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Trending News: BREAKING: Sujimoto CEO Sijibomi Ogundele Denied Legal Access, Held With Restricted Access To Food And Water In EFCC Custody –SourcesNUPRC Approves 94 Decommissioning, Abandonment Plans, Total FDP Liabilities Hit $4.4bn in Two YearsUK Finance Institution, Firm Launch Facility to Advance Mini-grid Use in NigeriaIn Italy, NNPC Woos Investors, Highlights Prospects in Nigeria’s Energy SectorAfreximbank Launches New Entity to Promote Large-scale Trade in Value-added GoodsFCTA Demolishes 35 Illegal Structures at Abuja’s River Park Estate$48bn Deals Closed At Record-breaking Algiers IATF 2025Shettima Hails Uba Sani for Pioneering State Skills Council, Urges Others to Follow Kaduna’s LeadINEC Formally Recognises David Mark-led ADC LeadershipCLIMATE CHANGE AND GROWING IMPACT ON RURAL COMMUNITIESAGONY OF A MOTHERWORKERS AND RIGHT TO SHELTERHow CBN Reforms, Stable Economy is Opening Domestic Markets for FDI inflowsAffirming Promotion of Oral Hygiene, Dental CareBREAKING: Three Hospitalised After Suspected APC Thugs Attack ADC Meeting In OndoBREAKING: Trump Ally Charlie Kirk Shot In Utah University Event IS DeadBREAKING: Trump Ally Charlie Kirk Shot In Utah University ShootingIn Paris, Tinubu Reviews Nigeria, France Bilateral Relations With President Macron2026: I’ll Rescue Osun from Stagnation, Nepotism , Hypocrisy If Elected Gov, Says OmisoreSterling HoldCo Builds On Upward Trajectory With Robust Q42027: Former Kwara Speaker Advocates Inclusion of IREV in Electoral Act to Reduce RiggingPresidency: We’ll Remove All Hitches In Digital Payment, e-Commerce, Targets Quality Financial ServicesBREAKING: Nigerian Police Arrest Journalist Hassan Yelwa While Covering Shiite Maulid Procession In AbujaOsun 2026: Chairmen, Councillors Endorse OmisoreDrug Abuse: UNODC Trains 30 Kwara Teachers on PreventionNiMet Forecast Failure Puts Farming in Jeopardy in Kwara, Says Group2027: INEC, Stakeholders Decry Premature Political Campaigns In Nigeria Again, Nigeria’s Power Grid Collapses, Plunges 30 States into DarknessAnambra Para-military Agency Operatives Allegedly Kill Pregnant Woman, Three OthersOborevwori Waives N200m Fee, Delta, FG Partner on Housing DevtSkills Acquisition: Era Of Working In Isolation Over, Shettima Tells NCSBREAKING: Gunmen Kill Three Police Officers During Attack On Kogi CheckpointNigeria Needs Feasible Housing Policy to Tackle Deficit, Says Fendini CEOEXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Policemen Demand ₦300,000 Bribe To Release Eight-Month-Old Baby, Mother Held Since March In Suleja PrisonUNICEF Hands over Climate Resilience Health, Education Facilities to KanoTragedy as Diphtheria Claims 10 Lives in NigerSouth Africa’s Karavan Press Awarded CANEX Prize for Publishing Norrenberger Gets Best Workplace in Financial Services AwardU.S. Gives $32.5m Food Aid to Nigeria: Lifeline or Bandage?BREAKING: Terrorists Launch Midnight Attack On Kwara Community, Kill Resident As Governor Vacations AbroadAtoyebi Urges Tinubu’s Appointees to Empower People, not Chase WealthNatasha: Citing Pending Appeal Court Case, NASS Blocks Senator’s Resumption Despite Suspension ExpirationDSS Brokers Truce as Oil Workers Call Off Nationwide StrikeEdun, Oyedele Say No Plan to Implement 5% Fuel Surcharge in JanuaryAt CIBN Conference, Tinubu Urges Bankers to Boost Funding to Manufacturing Sector, Digital Innovations, OthersFirst Lady Grants N47m Scholarships, Laptops to 47 UndergraduatesShea Industry: Tinubu’s Bold Policy Will Drive Economic Renewal, Make Nigeria Global Leader, Says IdrisCAPPA Commends FG’s Health Tax PolicyRenewable Energy: Experts Call for Collaboration to Drive Adoption of New TechnologiesNigeria, Angola to Sign 15 MoUs As 5th Joint Commission Begins in LuandaAmnesty Programme Disowns Itsekiri Graduates of Novena Varsity2027: More Govs Will Join APC, Says YilwatdaRights Advocate Tasks Young Lawyers: Use Litigation to Demand Accountability from GovtIGP Applauds DEPOWA’s Full Scholarships for Children of Fallen HeroesAfreximbank, BOA Seal $1bn Deal for Nigeria’s Smallholder FarmersNGO to Empower 2,000 Frontline Health Workers in KatsinaAtiku: ADC Mission is to Defend Nigerians from Tinubu’s Anti-democratic ForcesAdire Teems Represents Nigeria at CANEX 2025 in AlgeriaCOAS, Lt. 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Silent Heroes Award: Nnaji Honoured for Transformational Leadership in Innovation, Technology

