TEXT OF THE BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES, DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY IN RIVERS STATE ON TUESDAY 18 MARCH 2025 Fellow Nigerians, I feel greatly disturbed at the turn we have come to regarding the political crisis in Rivers State. Like many of you, I have watched with concern the development with the hope that the parties involved would allow good sense to prevail at the soonest, but all that hope burned out without any solution to the crisis. With the crisis persisting, there is no way democratic governance, which we have…
Author: Orientalnews Staff
Ken Okeke As part of its ongoing efforts to modernize and rejuvenate its fleet, Pan-African airline ASKY has announced the arrival of a brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8, registered as ET-BBB, on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. This next-generation aircraft, fresh from the factory, offers a seating capacity of 8 passengers in Business Class and 177 in Economy Class. It replaces the Boeing 737-700 NG, registered as ET-ANH, which retired from the ASKY fleet after 15 years of dedicated service. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 sets a new standard in fuel efficiency, significantly reducing fuel consumption…
Ken Okeke Ethiopian Airlines, has commenced a new four times weekly passenger service to Hanoi, Vietnam, starting from 10 July 2025. This new route will further enhance Ethiopian Airlines’ global connectivity and provide convenient travel options for passengers traveling between Africa and Southeast Asia. Regarding the planned flight, Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO, Mr. Mesfin Tasew stated, “We are pleased to expand our presence in Southeast Asia and enhance air connectivity for our customers in the region. This new route will create opportunities for stronger ties and collaborations between Vietnam and our extensive global network. We look forward to bringing…
….As NCDMB Takes Action Valentine Okafor The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is planning to withdraw all its members from every upstream operation unless Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company (SEEPCO), immediately addresses and fulfils all of the association’s demands related to their ongoing grievance. The President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, issued the threat at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja. The Union had last week picketed the firm’s headquarters over the company’s alleged anti-labour practices and abuse of the expatriate quota system, which led to discrimination against skilled Nigerian workers. Speaking…
Yemisi Izuora The Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed an unprecedented N15.26 trillion to the Federal, State, and Local Governments in 2024. The disbursements represent a historic high in revenue distribution and a 43 per cent increase compared to previous years. According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI ) FAAC Quarterly Review, the surge in revenue disbursements is as a result of sustained fiscal reform policies of the Federal Government especially the removal of fuel subsidies and foreign adjustment exchange rate policies which has continued to impact positively on oil revenue remittances. Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, Executive…
…As Rivers Politics Takes New Dimension Moses Ofodeme Nigeria’s Trans Niger Pipeline, a major oil artery transporting crude from onshore oilfields to the Bonny export terminal, was shut after a blast that caused a fire, police said on Tuesday. Nigerian oil consortium Renaissance Group, which now owns Shell’s former onshore subsidiary that operates the pipeline, earlier confirmed the blast in coastal Rivers State and dispatched a team to investigate. The Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), with a capacity of around 450,000 barrels per day, is one of two conduits that export Bonny Light crude from Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer. Rivers…
Uche Cecil Izuora The management of Xenergi Limited, has announced its dedication to optimize asset management that will lead to enhanced gas production in its areas of operations in Delta State. The firm while responding to media reports crediting a statement from Axxela Limited with allegations that directly infer that the company is involved in a land dispute between Axxela and its host communities in Delta State, said it is committed to any process that would lead to harmonious resolutions and bring all parties into collaboration in delivering the government’s aspirations in the gas industry as captured in the…
Uche Cecil Izuora The President of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Mr. Johnbosco Uche , has emphasized the importance of indigenous ownership in strengthening Nigeria’s energy landscape. Speaking on the successful transition of onshore and shallow water offshore assets in Nigeria with the completion of Shell Petroleum Development Company’s (SPDC) divestment to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, a consortium of Nigerian oil and gas companies, Uche, said, “The successful completion of this divestment is a testament to the maturity and capability of Nigerian companies to manage and operate large-scale oil and gas assets. It reinforces our long-standing…
Uche Cecil Izuora Pressing and perennial issues facing Nigeria’s energy sector were key focus of discussions among key industry experts who presented steps to be taken to address those challenges. The experts gathered at a stakeholders meeting, led by Dr. Tolu Aderemi, Partner in charge of Perchstone & Graeys law firm’s Energy Group, titled “Digitization: A Catalyst for Energy Transformation In Nigeria.” At the event Chairman, International Law Association (ILA), Aderemi, shed light on how Nigeria can take advantage and play leading role in the emerging Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) market during a meeting of Energy Stakeholder’s aimed at…
Uche Cecil Izuora The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) says it is preparing its members for decarbonization of the African petroleum industry in the face of threats posed by the prevailing global campaign for energy transition. The group declared that decarbonization of fossil fuels has become important in order to spur development of the continent with available and affordable energy. The professional group also bewailed the massive resource waste in the Nigerian petroleum industry where it noted that poor infrastructure and low industrial capacity enabled utilization of very small fraction of produced gas. The petroleum engineers also lamented massive…