NEWS
NCDMB Moves Conference To Uyo, Cites ‘Unprecedented Flood In The Country’
The management of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has announced the movement of her flagship annual Practical Nigerian Content conference to Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.
The Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote made the announcement in an email to staff and other stakeholders to confirm that the event would still be held on the scheduled dates, which are 5th – 8th December 2022, and would attract major stakeholders in the oil and gas industry from across Nigeria.
Wabote explained that the change in venue for the conference was due to the unprecedented flood situation that has ravaged 31 states in the country and its impact on the scheduled conference.
He said: “We are saddened to come to the realization that the event is now threatened due to the unprecedented flooding that affected 31 states in the country, including Bayelsa State with most parts of the state seriously affected, including Yenagoa, the state capital and host city for the event.
“While we acknowledge that the flood has begun to recede, it is doubtful that significant recoveries would be made from now to the date of the event, which is about six (6) weeks away.”
The NCDMB boss further noted that the East-West Road, which is one of the major arteries to the state has been badly impacted making it difficult for human and vehicular movements. He pointed out that facilities on the ground in Yenagoa for the hosting of the PNC 2022 have also been heavily impacted. These include hotels, eateries, small businesses/service providers to our partners, logistics support, etc.
He added that “most of our operational vehicles that would provide logistic support to the PNC team are also stuck either in Port Harcourt, Rivers State or Warri, Delta State due to the state of the East-West Road.”
“In view of the foregoing, I am constrained to write to inform all staff of the movement of the venue of the PNC 2022 from Yenagoa to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State to hold on the same date.” Wabote said.
He assured that the PNC 2022 Planning Committee would still deliver a top-notch event at Uyo, with the Board’s partners, DMG Nigeria Events.
The Executive Secretary pointed that the movement of the venue is only for the Year 2022, as the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa remains the preferred destination for this NCDMB flagship event. According to him the next edition in 2023 will return to Yenagoa bigger and better to celebrate the resilience of the city.
He expressed shock at the devastating impact of the flooding on livelihoods, businesses, and government activities in Bayelsa State and as well as other states in the country and sympathized with Nigerians on the impact in their homes, including, separation from their loved ones.
The Practical Nigerian Content Forum is a flagship event of the Board which attracts major stakeholders in the oil and gas industry from across Nigeria. The event serves as an opportunity to showcase the practical investment opportunities and achievements by NCDMB in the Nigerian oil and gas industry and its linkage sectors. It also hosts senior government officials, heads of International and Indigenous Oil Companies, and exhibitions of industry products and services in the upcoming event.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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