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President Bola Tinubu Commissions Seplat Energy’s ANOH Gas Processing Plant
The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned the Seplat Energy ANOH Gas Processing Plant, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s energy landscape. The commissioning ceremony, which was held May 15, 2024, in Ohaji, Imo State, brought together key stakeholders in the industry.
Right-Left: Effiong Okon, MD ANOH Gas Processing Company; Roger Brown, CEO Seplat Energy Plc; Mele Kyari, GCEO NNPCL; Chinyere Ekomaru, Deputy Governor of Imo State; Udo Udoma, Board Chairman, Seplat Energy Plc and others during the Presidential Commissioning of the ANOH Gas processing Company in Owerri, on Thursday 15th May 2024.
Built by the ANOH Gas Processing Plant Company (AGPC), the ANOH plant is a joint venture owned equally by Seplat Energy and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The Plant attained mechanical completion in December 2023 without a single recordable Lost Time Incident (LTI) across 12 million man-hours. With a Phase One processing capacity of 300 million standard cubic feet per day, The ANOH Gas Processing Plant Company is expected to deliver dry gas, condensate, and LPG to domestic and international markets.
Speaking at the commissioning occasion, The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, commended Seplat Energy and its partners for their dedication to advancing Nigeria’s energy agenda. He stated, “Today is a great day of achievement demonstrating teamwork, commitment, and dedication to duty. I congratulate you for all you have done for the country and for fulfilling this in only 11 months. This event is highly significant and demonstrates the administration’s determination to accelerate the development of critical gas infrastructure geared at demonstrably enhancing the supply of energy to boost industrial growth and create employment opportunities and further prosperity for the nation.
“The project also fully aligns with the Decade of Gas initiative and our quest to create value from the nation’s abundant gas asset while eliminating gas flaring and celebrating industrialization. I wish to assure the Nigerian people that indeed this project represents only the beginning as the Federal government is stepping up its coordination of other landmark projects and initiatives that will ensure the earliest possible realization of gas fuel for prosperity in abundance”.
In his remarks Mr. Udoma Udo Udoma, Board Chairman, of Seplat Energy, emphasized the strategic importance of the ANOH project, adding that “The ANOH gas project strongly aligns with Seplat Energy’s mission of leading Nigeria’s energy transition with accessible, affordable, and reliable energy that drives social and economic prosperity. As a testament of our pledge to Nigeria, in partnership with the NNPC Ltd, we have delivered this project that will support the current administration’s drive for industrialization and growth of the economy through low-cost reliable power.
“To put this into context, if all of the gas from this plant went into the power sector, it would produce enough electricity to transform the lives of over 5 million people. Given that Nigeria’s population is growing at a rate of over 5 million per annum, we need one of these plants a year every year just to meet the demand of our new arrivals. We all have work to do. We appreciate the unwavering support of our partner NNPCL, the cordial relationship with our host communities, Imo state government and the support of all stakeholders that are too many to mention.”
Commenting on the commissioning of the ANOH project Mr. Roger Brown, CEO, of Seplat Energy, stated that, “Seplat Energy is pleased with the progressive reforms by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration. In March 2024, the President signed executive orders to enhance investments in greenfield gas development and midstream capital projects. Also, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) recently improved gas prices under the DSO, to trigger further investments to the domestic gas sector – our ANOH gas plant will benefit from these reforms and incentives. “No doubt, the ANOH’s gas will further reduce Nigeria’s carbon intensity and increase energy supplied to the Nigerian domestic market.”
The commissioning ceremony was well-attended by members of the Board, Management and Staff of Seplat Energy, government officials, institutional partners, traditional rulers as well as indigenes, and industry players, amongst other stakeholders.
Speaking on the collaborative efforts between Seplat Energy and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC) in bringing the ANOH Plant to fruition, Mr. Mele Kyari, the Group CEO of NNPC Ltd stated that, “The ANOH Gas Processing Plant being commissioned by NNPCL and our partner is in line with Nigeria’s decade 0f gas agenda and particularly consistent with the administration’s efforts to boost gas supply in the domestic market”.
Also speaking at the commissioning, Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma ably represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Chinyere Ekomaru, congratulated Seplat Energy on the record time completion of the project and expressed his delight at the opportunities that lie ahead of the State on account of the successful completion of the ANOH plant, just as Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas) remarked that, “With a capacity of 600 million standard cubic feet per day, the ANOH Gas Processing Plant is a shining example of advancement. This plant will greatly advance the availability of domestic gas which will boost power generation and hasten industrialization.”
The ANOH Gas Processing Plant, located at Ohaji, in Imo State, is set to become one of Nigeria’s most strategic gas projects. It is poised to pave the way for increased gas production in Nigeria, accelerating the nation’s transition from small-scale diesel generators to cleaner, less expensive fuels such as natural gas for power generation. In February 2021, AGPC, successfully raised $260 million in debt to fund completion of the ANOH project. The project is now fully funded following the completion of equity investments of $210 million by each partner ($420 million combined).
Seplat Energy is committed to maximizing the potential of the ANOH Gas Processing Plant and delivering value to all stakeholders. As the plant begins operations, Seplat Energy looks forward to harnessing its full potential and contributing to Nigeria’s energy transition journey.
