Energy
Harper in Mexico to Talk Energy, Trade
MEXICO CITY – Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper landed in Mexico City on Monday to prep for his get-together with his Mexican counterpart, Enrique Pena Nieto, with the thorny issue of visas, trade and energy anticipated to dominate talks.
His first act after his government aircraft landed in the Mexican capital was to lay a wreath at a military memorial at Bosque de Chapultepec, or the city’s version of New York’s Central Park. He then regrouped with aides Monday evening ahead of bilateral with Mr. Pena Nieto, to be held Tuesday at the presidential palace in the capital city’s Centro Historico, or the old center of town.
Officially, this is Mr. Harper’s first state visit to Mexico, although he’s previously travelled to the country to participate in multilateral forums, such as the Group of 20 leaders’ summit in Los Cabos in the summer of 2012. He and his Mexican counterpart held a bilateral meeting in Ottawa in November 2012, about six months after Mr. Pena Nieto won an election.In the Americas, Mr. Pena Nieto has turned heads over his ambitious reform agenda, covering labor, education and telecommunications.
“Mr. Harper should embrace this Mexican president. He’s a true reformer, he means it, and he has congressional support to get important things done,” said John Manley, a former Canadian Cabinet minister who now heads the Canadian Council of Chief Executives. “Canada should be helping, aiding and demonstrating the depth of our commitment, and that will pay dividends down the road.”
Mexico has plans to liberalize its energy sector in order to attract foreign investment. The goal is to boost production and refining capacity. This state visit could help open the doors to Canadian oil and gas firms looking to pounce on opportunities available through Mexico’s proposed energy revamp.
“Canada offers the technology and know-how in in the energy field, and the Mexicans are interested in partnering with companies with that expertise,” said David Robillard, head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico.According to notes distributed by Mr. Harper’s aides to reporters travelling with Mr. Harper, the Canadian leader plans to discuss global issues, such as defense and security, with Mr. Pena Nieto but also “seek ways” to boost trade, investment and tourism. The bilateral talks are taking place the day before the Canadian and Mexican leaders are joined by President Barack Obama to discuss the North American Free-Trade Agreement, or Nafta, and ways to improve the 20-year-old trade pact.
Canadian business leaders indicate one way to boost two-way investment and tourism spending by Mexicans in Canada is to remove a stringent visa requirement Ottawa imposes on Mexicans wishing to come to Canada – an issue Canada Real Time has previously explored.
A senior government official told Canada Real Time that Canada has no intention to lift the visa restriction at this time.
Lifting the restriction, which is unpopular in Mexico, would also please some business people in Canada.
“The fact we can’t figure it out tells me that the folks in Ottawa don’t think of or understand Mexico,” said Art DeFehr, chief executive of Palliser Furniture, a Winnipeg, Manitoba furniture maker with factories in Mexico.
– WALLSTREET JOURNAL
The Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has completed the turnaround maintenance on the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, leading to resumption of production at Nigeria’s premier deepwater field on March 6, 2026.
Biztellers reports that the project was delivered 11 days ahead of schedule and without any safety incident, reinforcing SNEPCo’s longstanding commitment to operational excellence and asset integrity.
“Completing the turnaround safely and ahead of schedule is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our Nigerian workforce and the helpful support of our partners,” SNEPCo Managing Director Ronald Adams said. “The achievement not only secures the long‑term integrity of the Bonga FPSO but also positions us strongly for the successful delivery of the Bonga North project, which will leverage the improved reliability of the FPSO.”
The exercise which began on February 1, 2026, highlights SNEPCo’s leading role in advancing deep‑water expertise in Nigeria. Of the 55 companies involved in the execution, 43 were wholly Nigerian. Additionally, eight of the 12 international service providers maintain operational bases in Nigeria, contributing to knowledge transfer and increased local investments.
More than 1,000 personnel worked offshore during the turnaround, with over 95% being Nigerians involved in maintenance, engineering, operations, inspection and construction. Thousands more supported activities from onshore locations, reflecting the depth of Nigerian capability in offshore oil and gas operations.
