NEWS
Oando Partners FG for Gas-to-power Initiative for Industrialisation
The upstream subsidiary of Oando Plc, Oando Energy Resources (OER), has pledged stronger collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power to advance Nigeria’s gas-to-power agenda, boost electricity generation and support the country’s industrialisation drive.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the company’s management team to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, where both sides discussed strategies to expand domestic gas utilisation, strengthen power infrastructure and accelerate reforms aimed at improving electricity supply across the country.
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The meeting brought together senior officials of the ministry and OER’s upstream leadership in what both sides described as a timely engagement amid ongoing efforts to address Nigeria’s power supply challenges.
Speaking during the visit, Managing Director of OER, Dr. Ainojie “Alex” Irune, said the company’s growing gas portfolio places it at the centre of Nigeria’s energy transition and economic development.
He noted that Oando’s operations already support the country’s power generation infrastructure through the Okpai Independent Power Plant, which supplies electricity to about 50 million Nigerians and contributes roughly 15 per cent of the nation’s power generation.
Irune described the facility as a proven “black start” power plant with a strong record of reliable operations, adding that Oando is increasingly prioritising gas development as a catalyst for economic transformation.
“Domestic capacity is not only an imperative now, but it is also the only way we get out of an economic crisis,” he said.
According to him, sustained investment in domestic gas resources, power infrastructure and industrial capacity will be essential to building a productive economy.
The OER boss also highlighted the activities of Oando Clean Energy (OCEL), the company’s renewable energy subsidiary established five years ago, which is exploring ways to combine gas, solar, wind and hydropower to improve access to affordable and reliable electricity across Africa.
He disclosed that the company is piloting an innovative project that repurposes abandoned oil wells within the Oando Joint Venture into geothermal-style power generation facilities, describing it as an example of the homegrown solutions required to address Africa’s energy needs.
Responding, Minister Tegbe welcomed Oando’s continued engagement and described the discussions as an opportunity to align government policies with private sector investment and technical expertise.
He said the Federal Government remains committed to strengthening gas-to-power projects as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s industrialisation strategy.
“We can talk about carbon credits, but in reality, it’s about the resources you have. You have to use them. That’s your advantage. Get it done in the cheapest, most efficient way possible. For me, it’s hydro, gas, and solar,” the minister said.
Tegbe also welcomed Oando’s offer to provide technical and advisory support to the ministry, particularly in the areas of skills development and knowledge transfer.
“I look forward to that collaboration, and I believe the power sector will get to a point where we start to see real progress. We need to look at how we use skills transfer and exchange to ensure our public sector side is also equipped to deliver on projects. I believe we will get there,” he added.
Both parties agreed to sustain engagement in the coming weeks as part of efforts to accelerate reforms and improve electricity delivery.
In his closing remarks, Irune stressed that achieving Nigeria’s energy transformation would require a shared commitment between government and the private sector.
“The ambition is not yours alone,” he told the minister, urging sustained collaboration to deliver the country’s long-term energy roadmap.
Oando said the meeting reinforces its commitment to supporting the Federal Government’s power sector reforms and advancing gas as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s industrial and economic development.
The abductors of a Kebbi State High Court judge, Justice Faruku Bunza, have demanded N200 million as ransom for his release following his abduction from his residence in Bunza Local Government Area.
The ransom demand was confirmed on Tuesday by the Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Umar Hadejia, and the judge’s brother, Yusuf Bunza.
Justice Bunza was kidnapped in the early hours of Sunday from his home along Zogirma Road in Bunza, prompting a swift security response.
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Speaking on the development, Commissioner Hadejia said police had launched an intensive operation to rescue the judge unharmed and apprehend those behind the abduction.
According to him, intelligence gathered during the operation revealed that the kidnappers were demanding N200 million for the judge’s freedom.
He disclosed that a combined team of security operatives had been deployed to comb suspected escape routes, while strategic checkpoints had been mounted across key locations believed to have been used by the abductors.
The police commissioner expressed confidence that the ongoing operation would lead to the safe rescue of Justice Bunza and the arrest of the kidnappers.
Hadejia further revealed that the family informed the police that the abductors had contacted a registrar of the High Court in Abuja to begin negotiations over the ransom demand.
Confirming the development, the judge’s brother, Yusuf Bunza, said the kidnappers had also reached out to him.
“Yes, they contacted me; they asked for N200 million from the family. We don’t know what to do now but we believe the authorities and security operatives are doing their duty to secure his release,” he said.
