Energy
Sahara Group, UNILAG collaborate on sustainability, global competitiveness
Leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Sahara Group, has announced the establishment of the Sahara School of Innovation and Extrapreneurship at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, to serve as a platform for promoting inventions and solutions that would facilitate sustainable development and global competitiveness in Africa.
Ejiro Gray, Director, Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, said the company would collaborate with UNILAG to make the school a world class facility that will proffer solutions to future challenges today, with emphasis on areas like the future of energy, entrepreneurship, data science, digital arts and culture, artificial intelligence and robotics, and fintech, among others.
The sod-turning ceremony of the proposed school held on Friday October 28, 2022. “This project reinforces our commitment to giving back always and serves as one of Sahara Group’s contributions towards building a formidable legacy for sustainable development. For over 26 years, innovation and extraprenuership have driven Sahara’s growth across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. We are confident that working with the University of Lagos, a foremost institution of global repute, the school would deliver sustainable value for the benefit of Africa and the world at large,” said Gray whose directorate would drive the project..
Former Librarian, Unilag, Mr. Adegoke Adeniji, Executive Directors of Sahara Group, Temitope Shonubi, Kola Adesina, Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka, Ade Odunsi, and Wale Ajibade; Director, Governance and Sustainability, Ejiro Gray and Former Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Unilag, Dr. Folashodun Shonubi, at the sod-turning ceremony of the Sahara Group School of Innovation and Extrapreneurship at the Unilag, Akoka.
Commending Sahara Group for the initiative, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, FAS, stated it is particularly gladdening that the drivers of the project are alumni of the University from different Faculties who have by their achievements, individually and jointly, demonstrated to the world the quality of UNILAG products. He noted that the Sahara Group School of Innovation and Extrapreneurship project hallmarks the repositioning of UNILAG as a “University of The Future”, a vision that has shaped its pursuits over the last five years and informs its 60th anniversary theme: UNILAG@60: Eyes on the Future.
“We, at the University of Lagos are committed to building on our heritage of excellence to continue to produce graduates that are locally relevant and globally-competitive as the alumni before us today. We aim to instill in our students, more than ever, the culture of innovation, entrepreneurship,” the VC added.
Gray said a timeline of 24 months has been set for the completion of the project with clear sustainability indices in terms of seamless maintenance, inclusiveness, transparency, relevance and scalability of modules/inventions, access to strategic/financial advisory and collaboration for regional and global impact.
She also announced the launch of the Sahara Scholar Award aimed at “energising excellence” through rewards to university students with outstanding performance in select disciplines. The Sahara Scholar Award will commence from the University of Lagos as a pilot scheme, and progressively expand in scope across Africa.
“The unique thing about the first phase of the Sahara Scholar Award is that it is wholly funded by the Group Executive Directors of the Sahara Group as a way of giving back to the University of Lagos where most of them received their university education and some also had parents who taught at the university. The award will be N1 million yearly for each category, including provision for annual sponsorship of exchange programmes for lecturers within Africa,” she added.
Categories under the Sahara Scholar Award include one-off prizes for 26 outstanding students to mark Sahara Group’s 26th anniversary, Temitope Shonubi prize for Best Improved Student in Architecture, Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka Prize for Best Graduating Student in Economics, Wale Ajibade Prize for Best Improved Student in Economics, Ade Odunsi Prize for Best Student in Finance, and Kola Adesina Prize for Best Graduating Student in Business Management.
Others are: Dr. Folashodun Shonubi Prize for Best Graduating Student in Mechanical Engineering, Zacchaeus Odunsi Prize for Best Entry Level Student in Civil Engineering, Mr. Adegoke Adeniji Prize for Best Graduating Student in Library and Information Science, Dr. John Falegan Prize for Best Graduating Student in Insurance and Actuarial Science, Asharami Prize for Best AI/Fintech invention and Sahara Group Prize for Best Entrepreneurial Dissertation in Architecture, Engineering, and Economics.
Amid a slight increase in gas production, Nigeria’s oil output experienced a substantial rise in November 2024.
Gas production saw a 2.9% month-on-month (MoM) increase, reaching 2,292,951 million standard cubic feet (MSCF) from 2,292,471 MSCF in October.
However, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the growth was minimal, with a mere 0.02% increase in output for the first 11 months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.
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The latest gas report from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) also revealed a 1.6% increase in domestic gas consumption.
A total of 606,658 MSCF was consumed locally, compared to 596,861 MSCF during the same period in 2023. Gas exports, meanwhile, rose by 6.9%, reaching 829,156 MSCF, up from 775,547 MSCF in the corresponding period of 2023.
This growth in exports continues to play a vital role in bolstering Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.
Despite these positive figures, sources close to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources (Gas) noted that oil remains the dominant force in Nigeria’s energy sector, with gas taking a secondary role.
On the other hand, the NUPRC’s oil production report revealed a remarkable surge.