By Emmanuel Ikechukwu

Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, has been conferred with the 2025 Nigeria Silent Heroes Award, a prestigious honour reserved for individuals whose quiet but far-reaching contributions are shaping the future of the nation.

Dr. Robert Ngwu, the Minister’s Senior Special Adviser, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said the Silent Heroes Awards honours the unseen hands that move societies forward; and in this regard, Nnaji’s legacy is increasingly hard to ignore.

The announcement, made at a high-level event attended by national dignitaries and international stakeholders, came as a rare public recognition for a public servant who has deliberately kept the spotlight on his work rather than himself.

“I have quietly declined many award offers—not out of pride, but out of principle.

“But this one struck a personal chord; it reflects a philosophy I have lived by: that service to nation does not always need a spotlight.

“I dedicate this award to the many Nigerians—within government and beyond—who work silently every day to build a better nation. May we never lose sight of the power of humble service,” Nnaji said.

The Minister was represented at the award ceremony by Dr. Matthew Olumide Adepoju, Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

Since his appointment, Nnaji has redefined what it means to lead a government ministry in the 21st century.

Under his stewardship, the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology has transformed from a bureaucratic backwater into a strategic engine of national development.

Among his standout achievements:

  • International Engagements: Represented Nigeria at the 79th UN General Assembly, championing discussions on space exploration, artificial intelligence, and climate-smart agriculture.
  • Satellite Expansion: Secured federal approval for the launch of NigeriaSat-3, Sat-4, Sat-5 and NigeriaSAR-1—positioning Nigeria for enhanced national security, disaster response, and environmental monitoring.
  • Project Green: Attracted €7.9 billion in FDI for Africa’s largest green methanol and hydrogen initiative.
  • Healthcare Breakthroughs: Overseeing the establishment of Africa’s first insulin manufacturing plant and Nigeria’s first AI-powered smart hospital.
  • Youth Empowerment: Trained 200,000+ youths on Ai using the Commonwealth Ai Academy, powered by Intel; Launched Project NOVA, training 25,000+ Nigerian youth annually in global tech skills; championed Youth Space Skill Programme and Barefoot Renewable Energy College.
  • Energy Access: Initiated the Sustainable Energy Access Programme (SEAP), delivering renewable energy solutions across all 774 LGAs.
  • Institutional Reform: United space-focused agencies—NASRDA, NigComSat, and DSA—under a harmonised national space strategy.
  • Policy Innovation: Introduced 30% local value addition for raw material exports; launched a Science and Innovation Fund; facilitated a 10-year raw materials roadmap with AfDB.
  • Global Partnerships: Signed MoUs with UNESCO on bioethics and with Commonwealth nations on AI and climate resilience.