The abduction has heightened concerns over the security of judicial officers and the persistent threat of kidnapping across parts of the country, as security agencies continue efforts to secure the judge’s safe release.
Students of DS Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Ogun State, on Tuesday shut down the Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway in protest following the killing of one of their colleagues during a robbery attack on a student community behind the institution.
The protest, which caused heavy traffic congestion along the busy highway, erupted after suspected armed robbers invaded Eruku Community, where many students reside, in the early hours of Tuesday.
According to the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Goke Rafiu, the attackers raided about 15 houses in the community, killing one student and leaving three others injured.
“What happened was that some armed robbers raided about 15 houses in Eruku where some of our students are living. The community is actually behind the school, and during the attack, one of the students was killed while about three others were injured,” Rafiu said.
He disclosed that one of the injured students had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, for treatment.
“We are currently in the community with police officers and members of the institution’s management team, including the Chairman of the Governing Council, Ambassador Toye Okanlawon, to chart the way forward,” he added.
The rector appealed to the protesting students to remain calm, assuring them that the Ogun State Government, security agencies and community leaders were working to improve security around the institution.
Following the tragic incident, the institution postponed examinations scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 29, to honour the deceased student and allow affected students time to recover emotionally.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Timetable, Examination and Academic Calendar Committee, Gideon Adekunle, the institution said: “Following the unfortunate incident that resulted in the loss of a student and injuries to others during a robbery attack in Eruku, the examinations scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, and Wednesday, July 29, have been postponed.
“This is to ensure students in the affected area regain their composure and mental stability, and most importantly, to honour the deceased.
“Examinations will resume on Friday, July 30, 2026, as scheduled. A new timetable for the postponed examinations will be communicated in due course.”
The Students’ Union Government President, Comrade Owoigbe Blessing, said the robbers struck around midnight, killing a final-year Higher National Diploma (HND II) student.
“One final-year HND II student was killed, another female student was injured after her ear was severed, while another student who was shot has been rushed to the Federal Medical Centre,” she said.
She called on the Ogun State Government to strengthen security around the institution, lamenting that robbery attacks had become a recurring problem in Eruku Community.
“There is no adequate security. If there was, this would not have happened. This is not the first, second or even third time such an incident has occurred in Eruku,” she said.
Also reacting, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State, Comrade Olabode Faruq Success, condemned the rising insecurity around tertiary institutions in the state and called for urgent intervention to protect students.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has described Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s reconciliation with his political camp as a correction of past mistakes, insisting the governor had no better alternative than returning to the political family that brought him to power.
Speaking with journalists on Tuesday after inspecting ongoing road projects across the Federal Capital Territory, Wike dismissed claims that Fubara’s return was an act of seeking forgiveness following their prolonged political feud.
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According to the former Rivers State governor, politics is not about sin but about recognising mistakes and making the right decisions.
“I don’t know what you mean by sin. In politics, there is no sin. If someone realises they made a mistake and decides to correct it, there is nothing wrong with that. Politics is not a sin. What matters is recognising that you were on the wrong path and making the right decision,” Wike said.
Wike recalled that he had predicted the reconciliation before Fubara publicly announced it, maintaining that the governor had no choice but to return to the political structure that produced him.
“I said during my last media chat that he had no other choice but to return to the same political family that produced him. I have now been informed that he has made that declaration publicly, and we welcome him. Our doors are open. Everyone is welcome for us to work together. There is no better alternative. We will all work together to move the state forward,” he stated.
The FCT minister added that Fubara’s public declaration of reconciliation would further strengthen efforts to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election ahead of the 2027 general election.
“He has publicly stated that he has returned to where he started, and we receive him with an open mind. There is nothing to hide. We will all work together to ensure that we deliver the votes President Tinubu needs for his re-election,” Wike added.
The minister spoke while inspecting major infrastructure projects in the FCT, including the ISEX Road Corridor and the nearly completed Apo-Karshi Road.
Expressing satisfaction with the pace of work, Wike said the Tinubu administration remains committed to completing inherited projects rather than abandoning them, noting that continuity in governance is essential for development.
He explained that the ISEX Road project, awarded in 2014 but left incomplete by previous administrations, is expected to be partially completed before the end of the year if the necessary funds are released.
Wike stressed that completing ongoing infrastructure projects would protect public investments, improve connectivity and accelerate economic growth across the Federal Capital Territory.
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