Business
NCDMB Opens Africa’s First Gravimetric Flow Metering Facility with Project 100 Company
Modupe ASUDO
A world-class Gravimetric Flow Metering Calibration Laboratory, the first in Africa, was on Tuesday commissioned at the operational base of Engineering Automation Technology Limited (EATL) at Eket, Akwa Ibom State, with all oil and gas industry regulatory agencies and leading operators in attendance.
The facility, which is engineered to accommodate diverse flow regimes and fluid properties, guarantees accurate and reliable measurement of product transmission through industry pipelines. It incorporates what industry experts describe as “temperature and pressure conditioning, traceable reference standards, and automated data capture,” and would solve problems of flow meter factorisation and recertification.
In a keynote address at the commissioning ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described the facility as a strategic breakthrough in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, noting that “For decades, critical calibration and metering services were largely executed outside our shores, resulting in capital flight, increased project timelines, and limited knowledge transfer.”
He said the Gravimetric Multifaceted Flow Metering Laboratory is firmly aligned with the objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, on local asset ownership, capacity building, and value retention. Itsstrategic importance, he noted, extends to revenue assurance and regulatory compliance, cost optimisation for industry operators, technology transfer and skills development, and industrialisation of the Niger Delta.
According to Engr. Ogbe, accurate calibration ensures transparency in hydrocarbon accounting and thus strengthens confidence across operators and regulators. Operators, too, would benefit from in-country calibration and metering servicesin terms of reduced logistics costs and turnaround time, while Nigerian engineers, technicians, and metering specialists now have a world-class training ground.
The Executive Secretary said Engineering Automation Technology Limited is among carefully selected corporate entities under NCDMB’s Project 100 Companies Initiative – a strategic programme designed to nurture high-potential indigenous companies into globally competitive champions. The strategy of the Board, he explained, has evolved beyond monitoring to enabling, which involves provision of access to finance, capacity development, infrastructure, co-investments and research and innovation support.
Represented by the Acting Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Silas Ajimijaye, the NCDMB boss acknowledged the leadership role of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in ensuring that regulatory frameworks continue to support technological advancement while maintaining global standards.
He charged EATL to maintain international quality standards, pursue accreditation and global certifications, invest continuously in research and human capital, and explore regional and continental markets. “Let this facility become a West African hub for flow calibration excellence,” he exhorted.
In her own address, the Commission Chief Executive (CCE) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, expressed profound joy at the completion and commissioning of the Calibration and Metering Laboratory, which she declared would be Nigeria’s “national standard.”
“Flow labs in the country’s oil industry will bring their Master Meters here for calibration,” she assured, noting that the NUPRC gave its “very best to support EATL” and would continue to do so.
Represented by the Commission’s Deputy Director, Development, Engr. Manuel Ibifuroko, the CCE said the NUPRC is a business enabler, adding, “We want to be very stringent, but we also have to enable business.” She pointed out that the Commission was determined “to co-create solutions and to ensure costs in the industry are reduced.”
In a welcome address, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Engineering Automation Technology Limited, Dr. Emmanuel Okon, thanked all the organisations – regulators, industry operators and others who facilitated the transition from “aspiration to operational capability.”
He said EATL was “a vision conceived in 2020 shortly after the inauguration of the second batch of NCDMB’s Project 100 by the then Executive Secretary, a support we are still enjoying from the current Executive Secretary of the NCDMB.”
He pointed out that “NUPRC, NCDMB and NUIMS [National Upstream Investment Management Services, an arm of the NNPCL] form the foundational pillars of this facility,” while inviting the regulatory agencies and all industry stakeholders to engage with the laboratory, “scrutinize its data, and adopt it as a shared benchmark.”
He also acknowledged the exceptional support and invaluable partnership of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited throughout the commissioning process, particularly “for providing the Meter Under Test, without which the milestone would not have been achieved.”
The Chief Upstream Investment Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, represented by the Deputy Manager, Production Sharing Contracts (PSC), Engr. Paul Duke, commended Engineering Automation Technology Limited for its “vision, dedication and technical excellence demonstrated in conceptualizing and delivering a world-class system.”
He noted that with the facility now in place, Nigeria strengthens its capacity for accurate measurement, improved hydrocarbon accounting, and enhanced regulatory compliance, which he described as “critical pillars for transparency and value optimization across the upstream and midstream value chains.”
