Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta
Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima U. Ekere is leading a strong
delegation to this year’s Oil Technology Conference to explore
partnership opportunities in modular refineries for the Niger Delta
region
The conference, which is holding in Houston, United States, holding
May 1- 4, will bring together leading professionals and players in the
global oil and gas industry. It is the number one forum for knowledge
exchange in drilling, exploration, production development,
environmental protection, innovation and technology.
Mr. Ekere said NDDC is attending the conference as it prepares to
implement Federal Government’s proposal to replace thousands of
illegal refining facilities scattered across the region with modular
refineries.
“Our participation in this year’s conference is a proactive strategy,”
Mr. Ekere said, “to fully prepare the region for a new era of
downstream operations by small and new players in line with plans by
the Federal Government to convert illegal refineries into modular
ones.”
He added: “We have scheduled meetings and engagements that will enrich
our knowledge and open up new partnership opportunities for the
benefit of the Niger Delta Region and its people.”
The Federal Government recently announced plans to replace illegal oil
refineries with modular refineries as part of a wider plan for the
development of the Niger Delta, and the country’s oil and gas
industry.
Discussions have already begun on the modalities for operating modular
refineries. The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu said recently:
“In the past few weeks, we have had open and prospective discussions
with some of the refiners and government is assiduously working to
ensure this initiative is carefully implemented without destruction to
the environment.
“This will not only provide a legal job and source of income for the
populace, but also contribute to our national productivity. “
Mr. Ekere also disclosed that the interventionist agency plans to
display the works of some young innovators from the region, under the
Niger Delta Young Innovators Scheme, at the conference. NDDC is
supporting participating innovators and entrepreneurs to take their
innovations to the global stage, as a strategy to attract new
business, strengthen indigenous capacity and boost employment and
economic activities in the region.
NDDC, which was established in 2000 to facilitate the rapid, even and
sustainable development of the Niger Delta, has undertaken more than
7,500 infrastructure projects across the nine states of the Niger
Delta since inception and equipped more than 10,000 youths with
market-relevant skills.
About 1211 indigenes of the region have also benefitted from the
Commission’s foreign post-graduate scholarships, while up to 3 million
people have been impacted directly under its medical outreach mission.