Headlines

Why we can’t drydock our vessels in Nigeria—- NLNG

Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas(NLNG) company has said lack of capacity and availability of requisite drydocking facilities in Nigeria has made the company take its vessels abroad for drydocking at huge foreign exchange.

The company was established in 1989 as a joint venture.

This has resulted in the loss of several billions of naira to capital flight as a result of this development.

Making this disclosure in Lagos at the weekend was Abdul-Kadri Ahmed, the Managing Director of NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML),

the vessel management company of NLNG.

He disclosed that none of the dockyards available in Nigeria can dry dock any of her LNG vessels.

Ahmed stated that his company would have wanted to dry-dock its 11 LNG vessels and one LPG vessel in Nigeria due to the huge revenue such would generate for the country but lamented there is no such dry-docking facility that can handle an LNG vessel in the country.

This, he said, has compelled the company to dry-dock her vessels outside the country.

“Yes, capital flight is an issue when it comes to dry docking of our LNG vessels. However, underpinning that issue of capital flight is the capacity and ability to do it here in Nigeria.

“As a Nigerian ship management company, it’s so much easier for me to dry-dock our vessels here in Nigeria, that is if there is anywhere I can do it but, at the moment, there is no facility in Nigeria that can dry-dock vessels of the sizes that we manage.

“I don’t want to sound critical but realistic, there is currently no facility in Nigeria that can handle any of our LNG vessels.

“I am not saying there are no dry-docking facilities in Nigeria but, if you understand the nature and size of an LNG vessel, then we will all know that there is nowhere in Nigeria that such vessels can be dry-docked as at today.”

Ahmed however disclosed that the company planned to set up standard dry-docking facilities in the country to put an end to capital flight that is occasioned by dry-docking vessels outside Nigeria.

“But, most importantly, underpinning ability is capacity development, and we have already embarked on that path.

” As part of our Bonny Gas Transport (BGT) Plus Project, there was a scheme to bring in Samsung and Hyundai together with some Nigerian investors to establish a dry-docking facility in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the scheme has not fully taken off, but we are still optimistic.

” We hope that when it fully takes off, it will commence effectively at the right standard.

“We are optimistic that this happens because as a Nigerian company, it is cheaper and more affordable for us to patronize dry-docking facilities in country.

“Unfortunately, at the moment, there is no such facility in the country that can handle our vessels, and this has left us with no other choice than to patronize dry-docking facilities outside the country,” he bemoaned.

According to the guidelines by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), every vessel must undergo dry-docking once every three years in order to retain its safety classification and insurance cover.

It costs between $300,000 and $500,000 to dry-dock a vessel, according to prevailing international rates.

Dockyards in Nigeria include Niger Dock, Dormanlong, Kaztec Engineering, Naval Dock among others.

They were established to conserve foreign exchange, building indigenous capacity as well as promoting technological advancement in the nation.

But unfortunately, none can handle the size of NLNG vessels.

Nigeria, through the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), owns 49 percent, Shell Gas B.V owns 25.6 percent, Total LNG Nigeria Limited owns 15 percent while Eni International owns 10.4 percent.

Customs

Tinubu celebrates Adeniyi on his 59th birthday

–lists his achievements

Funso OLOJO

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has joined millions of well wishers across the globe to celebrate Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi as he turns 59 years on Sunday, January 19th, 2025.

In his birthday message made available through his Special Adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu lauded the innovative and inspiring leadership of Adeniyi which he noted has impacted greatly on the image and performance of the service.

While listing the achievements of the customs in terms of revenue generation, trade facilitation, automation and digitization of the service, anti- smuggling activities as well as bolstered staff morale under the dexterious guidance of Adeniyi, President Tinubu wished him divine wisdom, robust health, and continued strength as he serves the nation.

“Under his guidance, the agency has witnessed significant progress through the steady digitalisation and automation of its operations, a renewed commitment to professionalism, and an uplift in officers’ morale, enhancing high performance.

“His leadership has enabled the NCS to surpass revenue targets substantially and bolstered trade facilitation, yielding widespread positive effects on the national economy.

