Business
Sahara Group urges human capital transformation in power sector
By Biztellers
Leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Sahara Group has said ramping up human capital capacity through investment in training, technology and artificial intelligence would enhance performance across the power sector value chain.
Speaking on the Group’s expansion plan, Kola Adesina, Executive Director Sahara Group said the company had through the expertise and commitment of its employees recorded significant achievements in the sector where it operates Egbin Power, the largest thermal plant in sub-Saharan Africa, Ikeja Electric, Nigeria’s largest distribution company, and First Independent Power Limited (FIPL).
Sahara Group through these entities contributes 25 per cent of power generated and distributed in Nigeria, making it the nation’s foremost power company.
Adesina explained that Sahara continues to rethink its human capital profile to adequately tackle challenges and optimize emerging opportunities, with emphasis on achieving generational knowledge transfer and birthing future solutions today through technology.
“One critical need in the sector today is that of ensuring we have the right people manning the machines, processes, operations, and stakeholder management. We also need our regulation and policy formulation to be top-notch. At Sahara, we have a nimble and disruptive approach to keeping our people agile and adaptable to unfolding trends. This is expressed through our Graduate Engineering Programs, foreign exchange programs for our employees, and various employee learning and development platforms that make our people operate at the highest level,” he said.
Adesina who is also Group Managing Director, Sahara Power Group (a member of the Sahara Group) said continuing investments in its power assets demonstrate Sahara’s dedication to bringing energy to life responsibly and making a difference in the sector.
“From strategic overhauls of our turbines to network upgrades; human capital transformation to technology-driven service delivery and an unwavering investment in environmental sustainability, Sahara Group remains committed to Nigeria’s power project, until we achieve uninterrupted power supply,” he said.
Adesina disclosed that Project Egbin 2.0, which involves doubling the capacity of power plant to shore up generation capacity would be achieved through a mix of alternative and sustainable energy sources to ensure availability of cleaner and more regular power in the nation.
“Sahara Group ventured into the power sector with a mission to make a difference. Beyond being the foremost power operator in Nigeria, our dream is to light up opportunities, homes, businesses, and dreams responsibly,” he said, adding: “We recently embarked on an overhaul project involving three of our units in Egbin, all of which led to the availability of all six (6) Units at the start of this year, ensuring full capacity at the plant for a sustained period.”
Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer, Egbin Power Plc. Mokhtar Bounour, said the company’s reward and recognition initiatives have continued to drive outstanding performance and innovation within the organisation.
“Our strategy is translated to an action plan where we empower our team members at all levels. We give them equal opportunity to take initiative which enables them to get rewarded for their performance. As you can see, Egbin Power Plc is not just a power plant. We work tirelessly towards making sure that the environment is safe, clean and the people are happy. And they go back safe to their families. They are also enjoying the hard work and delivering the power continuously to the grid with sustainability and responsibility,” he noted.
The NNPC Limited has raised alarm over what it described as a growing wave of fraudulent claims suggesting that the company is selling refinery scrap materials and equipment to individuals and private entities.
In a public notice by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, the company categorically dismissed the claims as false, clarifying that it has not initiated or approved any process for the sale of scrap metals, refinery components, or equipment from any of its facilities.
According to the company, it has neither issued requests for bids, tenders, nor expressions of interest relating to such transactions, contrary to information being circulated in some quarters.
More troubling, the company revealed that certain individuals have been impersonating NNPC officials, falsely presenting themselves as authorised agents to facilitate the sale of so-called refinery scrap.
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“These individuals are not authorised by NNPC Limited and are attempting to mislead members of the public,” the statement noted, highlighting the sophistication of the fraudulent scheme.
The development raises concerns about the exploitation of public trust and the potential financial risks to unsuspecting individuals and businesses.
NNPC therefore urged stakeholders, corporate organisations, and the general public to exercise vigilance and avoid engaging in any transaction linked to such claims.
“For the avoidance of doubt, NNPC Limited is not conducting, nor has it authorised, any sale of refinery scrap or equipment,” the company reiterated.
It further emphasised that any legitimate disposal of assets would be carried out through transparent, regulated processes and communicated through its official platforms.
The company also encouraged the public to report suspected fraudsters to law enforcement agencies, as part of efforts to curb the spread of such criminal activities.