Engr. Duke expressed appreciation for the collaboration among stakeholders, notably, regulators, operators, service providers, and technical teams, whose collective efforts have brought the initiative to fruition. He said the facility “aligns fully with NNPC Ltd.’s mandate to drive accountability, efficiency, and sustainability in Nigeria’s hydrocarbon operations.”
In related comments, Project Director in the Group Chief Executive Officer’s Office, NNPCL, Mr. Adokiye Charles, said the gathering was not just to activate the facility. According to him, “We are gathered here today to commission accountability; we are gathered here today to commission integrity… and to commission trust.” He expressed great delight at the landmark development.
For his part, the immediate past Executive Commissioner, Development and Production, NUPRC, Engr. Amadasu Enorense, said the commissioning marked a defining milestone in Nigeria’s industrial journey. According to him, “To have the first Flow Metering Calibration Laboratory in Africa is indeed a major milestone.”
In a detailed explanation of the benefits the facility would bring to Nigeria, he pointed out that, “By establishing this in-country calibration laboratory, we are declaring that precision will no longer be outsourced; competence will no longer be imported, and value will no longer be exported unnecessarily.”
He revealed that hitherto, calibration services of such technical complexity required sending equipment – and capital – overseas, resulting in “foreign exchange outflows, project delays, and lost opportunities for our engineers and technicians to develop world-class expertise.” “Today,” he remarked, “We reverse that trend.”
He urged industry operators to support the facility, utilize it, and partner the company to strengthen it. To Nigeria’s young engineers, his message was, “This Laboratory represents opportunity; master the science, uphold integrity and innovate endlessly.” According to him, “The future of our industry will be defined not just by [oil and gas] reserves in the ground but also by knowledge.”
From a major partner in the project, Emerson Automation, were words of assurance of continued support and collaboration. According to the company’s Area Director, West Africa and Angola, Engr. Chukwuma Ossaiga, “If we create value we can impact the next generation.” He urged oil and gas industry players to patronise the facility.
From a representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Mr. Enobong Ekanem, was a firm assurance of full patronage of the facility. The NNPCL and other operators all affirmed their confidence in the facility and assured the Management of their preparedness to continue to do business with the company
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed his commitment to boosting food security across Africa through large-scale fertiliser investments, declaring that the continent has the capacity to feed itself and become a net exporter of agricultural products.
Dangote made this known while addressing journalists in Gode, in Ethiopia’s Somali region, during a high-profile visit hosted by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The Prime Minister personally received Dangote and accompanied him to inspect the site of the proposed fertiliser plant, where construction activities are already underway.
Speaking on the strategic importance of fertiliser in agricultural productivity, Dangote noted that Africa’s food insecurity challenges are largely due to limited access to key inputs.
“Africa holds immense agricultural potential, yet continues to grapple with food insecurity due to limited access to fertiliser,” he said. “Through our investments, we are committed to reversing this trend by boosting productivity, empowering farmers, and advancing a sustainable path to food self-sufficiency.”
He added that the Group’s ambition, though bold, is achievable with sustained investment in fertiliser production and agricultural infrastructure.
“Africa has the capacity to feed itself and even export to the rest of the world. Our fertiliser investments across the continent are designed to unlock that potential and secure a prosperous future for our people,” Dangote stated.
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Dangote also announced a significant increase in the Group’s investment in Ethiopia, rising from $2.5 billion to over $4 billion. The expanded scope includes critical infrastructure such as a 110-kilometre pipeline, a 120MW power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility, and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant, among other new components.
He described Ethiopia as a key strategic destination for Dangote Group’s long-term investments.
“In total, our declared and signed investments in Ethiopia now exceed $4 billion. This makes Ethiopia the second-largest recipient of our investments in Africa, accounting for nearly nine per cent of our continental outlay between now and 2030,” he said.
Dangote further commended Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s leadership and vision for economic transformation.
“The Prime Minister is driving development beyond expectations, but such progress requires strong private sector collaboration. We are proud to partner with Ethiopia to help build one of Africa’s most dynamic economies in the coming decade,” he added.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in his remarks, described Dangote as a trusted partner and commended the pace of work on the fertiliser project, which he said aligns with Ethiopia’s broader development priorities.