“President Tinubu applauds the innovative anti-smuggling strategies initiated by the Customs Chief.

“These strategies encompass equipping the youth with new skills for alternative livelihood opportunities, fostering engagements with traditional institutions, and nurturing a culture of effective communication and mutual respect.

“The President recognises the Comptroller-General’s other notable achievements, including the remarkable seizures of arms and ammunition and the revitalisation of the Comptroller-General’s Annual Conference, which aims to assess and enhance the agency’s operations.

“President Tinubu affirms that Adeniyi’s extensive experience of over 30 years in service and adaptability to change has greatly enriched the Customs Service.

“The President offers prayers for divine wisdom, robust health, and continued strength for Comptroller-General Adeniyi as he serves the nation.

Headlines

EFCC discovers Yahoo training school in Benin city

-arrests 25 students undergoing training in cybercrimes

Funso OLOJO

The operatives of the Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has on Thursday January 16th, 2025, uncovered a Yahoo academy in Benin city, Edo State, where young Nigerians are undergoing training in the act of internet fraud.

During the raid, the anti- graft agency arrested 25 suspected internet fraudsters in the cybercrimes training centre

The suspects’ arrest at their hideout was triggered by credible intelligence that indicated the apartment being used as a yahoo academy or training school for internet-related fraud and other fraudulent activities.

Items recovered from the suspects include six exotic cars, laptops and phones.

The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Customs

Onyeka, Tin Can CAC, set to pursue revenue generation aggressively

— vows to surpass 1 trillion naira revenue record

Funso OLOJO

The Area Controller of the Tin Can island command of the Nigeria customs service, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, has set an ambitious goal of meeting and surpassing the one trillion naira revenue mark achieved last year by his predecessor, ACG Dera Nnadi.

It would be recalled that the command was given a revenue target of N1.4 trillion in 2024 while it realized a little about N1.226 trillion ,an unprecedented record that was never achieved in the history of the command.

Meanwhile, Comptroller Onyeka, has vowed to sustain the revenue momentum as he would aggressively pursue revenue collection.

Speaking while playing host to the Executive council of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria(MARAN) which paid him a courtesy visit in his office on Friday, January 17th, 2025, the Customs chief disclosed his strategy to carry out his assignment.

According to him, he would facilitate legitimate trade, ensure 100 percent examination of all imports while he would energise his men and officers to key into his vision.

“I’ll facilitate trade, but it has to be legitimate trade. That’s what I feel I should do in the strict sense.

“You know, I’m coming from the aspect of revenue. So, it is my prayer and my hope to meet my target and surpass it.

“But principally, what I am going to fight is the ability to do this job without examination.

“I have appealed to my officers, whatever it is they have to do, let them see the containers, once we’ve examined them, everything should be on cruise control because if you examine, you’ll now know if it’s supposed to go out or not.

“I’ve involved Customs Intelligence Unit, CIU, I’ve involved Valuation Unit, I’ve spoken to all relevant Units and it’s my prayer, by the grace of God, that all of us will be on the same page to make sure that the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is brought to fruition” he noted.

He was full of gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi , for the confidence reposed in him and vowed never to disappoint him.

“I also appreciate the fact that our indefatigable Comptroller General Of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to whom I’m very grateful.

“He needs to be made to know that he didn’t make any mistake for him to have brought me here.

“I am very grateful to him and his management team, and I need to make him proud” he enthused.

Comptroller Onyeka also vowed to build on the foundation that has been laid by his predecessor, Assistant Comptroller General Dera Nnadi.

“In anti-smuggling, he did well. In revenue generation, he did superbly well, same goes for infrastructure development.

“His Public Relations was top-notch, which I’m going to leverage.

“He was fortunate to have what I consider a very fantastic rapport with the media because that’s his background. I intend to leverage that. I intend to do better in that aspect” he added.

Earlier, in his address, the President of MARAN, Mr Godfrey Bivbere expressed the willingness of the association to partner with the CAC and the Command to achieve the target ahead of the command.

He reiterated the firm resolution of the association to accord Comptroller Onyeka the same support accorded to his predecessor.