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FG Commissions Gas Leak Detection Device, Printed Circuit Board Facility

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The Federal Government through the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Thursday marked a breakthrough in the research and development landscape of the Nigerian oil and gas industry with the commissioning of Amal Technologies Gas Leak Detection Device and Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing Facility at Idu, Abuja.

The Corporate Communications Department of the NCDMB made the disclosure in a statement circulated electronically on Thursday.

According to the statement, the commissioning was performed by the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Aleke, the Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande and the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe.

Biztellers reports that the project was initiated by Amal Technologies Ltd, while the NCDMB backed it with financial and institutional support, under the leadership of the immediate past Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote.

Engr. Wabote spearheaded the Research and Development roadmap as a key element of Nigerian Content development in the oil and gas industry.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri described the commissioning as a significant landmark in Nigeria’s quest to promote a research culture through the nurturing of innovation-driven startup companies, adding that it represents a breakthrough in local manufacturing of electronic circuitry and devices.

Represented by the Director Upstream in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Engr. Kamoru Busari, the Minister noted that Amal Technologies was one of the proposals that have benefited from the NCDMB’s Research and Innovation intervention.

He indicated that the innovation adopted the Internet of Things (IOT) technology to introduce into the market a device that generates a short message system (SMS) and calls on the phones of homeowners in the event of a gas leak.

The facility equally has the capability for Printed Circuit Board (PCB) manufacturing, he added.

He expressed the view that the deployment of the gas leak detection device provided a significant safety tool that will accelerate the adoption of gas as a preferred source of energy for homes, transportation, and industry.

He further pointed out that the job creation potential of Amal Technologies is critical to the creation of a circular economy and aligns with Mr. President’s 8-point agenda for economic recovery.

In his keynote address, Engr. Ogbe stated that the smart gas leak detector research was just a proposal submitted to the Board in 2018.

He said, “the idea was nurtured through the NCDMB incubation process hosted in the Board’s Technology Innovation and Incubation Center (TIIC).

He affirmed that “the recurring menace of gas leaks and explosions leading to heavy losses in human lives, property damage, and pollution of the environment is the problem statement that the device seeks to address.”

According to the ES, Nigeria’s development priorities were trending towards gas-based industrialization with an exponential increase in gas utilization, hence it had become compelling to deploy safety and preventive tools such as the Amal smart gas leak detection to ensure the safety of lives and properties as citizens embrace gas usage.

Dwelling on PCB Manufacturing, the NCDMB’s new boss mentioned that electronics accounted for the largest online spending in Nigeria in 2022 and the Amal technology facility will provide the springboard for the replacement of imported PCBs with locally produced PCBs, in line with the Board’s vision to be the catalyst for the industrialization of the Nigerian economy and its linkage sectors.

“The facility will also generate employment opportunities, pay due taxes, and provide a critical platform for instrumentation and electronics-related Research and development,” he said.

On why the Board invested in Amal Technologies, he explained that NCDMB had developed a strategic roadmap and focussed on the establishment of dedicated funds to support Research, the inauguration of the Nigerian Content Research Council & Technical Advisory Board, and the establishment of Research centers of Excellence among others.

The need to focus on research commercialization, he added, is amplified in the NCDMB Technology Innovation and Incubation policy, which created the TIIC inside the Nigerian Content Towers Yenagoa.

The Chief Executive Officer of Amal Technologies, Shehu Tijani Abdullahi recalled how he secured the Board’s support for the project without having any prior relationship with any member of the agency’s management.

He averred that, “the NCDMB is not about having connections or knowing someone at the top. It is about a team of people that are dedicated to the success and progress of local content in Nigeria. Their firmness and dedication to local content continue to give me hope for the country of Nigeria.”

He noted that Amal Technologies had in three years, secured two patents and disrupted traditional approaches to research and development, expressing hope that with the full support of NCDMB, the company would make lasting contributions to various sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, power, agriculture, and beyond.

Beyond producing the Gas Detection device, the chief executive confirmed that the “facility has the capacity to produce over two million Advanced Smart Electric Meters— a significant contribution to the federal government’s National Mass Metering Program (NMMP). This initiative aligns with the company’s commitment to address the current challenges in electrical metering in Nigeria and supporting the government’s efforts to ensure a reliable and efficient power supply.”

He also stated that the facility holds immense potential for other sectors, including automobile manufacturing, medical advancements, telecommunications, agriculture, and more.

In his comments, the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation at the NCDMB, Abdulmalik Halilu remarked that the Board subjected the innovation to detailed regulatory processes and proof-of-concept checks before deciding to take equity in the project.

He mentioned that the business case showed that the facility had the potential to create over 400 jobs, from the conception to production stages and its annual turnover prospects is about N9.3bn. He confirmed that the project’s structure is sustainable and consistent, hinting that the Board soon would be unveiling similar innovations that it had incubated.

Energy

Nigeria’s First Energy Infrastructure Map for Unveiling at NOG 2026

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In what is expected to provide investors and industry stakeholders with a detailed overview of Nigeria’s energy assets and opportunities, her first comprehensive Gas and Power Infrastructure Map will be unveiled at the 25th edition of NOG Energy Week.

