The increasing tempo of piracy in Nigeria’s coastal waters has become a serious security threat requiring urgent attention by all relevant stakeholders in the maritime industry, the threat posed by piracy cannot be overemphasized, given the overwhelming dependence of the Nigerian economy on maritime trade. It is estimated that Nigeria loses about $26.3billion to illegal bunkering, piracy and poaching yearly.
Mr. Emeka Akabogu, chairman of OTL Africa Downstream, while briefing the media in Lagos on the theme of this year’s conference “Investment & Competitiveness in Downstream Energy” stated that the crude oil trade which fetches the country over 90 per cent of her foreign earnings is overly reliant on water transport, necessitating the need to urgently address the issue of piracy on operations in the downstream sector, He also stated that the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba as well as Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, Director General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA) would be leading the session in this regard at this years conference.
Other relevant stakeholders and policy decision makers in the industry who would also be leading discussions on other sessions at this year’s event includes: Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, CFR, Speaker, House of Representatives, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, Senator Magnus Abe, Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Honourable Dakuku Peterside, Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Mr. Reginald Stanley, Executive Secretary, PPPRA, Engr. Anthony Ogbuigwe, Group Executive Director - Refining and Petrochemicals, NNPC, Mr. George Osahon, Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde, Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs Service, Dr. Oluwole Oluleye, Executive Secretary, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Engr. Ernest Nwapa, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Mr. Haruna Momoh, Managing Director, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Alhaji Umar Farouk Bello, Managing Director, NNPC Retail, Mr. Habibu Abdullahi, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mr. Joseph Odumodu, Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, James Gooder, Head Business Development, Argus Media, Dave Ernsberger, Director, Platts, Simon Warren, Head, Internal Research Dept., Vitol SA, Mrs. Sola David-Borha, Managing Director Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Oscar Onyema, Director General, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, and Mr. Tunji Oyebanji, Chairman/CEO, Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc.
Others are Mr. Alex Vovk, Managing Director, Total Nigeria Plc, Mr. George K. George, Managing Director, Conoil Plc, Hajia Amina Maina, Executive Director, MRS Holdings Limited, Mr. Akin Akinfemiwa, Managing Director, Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Abayomi Awobokun, Managing Director, Oando Marketing PLC, Engr Hussain S. Tahir, Group General Manager, Renewable Energy Division, NNPC, Mr. Gabriel Ogbechie, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Rainoil Limited, Chief Isaac Jolapamo, Chairman, Indigenous Shipowners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Muyiwa Kayode, CEO, USP Brand Management, Emeka Akabogu, Partner, Akabogu & Associates (Barristers & Solicitors).
This year’s edition of OTL is under the patronage of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, (PPPRA) & will hold from the 29th – 31st of October 2013 at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island Lagos.
