For the second day, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu interacted with Nigerians living in Saint Lucia, promising to resolve some of the issues raised by the Nigerians diplomatically.
While President Tinubu met with Nigerians at the official residence of Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, on Tuesday night, he met with them again on Wednesday at the Windjammer Resort, his abode during his state visit.
The Nigerians In Diaspora Commission Chairman, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, organised the meeting and invited various Nigerian professionals and students living in Saint Lucia.
The NIDCOM chairman said Nigeria is proud of what Nigerians contribute to Saint Lucia and hopes they will remember home. He thanked President Tinubu for coming to the meeting.
Smart Okeudili Duah, President of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, NIDO, informed the Nigerian leader of some of the problems Nigerians are encountering, particularly the cost of a work permit, which is $2,500 yearly.
He also urged the President to establish a diplomatic presence in Saint Lucia as urgently as possible, a plan President Tinubu has already committed to.
Father Festus Iwuagwu, a Nigerian priest resident in Saint Lucia, said the high turnout at the meeting indicated Nigerians’ love and respect for President Tinubu.
Doctor Olugbemisola Ogunlusi, who moved to Saint Lucia after graduating as a paediatrician at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, said she was happy President Tinubu visited Saint Lucia.
Ogunlusi and her husband migrated to the country 19 years ago and raised children who are medical doctors. However, her husband returned home and appointed the chief medical director of one of the new federal medical centres.
“Since you arrived, you have propagated Nigeria more than ever thought”, she told President Tinubu. She wished President Tinubu a safe journey home.
President Tinubu said that, based on what his hosts told him, Nigerians in Saint Lucia have demonstrated good character. He urged them to continue to be good ambassadors of Nigeria.
He said, “My plea to you all: continue to be of good behaviour, don’t break the law.”
Sharing his experience as a student in the United States five decades ago, President Tinubu urged the Saint Lucian Nigerians to remain focused and work hard.
“Life is about working hard, being consistent, he said.. “For the professionals living here, our government will not abandon you. But you must work hard. It is our job to help you succeed”..
President Tinubu promised to resolve some of the issues diplomatically.
He also informed Nigerians about his government’s efforts to restore economic stability.
“We inherited a country that was near bankruptcy. But we have been able to rescue the economy. Nigeria has recovered. We have made the smuggling of our oil unattractive. We have stopped chasing forex papers at the Central Bank of Nigeria”, he said.
President Tinubu stated that although Nigeria’s per capita income is low, his administration is working to improve it.
NNPCL Working Towards Attracting $60 Billion Investments in Five years, Reiterates Commitment To National Development
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL) has reiterated its commitment to national development, saying that it is working towards the industry attracting about to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.
Bayo Ojulari,Group CEO, NNPC Limited made this disclosure while delivering a speech with the theme: “Accelerating Global Energy Progress Through Investment, Partnerships & Innovation” at the ongoing 24th Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition in Abuja.
According to him NNPCL is committed to national development. “Our mandate remains rooted in three pillars: ensuring energy security, enabling economic growth, and creating long-term value for the country.
And critically, we see ourselves not only as participants in the energy transition, but as leaders, pushing Nigeria’s shift to cleaner fuels, with natural gas as the bridge, and renewables on the horizon.”
He stated that in 2024, the industry attracted $17 billion in new investments. Our target is to increase investments across the energy value chain to $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030.
These investments, he stated, will underpin our national aspiration to raise crude oil production to two million barrels per day by 2027, and three million barrels per day by 2030.
Goal
“Our greater goal is to achieve 10bcf/day of gas production by 2027 and attain 12bcf/day by 2030.”
“The roadmap to deliver on this mandate is clear:
First, through strategic partnerships with IOCs, indigenous producers, technology providers, and capital markets.
Second, through performance contracts and key performance indicators that drive accountability and results at every level of our operations.
Third, through investment in diversification, digital transformation, and most importantly, investment in our People.”
“We are prioritising gas. From upstream development to processing, transportation, and utilisation, NNPC is fully aligned with the national gas expansion programme. We believe natural gas is the magic bullet that will industrialise Nigeria, provide affordable power, reduce emissions, and improve lives.”
He therefore extends an open invitation to NNPCL domestic and international partners, urging them to join hands with NNPCL to build the future together.
“In the midst of the challenges, there is unprecedented opportunity in Nigeria today. Thanks to reforms brought by the Petroleum Industry Act, we now have a regulatory and fiscal environment that is clear, stable, and investment friendly. NNPC is your dependable partner: commercially focused and aligned with global standards.”
“And Nigeria is a gateway, not just to over 200 million people, but to an African continent that is awakening to its energy potential.
Now is the time to invest. Now is the time to innovate. Now is the time to form partnerships that go beyond transactions and deliver long-term transformation.”
