The Kogi State Government has officially handed over the World Bank-assisted Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) Project to the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development.

The project, jointly funded by the World Bank, the Kogi State Government, and local partners, was previously managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

Speaking during the handover, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Timothy Ojomah, said; “the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development by the administration of President Bola Tinubu was designed to address challenges in the livestock sector, particularly farmer-herder conflicts across the country.”

Ojomah, who chaired the State Steering Committee before the transition, commended members for their collaboration with stakeholders in driving the implementation of the L-PRES Project.

He urged the State Project Coordinating Office to strengthen synergy with the new ministry and other relevant agencies to achieve the project’s objectives.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin, expressed appreciation to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his vision in creating the new ministry, describing it ‘as a strategic step toward enhancing livestock production, animal health, and value-chain development.’

Dr. Bolarin said; “the takeover of the L-PRES Project by the new ministry aligns with global best practices and will help consolidate livestock policies, improve coordination, and promote ranch development and animal health services.”

He pledged to work with all stakeholders to make Kogi a model for livestock development in West Africa.

Also speaking, the Commissioners for Environment, Olusegun Joseph, and for Water Resources, Yahaya Farouk, stressed the need for collaboration among ministries and partners to achieve the state’s strategic development goals.

The State Project Coordinator, Mr. Abdulkabir Otaru, said the L-PRES Project has recorded notable progress in livestock productivity and resilience, with several World Bank approvals secured for infrastructure, training, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at advancing the livestock sector in Kogi State

The Anambra State Government has announced a partnership with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) to strengthen tourism and hospitality development in the state.

The State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Dr. Ebele Nzekwe, and her delegation in Awka.

Dr. Mefor said “the collaboration would help unlock Anambra’s tourism potential through training, institutional partnerships, and human capital development.”

He noted that the Soludo administration had already taken steps to promote leisure and tourism, citing the establishment of the Solution Fun City as an example.

He highlighted the alignment between NIHOTOUR’s objectives and the state’s One Youth, Two Skills initiative, which focuses on youth empowerment through vocational training and entrepreneurship support.

In her remarks, NIHOTOUR Director-General, Dr. Ebele Nzekwe, said “the partnership would enhance capacity building in the state’s tourism and hospitality sector.”

She explained that “the institute’s mandate includes training, certification, and registration of personnel in the industry to meet modern professional standards.”

Dr. Nzekwe added that the establishment of NIHOTOUR’s new Anambra Office earlier this year would deepen collaboration with the state government and stakeholders in the sector.

The Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Delta State, will be hosting its 4th Biennial International Conference on Hydrocarbon Science and Technology (ICHST) on Wednesday, 22nd to Thursday, 23rd October 2025, in Abuja, Nigeria.

In a press conference ahead of the 4th Biennial International Conference held in Abuja, the Chief Executive of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Dr Samuel Onoji, said the essence of the conference is to pull together scientists, subject matter experts, researchers, government agencies, academia, the student community and top players in the oil, gas and energy industry to examine topical issues with a view to presenting cutting-edge research, sharing field experiences and discussing policies that will shape the future of hydrocarbon in a fast-changing world.

He disclosed that the conference will feature keynote addresses from the Ministers of State for Oil, Mr Heineken Lokpobiri, and Gas, Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, Chief Executive Officers from sister agencies, panel sessions, exhibitions from partners and sponsors, as well as technical paper presentations that cover different areas of the hydrocarbon value chain.

Dr Onoji said the theme of this year’s conference, “Transforming Africa’s Hydrocarbon Sector: Balancing Growth, Environment, and Governance,” was carefully chosen to reflect the need for a balanced approach to industrial growth, environmental sustainability, and good governance in the hydrocarbon sector.

He stated that the technical sessions would cover a broad range of topics across the hydrocarbon value chain, from exploration to abandonment and decommissioning, as well as emerging developments in artificial intelligence, robotics, environmental management, and carbon capture, utilisation, and storage.

“These discussions are essential to drive technological innovation and environmental stewardship in the sector.” He said.

The PTI Chief Executive further revealed that the conference would serve as a platform to nurture the next generation of energy professionals by providing students and young researchers with opportunities to network, learn, and strengthen their competencies.

He said, “As the world grapples with the realities of energy transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources, PTI, through this conference, is taking a bold step to advance research and development efforts that reflect Africa’s peculiar hydrocarbon situation.”

Dr Onoji observed that Africa holds an estimated 125 billion barrels of crude oil reserves and over 600 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, stressing that the continent must not hastily abandon fossil fuels but rather focus on deepening research into technologies that enable cleaner and more efficient utilisation of its natural resources.

He projected that global demand for fossil fuels will continue for at least the next 50 years, underscoring the need for Africa to harness its resources responsibly.

He also noted that only a few African nations have developed local expertise in critical aspects of oil production technology and the fabrication of key machinery, a gap which the ICHST aims to address through collaborative research and innovation.

The PTI Chief Executive said, “This conference intends to focus on developing local content capacity in oil technology to ensure Africa’s participation in the global hydrocarbon economy.”

Dr Onoji said the theme of this year’s conference is apt, as it aims to provide a holistic future of the oil and gas industry with a view to guiding critical stakeholders towards embracing opportunities, addressing challenges and fostering sustainable development in the ever-dynamic industry.