the greatest gift a wife can offer her husband is her virginity.

Speaking on the value of virginity in relationships, Omokri highlighted its significance in building strong and enduring marriages.

He dismissed public ridicule as trivial, referencing the Yoruba concept of ‘Erin Ika’, and emphasized that maintaining moral integrity outweighs the pursuit of fleeting social approval.

He said: ‘As long as a woman brings virginity to the table, she does not have to bring anything else physically to that relationship to make it stable. You, as a man, should bring the rest.’

He emphasised that a woman’s virginity is the greatest gift she can offer her husband, noting that entering marriage with such purity enhances the bond between them physically, spiritually, and emotionally creating an almost mystical connection.

He further said: ‘So, my counsel to young people out there, especially, but not exclusively, to females, is this: Keep your virginity until marriage. Your friends may laugh at you, but that laughter is without mirth. It is what the Lukumi Yoruba call ‘Erin Ika’.

‘You can be like them in one minute. But they can never be like you in one million light-years!’ He added .

Omokri’s remarks have ignited widespread discussion online, with many praising his moral stance while others criticised his views as outdated and gender biased.

With nearly a million followers across Instagram and Facebook, Destiny Ezeyim, widely known as Radiogad or Brainiac the Radiogad, has carved a unique niche in Nigeria’s fast-evolving digital space. His sharp observations, deep radio-trained voice, and daring commentary style have earned him both loyal fans and formidable critics. But what truly sets him apart is his unapologetic signature style: ‘pour you spit.’

The phrase, which he uses to describe his raw, unfiltered, and often provocative delivery, has become synonymous with his brand. For him, provocation is not recklessness; it’s a deliberate strategy to capture attention in a noisy digital ecosystem.

‘Nigerians connect with raw energy when you say it as it is, no sugarcoating,’ he explained. ‘My delivery is confident, firm, and sometimes provocative, because provocation makes people listen to issues they would otherwise ignore.’

At its core, Pour You Spit is social commentary disguised in metaphorical clothing. It is art rooted in grime but polished with wit. Radiogad’s delivery was not just about sound; it was about spectacle, the very act of framing his ideas as ‘spit’ created a visceral reaction online. Audiences weren’t just listening; they were tasting the rawness of his truth, feeling the sting of words that refused to be swallowed.

What followed was a digital wildfire. Clips from Pour You Spit spread across TikTok and Instagram like an uncontainable chain reaction. Memes were made, parodies followed, and hashtags trended. In an era where virality often thrives on shock value, Radiogad offered something deeper: he gave audiences an image so raw, so symbolic, it could not be ignored.

This bold approach has made him a viral force, though not without controversy. Radiogad has found himself in the middle of heated online feuds with celebrities such as Angela Okorie and Blessing CEO. But unlike creators who avoid conflict, he leans into it carefully.

‘I rely on verifiable sources, interviews, public statements, social media posts from the people involved, sometimes even court documents,’ he said. ‘I don’t defame; I present the facts, show my sources, and let people decide.’

His rise didn’t happen overnight. A graduate of Political Science from Tansian University, Radiogad started his journey in radio at the young age of 16. He credits his academic training with sharpening his understanding of society, communication, and the power of voice. Transitioning into digital content, he found a platform where freedom and reach outpaced traditional media. ‘It gave me more freedom and a wider reach,’ he recalled.

But with visibility comes pressure. Brainiac acknowledges that backlash, misinformation, and online abuse are constant challenges. Still, he has developed a mindset to cope.

‘The key is to have a thick skin, but not a cold heart,’ he advised. ‘You have to care enough to put in good work, but not let every insult derail you.’

Beyond the drama and provocation, he sees himself first as a storyteller. For him, every piece of content is part of a larger narrative. ‘Storytelling is everything; that emotional connection is what keeps people listening,’ he said.

Today, Radiogad juggles multiple roles as a digital creator, radio personality, event host, and actor. Looking ahead, he envisions a Nigerian content industry that leans into podcasts, live interactive sessions, and immersive storytelling formats that allow creators to deepen their bond with audiences. He is also keen on monetization and sustainability, emphasizing the need to stay adaptable.

‘My plan is to keep learning, collaborating with innovators, and keeping my content authentic, even as production quality improves,’ he shared.

For the bubbly media personality, the journey so far has been marked by consistency, humility, and resilience, qualities he believes will carry him even further.

Yet it’s his fearless decision to ‘pour you spit’ that has turned him from a radio kid into a viral sensation and one of Nigeria’s most talked-about digital commentators.

Veteran highlife musician Bright Chimezie has expressed concerns about the growing trend of Nigerians relocating abroad in search of better opportunities.

Chimezie, who spoke during an appearance on The Honest Bunch Podcast, said this trend is misguided, saying that the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side.

In his view, many Nigerians who migrate overseas often face unexpected struggles, despite their high hopes for a better life.

Chimezie emphasised that those who relocate abroad often start from the bottom, taking on low-paying jobs just to survive.

He cited his own experiences of traveling extensively and noted that opportunities abroad are not as abundant as many people might think.

He encouraged Nigerians to explore and invest in local opportunities, which he stated are valuable and worth developing.

‘Our problem is right here. We keep helping people over there because we think the grass is greener on the other side. But it’s not. I’ve travelled quite a bit, and I can tell you there are no more opportunities there. When you get there, you start from the bottom, sometimes even washing toilets just to survive,’ he said.

The musician also attributed Nigeria’s current mindset to the legacy of colonialism, which he said has led many citizens to undervalue their nation and themselves.

Chimezie lamented that if Nigerians applied the same dedication they have for their faith to areas like science and technology, the country would be far better off.

‘When the white people came, it affected our mentality and development. If we studied biology and mathematics with the same passion we use to read the Bible, our society would be far better,’ he lamented.

Actress Mary Remmy Njoku has urged men to support their partners through postpartum depression by embracing the physical and emotional changes that come with motherhood and loving them for who they are becoming.

She explained that postpartum depression often stems from a deep emotional shift, as many women mourn the loss of their pre-pregnancy identity while adapting to their new role as mothers.

According to Njoku, true love during this period means accepting and cherishing the woman a partner has become, rather than longing for who she used to be.

She encouraged men to appreciate their partners’ journey of growth and transformation, noting that relationships naturally evolve as couples navigate different life stages together.

Njoku added that by prioritising empathy, understanding, and emotional support, men can help build stronger and more resilient relationships during the postpartum phase.

‘Postpartum depression is mourning the death of the girl you once were, and learning to embrace the birth of the woman you are becoming.

‘Motherhood is as real as it gets. So, to truly love the mother of your children, stop trying to revive the girl she once was. She is gone. Instead, get to know the woman she has become.

‘So, my dear men, look at the bright side: you get to love ‘different’ women, at different stages of your marriage or relationship. Brothers! Nature has given variety all along. Enjoy!!’, she wrote.