Nigeria’s oil output, including condensates, rose by 13.3% year-on-year in November 2024, reaching 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 1.5 million bpd in November 2023. Month-on-month, oil production also increased by 10%, from 1.5 million bpd in October 2024.
Dr. Muda Yusuf, CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), discussed the broader structural dynamics within Nigeria’s economy, highlighting the dominance of the non-oil sector.
In his 2025 Outlook, Dr. Yusuf noted that the non-oil sector contributed 94.43% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q3 2024, while the oil sector accounted for just 5.57%.
“However, the economy is characterized by a paradox of the oil sector contributing an estimated 90% of foreign exchange earnings, while the non-oil sector accounts for about 10%,” Dr. Yusuf said.
“This is a structural shortcoming in our economy which needs to be addressed, as sectors that contribute hugely to GDP have no corresponding contribution to foreign exchange earnings.”
He further emphasized the need to address the challenges faced by the non-oil sector, which include issues related to productivity, infrastructure, funding, and regulatory constraints.
“The policy implication is that more should be done to fix the challenges of productivity and competitiveness of the non-oil sector of the economy,” Dr. Yusuf added
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has announced that the 125,000-barrel-per-day Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Company (WRPC) in Warri, Delta State, has become operational.
This is coming about a month after the commencement of operations at the 60,000-barrel-per-day-old Port Harcourt Refinery.
The Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, made the disclosure during a tour of the facility on Monday.
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A video posted by Channels TV on Monday showed Kyari addressing a tour team, which included the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed.
Before the tour commenced, Kyari explained that the inspection aimed to show Nigerians the level of work completed so far.
According to him, although the repairs on the facility are not yet 100 per cent complete, operations have commenced.
He said, “We are taking you through our plant. This plant is running. Although it is not 100 per cent complete, we are still in the process. Many people think these things are not real. They think real things are not possible in this country. We want you to see that this is real.”
Located in Ekpan, Uwvie, and Ubeji, Warri, the petrochemical plant produces 13,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTA) of polypropylene and 18,000 MTA of carbon black.
Commissioned in 1978 and managed by NNPC Ltd, the WRPC was built to supply markets in the southern and southwestern regions of Nigeria.
The mechanical completion of the facility was initially scheduled for the first quarter of 2024, according to the Spokesperson of the NNPC Ltd, Olufemi Soneye.
“Warri should be done by Q1 (first quarter) 2024,” Soneye stated.
The WRPC is one of Nigeria’s four refineries. Others include the old and new Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company in Kaduna State.
MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, a prominent player in the Nigerian downstream oil industry, has implemented a new petrol price of N935 per litre across all its retail service stations nationwide.
The company has also called on Nigerians to monitor and report any outlets that fail to adhere to the new price structure.
Biztellers reports that this is consequent upon an announcement by the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has partnered with MRS Oil and Gas to offer petrol at N935 per litre at retail outlets, following a reduction in the ex-depot price from N970 to N899.50 per litre.
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It was gathered that MRS Oil Nigeria Plc has instructed all its outlets to implement the new price immediately, setting up a digital platform and monitoring team to ensure full compliance.
In a statement on Monday night, the company declared, “Petrol is now being sold at N935 at MRS Filling Stations nationwide. If you find any station not following this price, please report it. Call 08009447853 or email: NG-FMKPMGWHISTLEBLOWING@NG.KPMG.COM”
Emphasising the eco-friendly nature of its products, MRS Oil added, “We call on all petrol station owners to join MRS Oil Nigeria Plc in improving the supply chain of our beloved country, ensuring product quality and availability in every corner of Nigeria for the benefit of all Nigerians.”
In Lagos, commuters were seen queuing at MRS filling stations to purchase petrol, with many expressing their gratitude to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil and Gas, urging other marketers to support the indigenous refinery rather than import off-spec products into the country.
A commuter at the MRS station at Alapere on the Lagos Ibadan Express way, Ibukun Phillips, could not hide her joy as her husband filled up their car.
“I am very happy today. This is a victory for Nigeria,” she said. “The price reduction is the best gift of the season. But beyond just the reduction, we are buying standard, eco-friendly petrol at a lower rate. My husband and I have decided we will only be using MRS from now on because we are confident in the quality of the product and supporting the economy.”
A commercial bus driver, Adio Ajibade described the price reduction as a great relief, especially during the festive season.
“The reduction is a great relief. It will reduce transportation costs and benefit Nigerians. God will continue to bless Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” he said.
A public affairs analyst and university lecturer, Dr. Tunde Akanni, said the collaboration between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and MRS Oil represents a significant step towards improving the affordability, quality, and sustainability of petroleum products in Nigeria.
According to Dr. Akanni, “this move will not only help ease the financial burden on Nigerians but also promote a more environmentally conscious approach to fuel consumption, benefitting both the economy and public health in the long term.”
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