A Leadership Style Rooted in Substance

Mrs. Ozioma Sonia Odita-Sunday, Project Coordinator of the Silent Heroes Awards Initiative, described Nnaji’s recognition as an affirmation of what true public service should represent:

“Chief Nnaji exemplifies the kind of quiet excellence that strengthens the moral and institutional fabric of our society. His story is one of substance over showmanship—results over rhetoric.”

The ceremony also marked the unveiling of “Nigeria’s Silent Heroes (Vol. 3)”, a commemorative publication profiling the lives and legacies of changemakers across sectors.

Nnaji’s chapter reads like a blueprint for national transformation—infused with data, vision, and humility.

Shared Honour, Shared Vision

But among the 40+ recipients, Nnaji’s name stood out—not for the decibel of applause, but for the echo of his impact.

Global Reflections, National Impact

Chief Nnaji’s trajectory is attracting international attention—not only as a reformer, but as a visionary who sees innovation not as a luxury, but as the foundation of inclusive growth and national sovereignty.

From space technology to green energy, AI to ethics, and youth skills to infrastructure, Nnaji is building a legacy not just for now—but for generations.

And as Nigeria looks to the future, it’s fitting that one of its quietest voices is proving to be one of its strongest.

Other awardees included global philanthropist Tony Elumelu, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs.

The award was also presented by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, represented by Rear Admiral Olusanya Bankole, Chief of Civil-Military Relations, who described Nnaji as a “distinguished Nigerian whose achievements under the Renewed Hope Agenda have brought pride and progress to the nation.”

  • Emmanuel Ikechukwu writes from Abuja

​  

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    NUPRC Approves 94 Decommissioning, Abandonment Plans, Total FDP Liabilities Hit $4.4bn in Two Years

    NUPRC Approves 94 Decommissioning, Abandonment Plans, Total FDP Liabilities Hit $4.4bn in Two Years

    •Secures over $400m in pre-sale obligations 

    •Commission vows to ensure safeguarded divestment, smooth assets sale transition 

    •Compliance with industry audits mandatory, says NEITI

    Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

    The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday disclosed that it has approved 94 Decommissioning and Abandonment (D&A) plans since April 2023, representing total liabilities of $4.424 billion, arising from all Field Development Plans (FDPs) submitted within this period.

    The commission stated that this was done in strict alignment with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, explaining that these liabilities would be remitted progressively over the production life of the respective fields into designated escrow accounts.

    The Chief Executive of the commission, Gbenga Komolafe, who made the disclosure during his remarks at the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Companies Forum in Lagos, explained that over $400 million in decommissioning liabilities had already been secured by the organisation.

    Maintaining that the NUPRC under him was setting stricter rules for recent asset transfers, Komolafe who was represented by the Deputy Director, Human Resources, Corporate Services & Administration, Efemona Bassey, noted that Nigeria was applying lessons from costly global divestment cases to safeguard its oil and gas sector.

    Komolafe spoke on the theme: “Divestments, Liabilities, and the Impact of Ongoing Reforms on Extractive Companies in Nigeria,” a statement in Abuja by NUPRC’s Head of Media and Strategic Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu stated.

    The NUPRC chief said the commission had drawn lessons of divestments from the North Sea, where decommissioning was estimated at £27 billion by 2032; the Gulf of Mexico costing over $9 billion and in Canada’s Alberta, where more than 97,000 inactive or abandoned wells now carry an estimated decommissioning and abandonment cost of between C$30 billion and C$70 billion.

    In Australia, Komolafe stated that Northern Oil & Gas Australia in 2019 left behind liabilities of more than AU$200 million.

    He stated that the lessons from these experiences guided the recent divestment approvals from NAOC to Oando Energy Resources; Equinor to Chappal Energies; Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited to Seplat Energies; SPDC to Renaissance Africa Energy; and TotalEnergies to Telema Energies.

    He added: “Without a robust and enforceable framework for abandonment and decommissioning, divestment transitions can create lasting financial and environmental burdens.