NNPC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of Nigeria’s energy assets.
The NNPC Foundation Limited/Gte, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), has won the CSR Champion Award (Health) 2025 instituted by the Independent Newspapers.
Biztellers reports that the award was presented during the Silver Jubilee edition of the Independent Newspapers Awards, themed “Game Changers: Breaking Barriers and Shaping Tomorrow,” held at Eko Hotel and Suites on Saturday, 18 April 2026.
The CSR Champion Award (Health) recognises the Foundation’s work in healthcare and its broader commitment to improving lives through social investment programmes spanning health, education, environment, and access to energy.Primary & Secondary Schooling (K-12)
The recognition follows a series of health initiatives delivered by the Foundation, including free cataract screening and surgeries that restored sight to over 6,000 Nigerians, including minors born blind; cancer and glaucoma interventions; medical outreaches to underserved communities; renovation and furnishing of three wards with 100 beds at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi; partnership and sponsorship of heart surgeries; and provision of dental health accessories to children in special schools, among others.
The NNPC Foundation noted that these results were made possible through the leadership and support of the NNPC Ltd. Management team, whose commitment has continued to strengthen the Foundation’s capacity to deliver social investments across the country.
Reacting to the award, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, described the recognition as a validation of the Foundation’s work and the trust placed in it by Nigerians. She noted that the award means so much to the company because it represents the confidence Nigerians have placed in its work and the value they see in purposeful social investment.
“It speaks to the resilience of the communities we serve, the dedication of our team, and the strength of partnerships that have enabled us to do meaningful work in health, education, environmental sustainability and access to energy,” she added.
In addition, Arukwe noted that “these results have also been made possible through the leadership and support of the NNPC Ltd. Management team, whose backing has been instrumental to the success of the Foundation’s work. We receive this award with gratitude, and with a renewed sense of responsibility to do more and reach further across the country.”
The NNPC Foundation Limited/Gte remains committed to advancing health interventions that improve outcomes and contribute to national development.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), through its Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Division, in collaboration with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sonatrach, the Algerian National Oil Company, for cooperation in research, development, and innovation.
The agreement, signed by NNPC Ltd’s Executive Vice President, Business Services, Sophia Mbakwe, and Sonatrach’s Managing Director, Khodjah Mohamed, establishes a formal framework for joint work in research and technology exchange between the two national oil companies.
This was contained in the press statement issued on Thursday by Chief Corporate Communications Officer Mr. Andy Odeh.
According to the statement, the agreement, held during the opening ceremony of the 3rd Meeting of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Forum for R&D Directors at the PTDF Tower in Abuja, Nigeria, brought together research and development directors from APPO member countries.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, represented by former Secretary General of APPO, Omar Farouk Ibrahim, said the forum was one of four measures introduced by APPO to address challenges from the global energy transition, which center on funding, technology, and markets.
“The R&D forum tackles technology and expertise needs, the African Energy Bank addresses funding constraints, and the Central African Pipeline System supports regional oil and gas market integration,” Lokpobiri stated.
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Earlier in his remarks, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Adedapo Segun, said research and development must form a central part of the overall strategy in the African oil and gas industry.
He called for research and development centres to function as engines of industrial competitiveness. “Collaboration in research and development is of strategic importance. The cost of innovation might be high, but the cost of obsolescence would be greater,” he stressed.
Ojulari called for a unified strategic framework through which resources could be pooled, data integrated, and risks shared across member countries.
He further urged the rapid adoption of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and advanced engineering to improve upstream, midstream, and downstream operations.
On his part, the APPO Secretary General, Farid Ghezali, urged African petroleum-producing countries to ensure research in the oil and gas sector produced solutions that are practical and directly relevant to the continent. “We must ensure that our research delivers solutions that are practical and of direct use to Africa,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Prof. Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, highlighted the value of the partnership between NNPC Limited and PTDF in supporting decarbonization and environmental protection efforts across APPO member countries.
Chief Innovation Officer of NNPC Research, Technology and Innovation and incoming Chairman of the APPO R&D Directors Forum, Rasheed Ojulari, said the forum would give immediate priority to joint programs in the core areas of upstream optimization, artificial intelligence, decarbonisation processes, and industrial systems development.
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