News
NLNG names SCD group preferred bidder for train 7 project
The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) has announced SCD Group, a Joint Venture consortium comprising Saipem, Daewoo and Chiyoda, the preferred bidder for the NLNG Train 7 project. Mr Tony Attah, the Managing Director of NLNG, made the announcement at the signing of the Letter of Intent(LoI), for the Train 7 project in Abuja. He said that the SCD JV Consortium would be undertaking the Engineering, Procurement and Construction, EPC, project for the Train 7.
He added that the Letter of Intent was a percusor to the commencement of the project, while he disclosed that the ‘Final Investment Decision for the Train 7’ would be signed by October ending.
“The Train 7 project is expected to boost NLNG capacity from 22 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes, while it would boost Nigeria’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, production, thereby, helping to reduce import of the commodity,” he said.
Attah noted that the project would be completed within four to five years adding that it would attract 10 billion dollar investment to the oil and gas sector in Nigeria. “The project will introduce more than 10,000 jobs in the country, “he said. He commended all stakeholders, partners and shareholders for their support in making Train 7 project a reality. In his remarks, Chief Timipre Slyva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources said that the signing of the LOI was an indication that Train 7 was a reality. “I commend the managers of NLNG, board members, all stakeholders and the SCD group. I am excited that for this project because of its huge benefit to the industry and the country at large especially with the job opportunities that it will bring,”he said.
The minister represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Folashade Yemi-Essan assured of support to ensure that FID would be signed by the end of October as proposed. Also, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, (NCDMB), Mr Simbi Wabote, informed the SCD JV Consortium that the Board expects full implementation of the agreed Nigerian Content levels as contained in the approved Nigerian Content Plan for the Train-7 project. This, he said , covered engineering, fabrication, civil works, local procurement, project services, logistics, equipment leasing, insurance, hotels, office supplies, aviation, haulage, human capacity development, and jobs. Wabote identified opportunities in the project for local businesses and investments to include the delivery of 100 per cent engineering of all non-cryogenic areas in-country.
He explained that the total in-country engineering man hour is set at 55 per cent, exceeding the minimum level stipulated in the NOGICD Act. He disclosed that on fabrication, the Train 7 scope woils bring many of Nigeria’s fabrication yards roaring back into life with over 70,000 tonnes of in-country fabrication, covering condensate stabilisation units, tanks, pipe-racks, flare system, non-cryogenic vessels, and many other spools and fittings. The benefits, he explained, extends to site civil works on roads, piling, and jetties; 100 per cent local procurement of all LV and HV cables, non-cryogenic valves, protective paints and coatings, sacrificial anodes. “Those in the service industry are not left out with the target to assemble over 70 per cent of all non-cryogenic pumps and control valves in-country. Other spin-off opportunities include logistics, equipment leasing, insurance, hotels, office supplies, aviation, haulage, and many more. The target job numbers are very exciting. At its peak, the project will provide over 40,000 direct jobs and over 100,000 indirect and induced employment of over 100,000 workers. Beyond the project, there is also huge scope for local businesses to build capabilities in the maintenance of LNG plants especially in the area of cryogenics.” he said.
News
Cardano rises as midnight launch triggers rally
Cardano (ADAUSD) climbed amidst tight trading activities in the crypto market, up by 1.05% in the past 24 hours, showing resilience near key support.
The price ticked up on Sunday amidst negative movements in the global crypto market. The gain has reduced its negative movement in the week to 1%. Cardano is showing strength with a $70 million ADA treasury push and a bullish December setup, but it faces key resistance amidst competing traders.
The token is trading at $0.4165 at the time of filing the report on Sunday, gaining more than 1% on the day as volume traded reached $359.252 million. The token is in a notable correction from its November highs. Recent trading activity reflects pronounced investor caution. Over a 30-day period, ADA has declined approximately 15%, mirroring the broader pressure on risk assets from macroeconomic uncertainties.
Sentiment trades mixed, as retail and mid-sized investors are accumulating at lows, but large holders remain sceptical. Cardano’s privacy-centric Midnight Network went live after years of development, introducing NIGHT – the first native asset on Cardano.
According to crypto analysts, Short-term speculation around NIGHT airdrops and interoperability boosted ADA demand. ADA rebounded from $0.371–$0.416 after testing an ascending trend line connecting 2023–2025 lows. Traders interpreted the bounce as a bullish divergence, but ADA remains below critical resistance of $0.5113 and its 200-day EMA of $0.68.
ADA’s minor rally reflects optimism around Midnight’s launch and oversold technicals, but scepticism about its ecosystem impact and whale selling caps upside. While the price surges, analysts stated that Cardano balances technical hope against macroeconomic headwinds, with Midnight’s adoption trajectory and $0.51 resistance serving as critical watch points.
While governance upgrades signal maturing decentralisation, crypto analysts are still querying whether ADA can leverage these developments to reverse its 2025 underperformance.