He emphasised that the project would significantly boost domestic fertiliser production, reduce dependence on imports, and provide critical support to millions of Ethiopian farmers.
According to the Prime Minister, the fertiliser plant will also create extensive employment opportunities, strengthen the industrial value chain, and reinforce Ethiopia’s position as an emerging agro-industrial hub in Africa.
“This type of large-scale investment demonstrates the power of strong collaboration between government and the private sector,” he said. “Expanding such partnerships will accelerate economic growth, attract further investment, and improve the livelihoods of our people.”
The Dangote fertiliser initiative is widely seen as a transformative step toward reshaping Africa’s agricultural landscape, with the potential to enhance productivity, reduce import dependence, and drive inclusive economic growth across the continent.
Photo Caption – L-R: President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, being welcome by the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed to Gode, in Ethiopia’s Somali region, during an inspection of the fertiliser plant under construction in Gode, Ethiopia, over the weekend.
The Nigerian Navy (NN) has uncovered and dismantled an illegal refined petroleum products depot in Okrika, Rivers State, as part of ongoing operations against crude oil theft and illicit petroleum activities in the Niger Delta.
The Navy disclosed that the operation was carried out by Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder under Operation Delta Sentinel during anti-crude oil theft patrols targeted at economic saboteurs and illegal petroleum distribution networks.
According to the Navy, the operation led to the discovery of a major storage facility linked to the distribution of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) within Rivers State.
“During the raid, naval personnel uncovered a warehouse located around Okochiri Kingdom in Okrika Local Government Area containing 410 drums loaded with approximately 123,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO,” the Service said.
In a statement yesterday, the Director of Naval Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said preliminary investigations indicated that the products were transported from illegal refining sites outside the community and stockpiled in the warehouse for onward distribution through illicit supply channels.
Folorunsho stated that the discovery underscored the growing trend of illegal petroleum operators shifting from refining camps to concealed storage and distribution systems in a bid to evade ongoing anti-crude oil theft operations and sustain black-market fuel trade across the region.
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He added that the products were handled in line with established anti-crude oil theft procedures, while further surveillance and assessments within the area were ongoing.
The Navy also stated that current operations under Operation Delta Sentinel remain focused on dismantling the logistics and supply networks sustaining crude oil theft, illegal refining, and illicit petroleum distribution across the Niger Delta.
Reaffirming its commitment to protecting critical national assets, the Nigerian Navy said it would continue to sustain intelligence-driven operations aimed at denying economic saboteurs freedom of operation within Nigeria’s maritime and littoral environment, in line with the vision of the Chief of the Naval Staff.
Enhanced adoption of artificial intelligence and other digital technologies to improve operations in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is taking the centre stage in relevant circles.
The issue came up strongly when the President-elect of the Nigerian Institute of Petroleum and Gas Engineers NIPetGE, Prisca Kanebi, paid a courtesy call at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Abuja.
Biztellers reports that the Kanebi led delegation was received by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye.
According to a statement made available on Sunday, discussions at the meeting focused on the future of Nigeria’s hydrocarbon industry amid global energy transition concerns, technological changes and sustainability targets.
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The statement indicated that the NNPC Ltd acknowledged the role of NIPetGE in policy advocacy, technical development and innovation within the sector.
Speaking during the meeting, Kanebi highlighted recommendations from the institute’s recent conference, including the proposed establishment of a national centre for intelligent energy systems to support the deployment of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and robotics across the petroleum value chain.
She also commended the Federal Government’s decarbonisation efforts and reiterated the institute’s support for policies aimed at improving sustainability in the industry.
The institute also recommended the creation of a hydrocarbon-linked emissions trading system to allow Nigeria to take part in global carbon markets.
The institute also proposed fiscal incentives to support local manufacturing and service delivery in the oil and gas sector, as well as the expansion of the Energy Transition Plan to include measurable upstream decarbonisation targets backed by tax credits.
Other proposals included increased public-private partnerships in emission control infrastructure, carbon capture projects and hybrid renewable energy initiatives.
Both organisations also stressed the need for stronger collaboration between industry and academic institutions to improve professional capacity and align petroleum engineering practice in Nigeria with international standards.
The institute further disclosed that its bill seeking chartered status had passed second reading and was progressing towards a third hearing at the National Assembly.
It added that NNPC Ltd pledged support for future collaborations with the institute on initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and innovation in the energy sector.
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