    “Nigeria is not immune to this challenge, and if we are to avert costly mistakes. It is precisely to avoid this outcome that Nigeria, through the Petroleum Industry Act and subsequent regulatory actions, has taken bold and decisive steps.”

    The NUPRC boss highlighted Nigeria’s response to the recent divestments in line with Sections 232 and 233 of the PIA which place full responsibility for the decommissioning and abandonment of petroleum wells, installations, structures, utilities, plants, and pipelines on licensees and lessees.

    According to him, each of the 2024 divestments provided a critical opportunity to put the commission’s divestment framework to test and action, rigorously assessing the technical capacity of acquiring entities, verifying their financial strength, and securing decommissioning and abandonment obligations through upfront escrow arrangements.

    Komolafe said, “The results from 2024 speak for themselves. Over $400 million in pre-sale decommissioning and abandonment liabilities have been secured through Letters of Credit and escrow accounts. Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) obligations are fully honoured. Environmental remediation commitments worth over $9.2 million have been pledged while awaiting the formal gazetting of the ERF regulations.”

    The CCE said beyond the significant progress achieved through the divestment framework, it was important to highlight another milestone.

    “Since April 2023, we have approved 94 D&A plans, in strict alignment with the PIA. These approvals represent total liabilities of $4.424 billion, arising from all Field Development Plans submitted within this period, and will be remitted progressively over the production life of the respective fields into designated escrow accounts,” he added.

    He further disclosed that the commission has addressed a long-standing concern with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) regarding the domiciliation of the escrow accounts; and the regulatory framework, developed after extensive consultations with industry stakeholders, is now awaiting gazetting by the Ministry of Justice.

     In addition to divestments, the commission, he said, has been working with operators on life extension projects, ranging from facility integrity audits to subsea upgrades and enhanced reservoir management measures that sustain safe production, delay decommissioning, and reduce environmental risks.

    Also at the forum, NEITI reaffirmed that compliance with its mandatory industry audit process is not optional but a legal obligation for all companies operating in Nigeria’s extractive industries.

    Speaking at the opening session, the Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Ogbonnaya Orji, stressed that transparency and accountability are not only national requirements but also critical pillars for building investor confidence, strengthening citizens’ trust, and aligning Nigeria’s extractive practices with global standards.

    Orji explained that compliance with NEITI’s audit process underpins efforts to improve Nigeria’s business environment and attract sustainable international investments, a statement by the organisation’s Director of Communication & Stakeholders Management, Obiageli Onuorah, noted

    He noted that the NEITI companies forum had become a strategic platform for forging closer partnerships with companies in the oil, gas, and mining sectors, focusing on: data disclosure on company payments and beneficial ownership transparency.

    Besides, Orji listed contract transparency; sub-national fiscal sustainability as well as climate change, and multi-stakeholder collaboration as some of the reasons for the platform.

    He announced that work on the 2024 NEITI Industry Reports had already commenced and will be concluded before the end of the year, urging companies to ensure full and timely compliance to meet reporting deadlines.

    Also, the Chairman of the NEITI Companies Forum, Mr. Gwueke Ajaifia, described the proliferation of demands for data and payments from multiple agencies as a key factor frustrating the business environment. He called on NEITI to escalate the matter to the federal government.

    The President of the Miners Association of Nigeria and Deputy Chairman of the Forum, Mr. Dele Ayanleke, commended NEITI for establishing the Companies Forum and urged the agency to leverage its multi-stakeholder framework and international affiliations to ensure that the industry’s concerns are promptly addressed to restore investors’ confidence.

    The post NUPRC Approves 94 Decommissioning, Abandonment Plans, Total FDP Liabilities Hit $4.4bn in Two Years appeared first on THISDAYLIVE.

    ​  

    •Secures over $400m in pre-sale obligations  •Commission vows to ensure safeguarded divestment, smooth assets sale transition  •Compliance with industry audits mandatory, says NEITI Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho
    The post NUPRC Approves 94 Decommissioning, Abandonment Plans, Total FDP Liabilities Hit $4.4bn in Two Years appeared first on THISDAYLIVE.

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