News
NDLEA intercepts 7.6m tramadol pills, 76,273kg Colorado
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has recovered over 7.6 million pills of tramadol and a total of 76,273.4 kilograms of different strains of cannabis.
The agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Babafemi said that the drugs, including Colorado, Loud and Skunks, had several members of drug trafficking organisations linked to the seizures arrested.
He said that out of the total opioids seized during the raids, not less than 3,874,000 pills of tramadol, 225mg and 100mg, and others, as well as 252.2litres of codeine syrup were recovered. He said that they were recovered from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba, Delta, on Saturday. He also said that no fewer than 1.2 million tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from a suspect on December 3.
This, he said, was when NDLEA operatives on patrol at Orogwe, along the Onitsha-Owerri road, Imo, intercepted his vehicle conveying the consignment, which was loaded at Aba, Abia, and heading to Onitsha, Anambra. Meanwhile, in Adamawa, NDLEA officers on December 1 intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus marked MGU 554 XB along Maraba-Mubi, coming from Jos, Plateau state, and heading to Mubi, with a total of 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol.
“Other drugs intercepted were Exol-5 tablets, all concealed inside jumbo bags mixed with new rubber sandals and slippers. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure. Similarly, another 27-year-old suspect was nabbed along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state, with 197,000 pills of exol-5,” he said.
The NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the SOU commands in Delta, Adamawa, Imo, Ondo, Lagos, and Kano for the arrests and seizures. Mr Marwa said that their operational successes, along with those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction, were well appreciated. NAN
News
Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo, FCT, Ogun top 2025 subnational ease of doing business report
The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has released the 2025 Subnational Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Report, with Lagos emerging as the best-performing state, scoring 85.6 per cent.
The report released by the director-general of PEBEC, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, has Kaduna in second position with 65.1 per cent. Oyo, FCT, and Ogun rounded up the top five with scores of 62.7 per cent, 61.0 per cent, and 59.9 per cent, respectively. Others include Enugu (56.2 per cent) in sixth position, with Plateau (56.2 per cent), Ekiti (55.8 per cent), Kano (54.8 per cent), and Nasarawa (53.4 per cent) rounding out the top 10 states.
The EoDB report is a comprehensive data-driven assessment of how Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT are shaping business competitiveness through regulation, infrastructure, and administrative efficiency.
The report assesses performance across 16 indicators and 36 sub-metrics covering electricity, infrastructure, digital connectivity, land administration, taxation, trade logistics, justice delivery, investor support and skilled labour readiness.
According to the DG, these states distinguished themselves through consistent reform momentum, improved digital processes, and more predictable regulatory environments. “The 2025 Report also highlights five priority interventions states can implement immediately. These include establishing investor aftercare systems, strengthening MSME credit enablement, harmonising interstate trade rules, upgrading commercial justice processes, and improving power reliability for industrial clusters,” she said.
According to her, PEBEC will continue to support state-led reform adoption, particularly under the $750 million State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme. She added that “the 2025 Subnational EoDB Report provides a critical foundation for policy action, investment decisions, and long-term competitiveness across Nigeria.”
The DG said the Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report is available for download at www.pebec.gov.ng/reports
PEBEC had earlier released its 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Performance Report, covering MDAs’ performance from January to October. This performance report is part of the council’s effort to track and measure the compliance of federal government MDAs with the BFA’s requirements on promoting Transparency and Efficiency of government-delivered services to the business community.
The report presents a data-driven assessment of 69 priority MDAs, drawing on monthly compliance submissions, independent mystery shopping, website audits, ReportGov analytics, and targeted process-verification exercises.
According to the report, the top five performing MDAs include the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), with an impressive 90.6 per cent score, followed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at 89 per cent. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ranks third with 86.6percent, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) secured the fourth and fifth positions, scoring 85.3 per cent and 84.2 per cent, respectively.
PEBEC, currently chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, was established in July 2016 by the federal government to oversee Nigeria’s business environment intervention. It has a dual mandate of removing bureaucratic and legislative constraints to doing business and improving the perception of the ease of doing business in Nigeria. NAN
-
News5 days agoNigeria to officially tag Kidnapping as Act of Terrorism as bill passes 2nd reading in Senate
-
News1 week agoFG launches fresh offensive against Trans-border crimes, irregular migration, ECOWAS biometric identity Card
-
News5 days agoFG’s plan to tax digital currencies may push traders to into underground financing—stakeholders
-
News5 days agoNigeria champions African-Arab trade to boost agribusiness, industrial growth
-
Uncategorized3 days agoChevron to join Nigeria oil licence auction, plans rig deployment in 2026
-
Economy5 days agoMAN cries out some operators at FTZs abusing system to detriment of local manufacturers
-
Finance1 week agoAfreximbank successfully closed its second Samurai Bond transactions, raising JPY 81.8bn or $527m
-
News5 days agoEU to support Nigeria’s war against insecurity