Adams added: “We acknowledge the support of several stakeholders towards the successful execution of the exercise, including the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and our partners.”
Modupe Asudo
Sahara Group, a leading global energy and infrastructure conglomerate, has commissioned MT Asharami Ghana, a 40,000‑cubic‑metre Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) carrier, expanding its fleet capacity, while strengthening Ghana’s clean energy supply chain and LPG distribution network.
The dual‑fuel vessel improves operational efficiency, enhances supply reliability, and supports lower‑emission LPG logistics as consumption grows across Ghana and the wider sub‑region.
Ghanaian President Mahama and Sahara Executive Directors
Speaking at the commissioning in Ulsan, South Korea, President John Dramani Mahama described the vessel as “a significant milestone in strengthening the infrastructure that underpins the global LPG supply chain,” noting that expanded shipping capacity is critical to improving supply security, reliability and efficiency for countries that rely partly on LPG imports.
He commended Sahara Group, WAGL Energy and all partners involved for their “leadership, technical expertise and strategic foresight,” adding that the project reflects “the power of partnership” in advancing safe, efficient, and responsible energy distribution.
President Mahama wished the MT Asharami Ghana safe sails, expressing confidence that the vessel would inspire further investment and collaboration across Africa’s energy value chain.
According to Wale Ajibade, Executive Director, Sahara Group, the vessel supports Ghana’s clean energy ambitions through integrated infrastructure.
“MT Asharami Ghana is more than a vessel; it is part of a deliberate strategy to strengthen LPG supply security and support Ghana’s clean energy ambitions. It secures an additional 25,000-Metric-tonne stock security for the Ghana economy, alongside the soon to be commissioned 6000-metric-tonee of 12.000-metric-tonne land storage in Tema,” he said.
With the addition of Asharami Ghana, Sahara Group’s LPG carrier fleet now comprises six delivered vessels with a combined capacity of 202,000 cubic metres. Supported by partnerships with WAGL Energy, NNPC Limited and other stakeholders, an additional 270,000 cubic metres of capacity is under construction and due for delivery by September 2028.
Temitope Shonubi, Executive Director, Sahara Group, said Asharami Ghana is part of Sahara’s integrated LPG infrastructure strategy spanning shipping, storage, and downstream distribution globally, including the development of a 12,000‑metric‑tonne land‑based LPG storage terminal in Tema, with a 6,000‑metric‑tonne first phase scheduled for completion in May 2026.
He thanked Yaa Serwaa Alifo, MD of Asharami Ghana, for her resilience and insistence to dedicate a ship of “this magnitude solely to the Ghana Market and its landlocked neighbours.”
Ghana is targeting LPG adoption of 50 per cent of households by 2030, up from about 30 per cent today. Sahara’s investments will support clean energy access for more than 35 million people, while strengthening Ghana’s role in regional LPG trade to neighbouring and landlocked West African markets.
The commissioning comes in Sahara Group’s 30th anniversary year, guided by the Sahara Beyond XXX milestone, underscoring Sahara’s focus on building an enduring enterprise that delivers responsible growth, shared prosperity and long‑term impact across its markets.
Nigeria’s crude oil production dropped to 1.31 million barrels per day in February, even as local refineries continue to grapple with inadequate domestic crude supply needed to sustain operations.
The development shows that Nigeria again failed to meet its crude oil production quota of 1.5 million barrels per day approved by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as output declined sharply in February 2026.
Data from OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report, based on direct communication from member countries, showed that Nigeria produced 1.314 million barrels per day in February, down from 1.459 mbpd recorded in January.
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The figures indicate a month-on-month decline of 146,000 barrels per day, widening the country’s shortfall from its OPEC production allocation.
Nigeria’s inability to meet its OPEC production quota is not only affecting its oil export earnings but also adversely impacting domestic refineries that are starved of feedstock for their operations.
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