Business
NNPCL Hails PETAN’s Support For Energy Transition
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, has commended PETAN for outstandingly leading the Local Content Agenda in the country and within the continent, urging the body to support the newly transformed private energy company in its energy transition process.
Kyari spoke while receiving PETAN’s top executives led by its Chairman, Nicolas Odinuwe, who paid him a courtesy visit at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, to seek deeper collaboration in business as well as seek support of the NNPCL for her annual flagship programmes, the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC).
The seventh edition of the conference comes up next week in Lagos, while the Nigerian Pavilion at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) comes up in May 2023 in Houston.
The NNPCL boss thanked PETAN for the excellent way they have been organising and hosting both events and promised to continue to support the association and its programmes as they have always done.
On the energy transition, he said that it requires all stakeholders to be alive to the responsibility of collaborating to ensure a swift and successful one for the benefit of Nigerians.
“As a newly transformed private energy company”, he said, “our focus is now on the development of gas as a transition fuel, along with its infrastructure, and facilities are being put in place to facilitate production, domestic utilization and supply, both locally and internationally.
“With so much going on, there is tremendous opportunities for business which we, as a company now engage professionals for on the basis of competence and transparency”, he stated.
Kyari added that all challenges currently being faced in the oil and gas industry in the country are being worked on assiduously with the aim of getting them speedily resolved, adding that efforts are already paying off with the returning of investors and acquisition of projects.
Pledging NNPCL’s continued support for the SAIPEC and OTC, Mr. Kyari said that NNPCL “will be at SAIPEC in the most conspicuous stand as a show of support, and as for OTC, we recall assigning PETAN with the organising and hosting rights, and we are happy with what you’ve been doing for NNPCL at the OTC, which is a marked event for attendance for us every year”.
Earlier in his remarks, Chairman of PETAN, Mr. Nicolas Odinuwe, congratulated the NNPCL on its new status as a private sector company and commended its efforts in curbing oil theft and pipeline vandalism and which has seen production and revenue rise, air pollution greatly reduced in impacted host communities.
He also congratulated the NNPCL over recent acquisitions, adding that it would bring about business opportunities for industry stakeholders, especially local service providers, to thrive.
He said, “As a strategic partner, we are here to intimate you officially of our flagship programs; SAIPEC (13-16 February in Lagos) and the OTC (1-4 May 2023 in Houston). Both organised and hosted by PETAN annually and in strategic partnership with NNPC Ltd and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
“Thank you for accepting to attend SAIPEC. These happens to be our funding sources in addition to PETAN membership dues, donations, and sponsorships.
“As part of PETAN’s commitment to ensuring Nigeria’s leading role of championing positive developments in the oil and gas industry across the continent, especially with gas as our transition fuel, the deepening of local content in the energy ecosystem, next week, we look forward to your usual support and participation along with regional leaders from over 20 countries plus 4000 participants and exhibitors at SAIPEC, which we can proudly say, has become the largest oil and gas event in Sub Saharan Africa.
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
