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NCDMB Inaugurates 2nd batch of Project 100 Companies

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Modupe ASUDO

ABUJA-THE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Wednesday inaugurated 40 companies as part of its Project 100 Supplier Development Programme.

The Board started Project 100 in January 2019 with 60 companies with the goal of nurturing 100 wholly owned oil and gas service providers, in a competitive and sustainable way through targeted interventions, into larger scale players that create high impact.

The Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote inaugurated the new batch of companies in a virtual event. He stated that the successful implementation of Project100 would increase contributions of the oil and gas sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), create job opportunities and access to market, increase industrialization opportunities, increase retention of industry spend and substitute imports in the industry.

He confirmed that the 40 new beneficiaries were selected from the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS) – the industry database of competencies which has 4,340 active service companies. 609 applications were received, out of which 40 companies got selected he said.

Wabote listed the benefits that would accrue to the new Project 100 companies to include bespoke development plans to improve critical business capabilities and access to market opportunities with oil and gas operators on industry projects. He also identified access to critical industry and operational insights, information and data and participation in local oil and gas opportunity fairs and strategic events and advocacy for policy recommendations that would unlock some of the challenges identified by the beneficiaries.

Other opportunities include technical and business performance improvement capacity programmes, collaboration with critical industry stakeholders for participation in relevant global oil and gas events, R&D collaboration, opportunity to benefit from the US$50m Nigerian Content R&D Fund and opportunity to access the US$350m NCI Fund, particularly the US$30 million Working Capital Product, for qualified organizations.

The NCDMB Chief Executive gave a scorecard of the implementation of Project 100 so far. He reported that the first 60 Beneficiaries have benefitted from key interventions, one of which is the successful inclusion of 46 beneficiaries in the supplier data base of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) and collaboration with a beneficiary on the setup of a technology solution Centre for Refinery and Petrochemicals.

The companies also benefitted from development and implementation of bespoke development plans to improve their critical business capabilities and attended several access to Market Workshop sessions with major oil and gas operators.

There was also sponsorship to oil and gas conferences in Nigeria and overseas, in addition to trainings on Subsea Systems and FPSO, Project Production Management and Business mentorship.

The General Manager, Research, Statistics and Development, NCDMB, Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu confirmed that the new 40 beneficiaries were selected through a transparent process run in two phases. He said the firms are wholly owned by Nigerians without international affiliations except for technical partnerships.

The primary service areas of the beneficiaries are fabrication and construction, well and drilling services, installation, hookup and commissioning, marine operations and logistics services and materials and procurement.

Other areas of their operation are inspection, testing and certification, feed, detailed engineering and other engineering services, Health, Safety and Environment and Surveying and Positioning Services.

Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Mr. Nik Odinuwe commended the NCDMB for sustaining the Project 100, describing it as noble initiative that can accelerate Local Content aspirations of government and other stakeholders. He appealed to the Board and other stakeholders to challenge, engage and expose the selected companies with real growth opportunities to ensure the success of the initiative. He also requested the Board to collaborate closely with PETAN in the implementation of Project 100.

The PETAN lead regretted that only few members of the association made the list of 40 companies and charged other member companies to follow the conditions listed by the Board to qualify for similar vendor development programmes.

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Music Icon Quincy Jones Passes Away At 91

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Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer, composer, and cultural icon whose career spanned over seven decades, has passed away at the age of 91.

Jones died peacefully on Sunday night at his Bel Air home, surrounded by family, according to his publicist, Arnold Robinson.

“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” his family said in a statement. “And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

Renowned for his unmatched versatility, Jones collaborated with some of the greatest musical talents of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, and Will Smith. He played an integral role in producing Jackson’s groundbreaking albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which catapulted the pop star to global superstardom and earned Jones worldwide acclaim.

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Born in Chicago in 1933, Jones’ journey into music began early. His childhood introduction came from a neighbor’s piano playing and his mother’s singing. After moving to Washington state following his parents’ divorce, he honed his skills in his high school band and began playing with a young Ray Charles in Seattle’s vibrant club scene.

Jones’ career took off in New York, where he played trumpet in Elvis Presley’s early TV performances and worked with bebop legends like Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. By 1958, he was working with Frank Sinatra, arranging for the singer’s band at the request of Princess Grace Kelly. Their partnership flourished, spanning several projects including Sinatra’s final album LA Is My Lady in 1984.

Throughout the 1960s and 70s, Jones’ talents extended into film and television scores, composing music for films such as The Italian Job, In the Heat of the Night, and the acclaimed The Color Purple, for which he earned three Oscar nominations. He also scored hit TV shows including The Bill Cosby Show and Roots.

In 1985, Jones produced and co-conducted the charity anthem “We Are the World” alongside Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, raising millions for Ethiopian famine relief. Despite personal and professional challenges—including surviving a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 1974—Jones’s career continued to thrive.

Jones’ influence wasn’t limited to music. In 1990, he founded Quincy Jones Entertainment, the company behind the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which launched the career of Will Smith. His media ventures also included the creation of Qwest TV, an on-demand music streaming service, and the magazine Vibe, which celebrated Black music and culture.

Over his career, Jones earned 80 Grammy nominations, winning 28—making him one of the most decorated artists in the award’s history. Tributes poured in following news of his death. Actor Michael Caine, who shared Jones’ birthdate, called him “a wonderful and unique human being.” Music artists such as LL Cool J expressed gratitude, saying, “You were a father and example at a time when I truly needed one. Music would not be music without you.”

Jones is survived by his seven children, leaving behind an indelible legacy that will resonate through generations to come. His life’s work transformed music, television, and culture, proving that there truly was no limit to what Quincy Jones could accomplish.

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Prayers Won’t Build Roads, Fund Children’s Education – Jesse Jagz To Nigerians

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Singer and rapper Jesse Jagz has called on Nigerians to rethink their approach to religion.

Jagz suggested that African traditional religious gods have become ineffective, attributing this to the excessive alcohol given to them during rituals, which, according to him, has made them obese, diabetic, and unable to aid their worshipers.

Speaking on the ‘Big Talk’ podcast, the rapper also criticized followers of foreign religions for relying solely on prayer and expecting miracles without putting in the necessary effort. He stressed that prayers alone cannot provide essential social services or infrastructure.

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“When you go to a shrine and you see the priest pouring gin on the gods, Google how much a bottle of gin was in slavery. 40 slaves.

“Our gods are drunk on alcohol and meat. They are obese and diabetic.

“They can’t help us do anything. Prayers do not build roads or buy books for children. We have forgotten humanity,” he said.

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Presidents Invite Me To Dinner Wherever I Go – Davido Boasts

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Renowned Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, known by his stage name Davido, has stated that he receives special treatment globally due to his celebrity status.

The Afrobeats sensation mentioned that he is frequently invited to presidential dinners in nearly every country he visits, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom.

In a recent interview with Kiss Fresh London, Davido confidently shared that his fanbase includes influential figures such as the World Bank president, presidents of powerful nations, and other notable personalities.

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“Every country we go to, the President invites us for dinner except London [United Kingdom] and the United States of America.

“It’s beautiful to see. I mean, leaving my country, Nigeria, and people welcoming me like the president in other countries, shows how well Nigeria is doing around the world in terms of music and cultural impacts,” he said.

Davido has expressed that he feels most respected in Africa, which is why he cherishes his African tours more than those in Europe and America, even though the latter bring him greater financial rewards.

He shared that his Jamaican collaborator, YG Marley, was astonished by the immense admiration from fans when he visited Nigeria for the video shoot of their joint hit, ‘Awuke.’

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