Business
Firm Unveils Techno Gas Cylinders At World Forum
Nigeria’s oil and gas major, Techno Oil Ltd. has unveiled its TechnoGas LPG cylinders at the 31st World LPG Forum rounding off at Houston, Texas in the U.S.
The unveiling of the cylinders formally makes Nigeria to join the big league of nations manufacturing LPG cylinders for export.
No fewer than 1,500 participants drawn from 72 countries and 89 companies exhibited various products with Techno Oil being the only African company that exhibited its cylinder products.
A dispatch by Techno Oil to The Tide source yesterday, quoted Mr Gbite Adeniji, Senior Special Adviser to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources as expressing his delight that Nigerian companies are steadily making appearances on the world stage.
“I’m pleased to have visited your lovely stand and I’m highly impressed with what I saw of your products,’’ Adeniji said at the Techno Oil exhibition pavilion.
He said: “The cylinders look high quality. I continue to be impressed with your entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to the oil and gas sector.’’
Similarly, the Managing Director of Ultimate Gas Ltd., Alhaji Auwalu Ilu, lauded the management of Techno Oil for flying Nigeria’s flag at the global event.
He said he was impressed with the quality of the cylinders and implored Techno oil to continue to make Nigeria at the world stage.
On his part, the Executive Director Commercial, Nigerian Products Marketing Company, Mr Billy Okoye, expressed his delight with Techno Oil and its remarkable achievement in manufacturing cylinders.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Head, Downstream of the Department of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Ijeoma Onyeri, said she lacked words to describe the strides being made by Techno Oil in manufacturing cylinders locally.
She told the company to sustain the quality of its products and to ensure safety in its manufacturing operations.
In a speech at a ceremony to unveil the cylinders, the Executive Vice-Chair of Techno Oil, Mrs Nkechi Obi, flanked by the Managing Director of the company, Mr Tony Onyeama, and other senior management staff, said she was excited that Nigeria could now export cylinders.
She said that it was a fulfilling moment for her to announce to the world that made in Nigeria LPG cylinders could now be exported, rather than for Nigerians to continue to import cylinders and deplete its foreign reserves.
“We’re using this forum to announce to the world that TechnoGas cylinders have hit the market and we’re ready to meet every demand, local and international.
She told the gathering that Nigeria had expended billions of dollars importing LPG cylinders from various countries, especially China, India and other Asian countries.
Obi, whose company recently completed the building of Nigeria’s largest LPG cylinder manufacturing plant, said that TechnoGas cylinders would help the Federal Government to save resources in importing cylinders and their accessories.
“The era of Nigerians depending on sub-standard cylinders imported from India, China and other countries is over for Nigerian and West African households.
She, however, lamented that the world was leaving Nigeria behind in LPG adoption, in spite of Nigeria’s top position in the league of gas-rich nations.
Obi noted that some industrialists had taken the initiative to promote LPG adoption in Nigeria, in a bid to not only to secure the environment and the future but to save scarce resources expanded by Nigeria annually to import kerosene and other cooking fuels.
She restated her concern on the worsening consequences of using solid gases such as firewood and charcoal in Nigerian homes.
According to the LPG adoption advocate, the World LPG Forum has again raised the stakes for the Nigerian government to realise that there is no better time than now for government to pay serious attention to discouraging Nigerians from using solid gases in cooking.
According to her, while the aim of using firewood, charcoal, animal dung etc. is to get food cooked, the Nigerian woman and her household are unknowingly exposed to inhalation of a myriad of harmful gases on daily basis.
“It doesn’t end there, these gases have far-reaching effects on the environment as they contribute to global warming and climate change.’’
The Techno Oil chief argued that global warming and climate change were directly responsible for increased global temperatures, flooding, food insecurity and desertification.
“A paradigm shift is required and there is no better time than now because up to 70 per cent of Nigerian women spend time cooking, using mostly solid fuels, instead of adopting LPG.
“More worrisome is the fact that Nigeria has one of the highest proven reserves of gas and is also one of the highest exporters of LPG in Africa,’’ the industrialist stated.
Obi said there was need for government to join forces with LPG stakeholders to make Nigerians to embrace LPG in their cooking urgently.
She expressed her optimism that the efforts of some companies and interest groups in LPG adoption had started yielding dividends in Nigeria, citing the building of an LPG cylinder manufacturing plant in Lagos by Techno Oil to boost the LPG value chain. (NAN)
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter
