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Belema Sweet Export Terminal Gets License
The Federal Government, on Tuesday in Abuja, presented a licence for the establishment of Belema Sweet Export Terminal, the first of its kind in the world.
With the grant of the licence, Nigeria has successfully acquired its first Hybrid Crude Export Terminal, with eight million barrels storage capacity.
The licence was presented on behalf of the Federal Government by the Nigerian Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Presenting the licence to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Belema Oil Producing Limited, Mr Tein Jack-Rich, the CEO of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
Ahmed noted that with the presentation of the licence to Belema Sweet Export Terminal, the indigenous oil company becomes the second to acquire such a license, the first being the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Exploration and Production Limited.
The NMDPRA boss explained that except in accordance with the appropriate licence by the Authority, no company or entity had the right to engage in any exploration activity in the country, except the two companies.
He stressed that no entity had the right to operate, establish a terminal or other facilities for export or importation of crude oil or petroleum products.
”In line with this, the authority has processed and hereby approved terminal establishment licenses to these two organisations.
”One is the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, with 2,179,704 barrels of crude oil terminal at Off Shore Akwa Ibom State within the waters of the exclusive zone.
”The second is the Belema Sweet Export Terminal in Kula, Rivers State, with 2million barrels of crude oil terminal,” Farouk said.
According to him, the terminals are expected to operate within the provisions of the conditions of the licences as contained in the document.
He therefore, called on investors to invest in the sector as the government was determined to ensure a business friendly environment for them.
Speaking after the ceremony, Jack-Rich said the event marked a great milestone for the country, and attestation to the great success story of President Bola Tinubu, in less than two weeks of assuming office.
”With the establishment of Belema Sweet Crude Export Terminal, Nigeria now ranks number one in the world to establish a crude oil Export Terminal that is climate conscious, where traditional energy and renewable energy integration is operated through virtual power plant model.
”This is in line with energy efficiency/sustainability to protect our ecosystem,” Jack-Rich said.
”This will also create over 100,000 jobs for families in the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.
Also speaking, Mr Modibbo Ahmed, who received the licence on behalf of the NNPC, said that Nigeria should expect the crude oil terminal in the next one to three months.
Belema Sweet Export Terminal Project is designed to be the first hybrid crude oil export terminal in the world.
It is a land-based terminal with good proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, via the San Bartholomeo River, for ease of offtake.
The terminal is divided into two sections; the crude oil processing terminal section and the oil export loading terminal section.
The first phase of the project will comprise of a 2,000,000 million barrels storage capacity.
The export loading terminal would be able to receive any crude oil carrier size such as Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), Suezmax, Aframax, among others.
Another key feature of the Belema Sweet Export Terminal include:400,000 Barrel of Liquid per day central processing facility (CPF).
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has interrogated former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, in connection with an alleged N700 billion fraud.
Reports indicate that his questioning followed a petition alleging his involvement in money laundering, fund diversion, and corruption.
Emmanuel’s detention occurred after he complied with the EFCC’s invitation to address allegations put forth by an anti-corruption organisation.
Investigations have revealed alarming findings, including the withdrawal of N31 billion in cash from a single account titled “Office of the Governor,” with further cash withdrawals taking place progressively from 2019 to 2023.
These transactions have raised serious concerns regarding the potential misappropriation of state funds.
The EFCC’s ongoing investigation aims to uncover the full extent of the alleged fraudulent activities and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
… Insists he was duly elected in Abuja
… We now have someone we can turn to – Bishop Naga
The Executive members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja have declared that Rev John Joseph Hayab Is their authentic leader.
The Northern CAN expressed their confidence in the newly elected Chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, saying that they now have someone they can turn to as a leader.
During a press conference held in Maiduguri on Tuesday, the General Secretary of the association and Chairman of the North-East CAN, Bishop Mohammed Naga, announced that the election, which took place on 25th February 2025 in Abuja, was conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner, leading to the appointment of Rev. Hayab and other Executive Committee members.
Bishop Naga, who is also the General Overseer of the Biblical Christian Church (BCC), encouraged Christian faithful, particularly those from the Northern region, to continue praying for peace, unity, and progress in an area beset by terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and other criminal activities.
He further urged all Christians to offer their prayers and support to the Muslim community during the Holy Month of Ramadan, in accordance with the teachings of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, who was the pioneer Patron of CAN in Northern Nigeria.
Bishop Naga stated, “I wish to emphasise our support for our substantive Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab. He was duly elected alongside other executive members, and all churches and Christian leaders in Northern Nigeria remain loyal to him.”
He continued, “Any group that believes it should hold power indefinitely is mistaken. The stakeholders from Northern Nigeria, including the former General Secretary of national CAN and representatives from various states, honour the legitimacy of this election. We are committed to our loyalty.”
Naga added, “I want to assure both our local and international communities, particularly those in Northern Nigeria, that we have a leader to whom we can turn for guidance on Christian matters. We are advocates for peace, and we acknowledge the historical context of Northern Nigeria. CAN itself was founded here, inspired by our esteemed leader, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto, the first patron of CAN. This underscores our unity as brothers and sisters, committed to peaceful coexistence.”
He concluded, “We call upon all Nigerians to embrace one another, particularly our Muslim brothers and sisters who are observing the fast, to pray for peace in Nigeria and for the progress of our beloved country, especially in the North.”
Sixteen passengers were burnt to death in a lone accident involving a Mazda bus along Buhari Estate on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway in Ogun State.
The spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun State, Florence Okpe, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.
She stated that the accident, which occurred around 1pm, involved the Mazda bus marked KJA 949 YJ, traveling from Ibadan via Abeokuta to Ota in Ogun State.
According to her, the accident was caused by a fire outbreak in the vehicle, adding that the vehicle was also having a filled gas cylinder in it, which led to an explosion.
She added that 21 people were involved in the accident and that while 16 died, others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“The Sector Commander, Akinwumi Fasakin, quickly moved to the crash scene with his team for rescue operation but he was not pleased with the occurrence.
“The driver should have objected to carrying a cylinder filled with gas.
“He stated that highly flammable items should be transported with care and by designated vehicles driven by trained drivers only,” Okpe stated.
Okpe added that the sector commander advised motorists and passengers to put safety first while using the roads.
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