It was gathered that the publication, developed by the Gas for Africa programme in partnership with NNPC Limited, will be launched during the annual energy conference in Abuja and is being positioned as a major step towards improving transparency and investment decision-making in Nigeria’s gas and power sectors.

Industry stakeholders have long cited the lack of consolidated and reliable infrastructure data as a major challenge to attracting investment into the sector. The new map seeks to address that gap by providing a single source of information on Nigeria’s gas and power infrastructure, including pipelines, gas processing facilities, power generation assets, LNG terminals and key transmission networks.

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Alongside the infrastructure map, organisers will also release a comprehensive report on Nigeria’s gas sector, which they describe as the most extensive industry intelligence publication ever produced on the country’s gas value chain.

The report examines developments in the sector since 2020 and covers key areas such as the NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026, gas reserves and production trends, pipeline infrastructure, capacity challenges, compressed natural gas (CNG), piped natural gas (PNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) markets, gas-to-power projects and gas-based industrialisation.

According to the organisers, the publication provides an end-to-end assessment of Nigeria’s gas industry and offers critical insights for investors, policymakers and industry operators.

The launch comes at a time when global energy markets are undergoing significant shifts, driven by geopolitical tensions and increasing demand for alternative and secure energy supplies.

Organisers noted that Nigeria is strengthening its position as a major energy player, supported by rising crude oil production, implementation of a new Gas Master Plan and expanding refining capacity.

They said the infrastructure map and accompanying report are expected to help convert investor interest into concrete projects by providing accurate data on existing assets, infrastructure gaps and future opportunities across the sector.

Attendees at NOG Energy Week will be the first to access both publications as government officials, energy executives, investors and industry leaders gather in Abuja for the five-day event.

The conference is also expected to feature investment discussions, joint venture announcements, memorandum of understanding signings and project partnerships aimed at advancing Nigeria’s energy development agenda.

With preparations gathering momentum ahead of the event, organisers said NOG Energy Week 2026 will provide a platform for stakeholders to examine the future of Nigeria’s energy sector and its role in Africa’s broader energy transition and industrial growth.

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Energy

OPEC+ Increases Production Quotas for July

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OPEC+ ministers decided Sunday to increase oil quotas by a total 188,000 barrels per day for July, in a move analysts said would be unlikely to have an impact on prices sent higher by the Mideast war.

Jorge Leon, analyst at Rystad Energy, said ahead of the expected increase that it “means very little while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed”.

He added: “The market is not short of quota announcements; it is short of physical barrels that can actually move. In that sense, the 188,000 barrels per day increase would be more of a policy signal than a real supply boost.”

The hiked production output was agreed Sunday in a video meeting of oil ministers from key OPEC+ countries Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria and Oman, a statement from the organisation said.

ALSO READ: Oil Sector Attracts $460,000 in Three Months – NBS

The increase was similar to ones decided in previous months.

The OPEC+ statement said the latest agreed hike was “to support oil market stability” but that the seven countries also saw an opportunity “to accelerate their compensation” in a time of historically high oil prices.

It added that the ministers “reaffirmed the importance of adopting a cautious approach and retaining full flexibility to increase, pause or reverse the phase out of the voluntary production adjustments, including reversing the previously implemented voluntary adjustments announced in November 2023”.

Leon, at Rystad Energy, said that OPEC+ was wary in case the Mideast war changes, and Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz eases.

“When the Strait of Hormuz reopens, the market could move very quickly from fear of shortage to fear of surplus,” he said.

“Returning OPEC+ supply, a stronger US shale response and weaker demand after a period of very high prices could leave the market with a very large oversupply problem,” he said.

AFP

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Energy

Nigeria, Algeria, Niger Back Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project

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Nigeria, Algeria, and Niger have expressed joint commitment to the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP) project, which is set to significantly strengthen Africa’s regional energy security.

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, made the disclosure on Thursday at the 5th Ministerial Meeting of the TSGP Steering Committee in Algiers.

The high-level session included ministerial delegations from the three participating nations and a strategic consultation with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the successful delivery of the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure project, describing it as a landmark initiative that will redefine energy security across the continent.

ALSO READ: Dangote Refinery Hits 700,000bpd Output, Eyes Global Leadership

According to Ekpo, technical and commercial discussions are ongoing among stakeholders to reinforce the regulatory and financial frameworks required for the project’s implementation.

He noted that officials from the three countries have reviewed the latest feasibility reports and officially resolved that the project proceeds immediately into its next development phases.

“This project means a lot to the three countries in terms of industrialisation and job creation,” Ekpo asserted.

“We’ve talked about the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, and the President of Algeria has expressed his interest in the completion of the project,” Ekpo said. “I assure him that on the part of Nigeria, we will do everything possible to ensure the project sees the light of day.”

The minister pledged to work closely with his counterparts in Algeria and Niger, as well as the respective national oil companies — including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and Algeria’s Sonatrach — to accelerate project implementation.

On his part, President Tebboune reaffirmed Algeria’s full diplomatic and financial commitment to the pipeline.
He expressed confidence that with the robust political will demonstrated by the three governments, the pipeline will seamlessly move from planning to execution.

Tebboune noted that when completed, the transnational pipeline would deliver energy security, lucrative investment opportunities, and sustainable economic development for millions of people across Africa and European export markets.

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