Energy
NCDMB To Set Minimum Benchmark for Women in Oil and Gas…to begin disbursement of $40m Women Fund
Modupe ASUDO
ABUJA-THE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has announced plans to set a minimum percentage of females that must be included in any human capacity development (HCD) programme or any other initiative that it will approve for the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.
The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, stated this on Tuesday at the 2nd Nigerian Women in Oil and Gas Conference. He said the Board would work on the policy and communicate it to the industry as soon as possible.
The conference was organised by the NCDMB in partnership with the Diversity Sectorial Working Group of the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum (NCCF), which was set up by the NCDMB to advise it on policy directions.
Speaking on the $40m Women in Energy Fund which the NCDMB set up in partnership with the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), the Executive Secretary indicated that 15 applications have been received and three have been approved and disbursement of funds would soon start. He added that the online portal for the fund was launched two weeks ago, and this would speed up and reduce human interface in the application and processing.
He commended the performance of women in various roles in the oil and gas industry and canvassed for their inclusion in the administration of the various Trusts and Funds that were established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, notably the Host Community Development Trust, Host Community Development Trust Fund and Environmental Remediation Fund.
Speaking further, the NCDMB boss confirmed that the Oil and Gas Industrial Parks in Bayelsa State and Cross River state are getting ready for completion and will commence operations next year. He noted that the Board had started inviting applicants for allocation of plots to set up manufacturing outfits in the park and encouraged women-owned businesses with workable proposals to apply as they will be given special consideration as part of the Board’s commitment to mainstream women into the oil and gas industry.
Providing an update on the administration of the Women in Energy Fund, the Managing Director of NEXIM Bank, Mr. Abba Bello explained that applicants would need to meet set criteria before they can access the fund. “It is a loan and not a grant and applicants have to meet the conditions, so we can achieve the intended purpose,” he said. Represented by the Head Specialised Products at the Bank, Mr. Mohammed Aumiz, the NEXIM Bank boss explained that it takes only 22 days for an application to be processed and an offer letter issued if the company met the criteria.
Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva commended the NCDMB for inaugurating the Diversity Sectorial Working Group under the NCCF as provided in Section 58 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act. He noted that women make up 48 percent of the global labour force, but they only account for 22 percent of the labour force in the oil and gas sector.
Quoting a recent study by Global Energy Talent Index, the Minister said women occupy about 50 percent of non-technical positions at entry-level compared to only 15 percent of technical and field role positions, hinting that gender diversity and inclusion decreases with seniority, with only a tiny proportion of women in executive positions. “The percentage of women in the industry drops from 36 percent to 24 percent between the middle and executive level,” he noted.
He confirmed that the Nigerian government has been deliberate in introducing gender-friendly policies aimed at increasing access to funding, award of contracts and support for research and development in the interest of women operators in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
The Minister harped on the need to be deliberate in getting more girls into Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), which is a pathway to careers in the oil and gas industry.
He also advised women in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry to work together towards increasing participation of fellow women in the industry by engendering growth, building capacities and capabilities, identifying opportunities, mentoring and coaching.
In her goodwill message, the Chairperson NNPC Board, Senator Margery Chuba-Okadigbo challenged the NCDMB to institute a development programme like the Project 100 for oil and gas firms owned by women. She said the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provides a good opportunity to mainstream more women in oil and gas activities. She also recommended formal mentorship and role modelling for younger women coming up in the oil and gas industry.
Energy
Nigeria’s First Energy Infrastructure Map for Unveiling at NOG 2026
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.
Energy
OPEC+ Increases Production Quotas for July
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.
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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
Energy
Nigeria, Algeria, Niger Back Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline Project
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.
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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.