TikTok returned to the U.S. app stores of Apple and Google on Thursday as President Donald Trump delayed a ban on the Chinese-owned social media app and assured the tech giants they would not be fined for distributing or maintaining it.
The popular short video app used by nearly half of all Americans went dark briefly last month, before a law took effect on January 19 that requires its Chinese owner ByteDance either to sell it on national security grounds or face a ban.
The following day, Trump signed an executive order seeking to delay the enforcement of the ban by 75 days, allowing TikTok to continue its operations in the U.S. temporarily.
Although TikTok resumed service after Trump’s assurances, Google and Apple kept the app removed from their U.S. app stores.
TikTok, the second-most downloaded app in the U.S. last year, said on Thursday that its latest app was now available for download.
The delay could have been because Google and Apple were awaiting assurances that they would not be prosecuted for hosting or distributing the app, according to analysts.
Trump’s directive said the companies, which run mobile application stores or digital marketplaces where users can browse, download and update apps, would not face penalties for keeping the TikTok app up and running.
TikTok had more than 52 million downloads in 2024, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
About 52% of its total downloads were from Apple App Store, while 48% were from Google Play in the U.S. last year, Sensor Tower said.
The law that requires ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. assets or ultimately face a ban was signed by then President Joe Biden last April, triggered by national security concerns and fears that China could use the video-sharing app to spy on American users.
The U.S. has never banned a major social media platform and the law that passed last year gives the government sweeping authority to ban or seek the sale of other Chinese-owned apps. Trump said on Thursday that his 75-day deadline on TikTok could be extended.
The turmoil at TikTok attracted several potential buyers, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, who have expressed interest in the fast-growing business that analysts estimate could be worth as much as $50 billion.
Trump has said that he was in talks with multiple people over TikTok’s purchase and would likely have a decision on the app’s future in February.
Federal government has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) operating in states to close their accounts with commercial banks and fully comply with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy.
Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the Federation,
The directive was issued by Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, accountant-general of the Federation, during a working visit to the Federal Pay Office in Benin, Edo State.
This was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday by Bawa Mokwa, director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to the TSA policy, Madein warned that no MDA should operate accounts with commercial banks unless expressly approved by the President and officially communicated by her office.
The statement reads:
“While reiterating the Federal Government’s commitment to the Treasury Single Account policy, the Accountant-General of the Federation urged the Federal Pay Officers to monitor and ensure that Ministries, Departments, and Agencies in the States do not operate any account with the commercial banks or circumvent any provision of the TSA policy.”
She further stressed that any exceptions must follow strict guidelines, requiring presidential approval and formal communication from the Office of the Accountant-General.
Madein also tasked Federal Pay Officers (FPOs) with ensuring compliance, upholding transparency, and maintaining professionalism in their financial operations.
She warned against actions that could undermine the integrity of the Federal Treasury and emphasized the need for accurate financial record-keeping.
As part of ongoing reforms, she revealed that the Federal Government is constructing new Federal Pay Offices in some states to address infrastructure and operational challenges.
She assured that her office remains committed to the welfare of its personnel while enforcing compliance with financial regulations, including the Public Procurement Act and the Constitution.
Her visit to the Benin Federal Pay Office was part of a nationwide tour to assess the operations and challenges of Federal Pay Offices across the country.
National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) is investigating the development of biocatalysts from underutilised bioresources through its Young Researchers Forum (YRF) research group for bioethanol production.
Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, director general, NBRDA sated this in an interview conducted in Abuja on Wednesday
Biocatalysts, which can be either bacteria or enzymes, are biological entities that accelerate chemical reactions.
An alcohol-based fuel derived from renewable resources such as plants and algae is called bioethanol. It can be blended with petrol or used in place of it to cut down on petroleum use.
He asserted that bioethanol is crucial and that Nigeria has the means to fully investigate its possibilities, noting that the production of bioethanol will be helpful in setting up bioethanol plants.
“However, the catalyst for the fermentation of sugar to produce ethanol is what we are after, and we have it locally.
“When we isolate the biocatalyst, it is going to be useful in helping to establish a bioethanol factory, which will function very well due to our varying weather conditions,’’ he said.
Bioethanol has similar uses to fuels used to generate other classes of energy like heat, motor power, transportation, and electricity, the NBRDA chief added.
According to him, bioethanol is the most widely used biofuel in modern civilisation, and the process of turning biomass into bioethanol is receiving a lot of attention.
“Biological energies are renewable fuels with minimal pollution and play an important role in reducing greenhouse gas pollution, and one of them is bioethanol, which is obtained from fermentation operations.
“The world’s attention to the use of bioethanol as an energy source is focused on reducing the cost of production and increasing the efficiency of the ethanol industry.
“By consuming ethanol fuel instead of fossil fuels, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions known to be the cause of global warming will be somehow reduced,’’ Mustapha said.
According to the D-G, the creation of the Young Researchers Forum (YRF) demonstrates the agency’s efforts to support nation-building.
He added that young biotech innovators chosen from across the agency’s departments will use the conference as a training ground and launching pad.
The YRF, according to Mustapha, was a manifestation of his wish to establish an institutional framework for mentoring that would close generational divides.
He stated that one of the projects the YRF would concentrate on was the development of biocatalysts for the manufacture of bioethanol.
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