Big oil companies don't like Nigeria oil royalty increase, low prices

ABUJA, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Cost increases and uncertainty in Nigeria’s crucial energy sector could lead to a 35% decline in oil output over 10 years as companies delay investments in key oilfields, consultancy Wood Mackenzie said in new research due to be published on Friday.

...Without the three fields, Koch said Nigerian production would drop 35% within a decade.

..Wood Mackenzie cited changes to tax and royalty laws and uncertainty over oil reform as the main reasons for delays, although it also estimated that the three projects are “not economically viable” under current terms, and with oil under $60 per barrel.

https://www.reuters.com/article/nigeria-oil/update-1-nigerias-oil-output-could-fall-35-without-reforms-wood-mackenzie-idUSL8N2AD7T9

Lagos, Nigeria, choked with cars, bans okadas, makes things worse

Lagos has a world-wide reputation for its infamous traffic jams and poorly maintained roads, and the ban will only increase the problems for residents of the city. For the 22 million residents of Lagos, commercial motorbikes — known as “okadas” — have gained repute for their ability to snake through Lagos’ ever present congestions. Tricycles — “keke’s” — are also a major form of transport used to beat the congestion.
To the government of Lagos, however, these alternatives probably deviate from their vision of how a megacity should look.

https://www.theafricareport.com/22846/lagos-motorcycle-ban-hits-digital-ride-firms-chills-investor-climate/? 

World has not yet finished looting Africa, more riches found

In its latest report on Africa’s energy outlook for 2020, the African Energy Chamber, an inter-professional grouping of energy and mining companies in Africa, focuses in particular on the export potential of African natural gas, whose exports in liquefied form will increase significantly.

https://www.theafricareport.com/20712/natural-gas-africa-could-provide-20-of-global-needs-by-2025/? 

Cars choking Nigeria capital - no good solutions on offer

“All these are in the law but they are not being implemented and we have to start implementing them. Advocacy will be carried out. With it, additional pedestrian bridges will be built.”

“...The city is currently bedeviled by traffic congestion arising from non-compliance with road traffic regulations by some motorists as well as other road users."

https://dailytimes.ng/all-illegal-car-parks-in-fct-will-be-closed-bello/?

Capitalism slaughtering children as it tries to pave Africa

Billions of dollars are being spent on new roads across Africa but little is being spent on protecting the majority of people who use them. Each day, roads are being built which lack basic and affordable safety measures – footpaths, cycle lanes, safe crossings. As a result, too many innocent people are being punished with an utterly avoidable death sentence.

https://www.theafricareport.com/14731/trans-african-cooperation-is-only-way-to-halt-bloody-road-deaths/

Lagos, Nigeria, five new routes of fare-free buses

The Lagos State Government on Wednesday launched the new buses under the Bus Reform Initiative (BRI) with free service on five routes, assuring that the development would redefine public transportation and make the State globally competitive.

https://akinwunmiambode.com/lagos-launches-new-buses-with-free-service-on-five-routes/ 

Western colonial powers exacerbating problems in Africa

Catastrophic trends are converging in unfathomably dangerous ways and will soon collide with the rudderless geopolitics of our era. Absent radical changes in local Sahelian governance and priorities, no humanitarian crisis in Africa’s recent history will compare to the hell to come. What is likely doesn’t have to be inevitable. The question for Western governments is whether they will be complicit in its acceleration.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/a-shadow-rebellion-in-chad 

Drought forcing rats and roaches into human areas

iol.co.za/news/south-africa Cape Town - There has been a noticeable increase in cockroaches in Cape Town this year due to the drought, said a local pest control service. As the cockroaches’ regular sources of water are drying up, they are out searching for water in other places, such as homes.

In South Africa, a call for fare-free #publictransport

bereamail.co.za/ PEOPLE Against Petrol and Parafin Price Increase (PAPPPI) has called on government to introduce transport coupons for senior citizens and scholars, including students.
Speaking on behalf of PAPPPI, national convenor, Visvin Reddy said the recent exhorbitant fuel price increases were responsible for a hike in public transport fares.

Western press tells lies about Somalia

Everything they told us about Somalia wasn't true. Somali "Pirates" are fishermen who've watched for years as the West, Europe and China steal their source of food in Somali seas and in turn dump tons of toxic waste. These men put their lives on the line to protect Somali coasts.

— George Kiblor (@Kiblor) March 21, 2018

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has abandoned any pretence of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation

REDD-Monitor : "On 1 February 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s forests were dealt a double blow. First, DRC’s Minister of Environment, Amy Ambatobe, reinstated three illegal logging concessions covering an area of 6,500 square kilometres. Second, DRC’s president, Joseph Kabila, signed off on three oil exploration concessions covering a huge area of Mai Ndombe province, including part of the Salonga National Park."

Niger: manifestation contre la loi de finances et les bases militaires étrangères

Slate Afrique : "lusieurs milliers de personnes ont manifesté dimanche à Niamey et dans les grandes villes du Niger pour demander "l'abrogation" de la loi de finances 2018 qu'elles jugent "antisociale" et le départ des "forces étrangères" basées dans le pays. 

"A bas la loi de finances scélérate!", "A bas la loi de finances injuste!", "Forces étrangères à bas!", "Armées française, américaine et allemande, allez vous-en !", ont scandé à Niamey les manifestants, qui répondaient à l'appel d'une coalition d'organisations de la société civile. 

Sur une banderole frappée des drapeaux français et américain, on pouvait lire: "Armée (ndlr: française et américaine) allez vous-en !, Army Go Away !, nos FDS (Forces de défense et de sécurité) nous suffisent". "

Energy industry excited about exploiting Africa

About Energy: "Energy potential, foreign investments, political choices in the oil & gas sector, and future projects of Nigeria, Congo, Namibia, Côte d'Ivoire and Mali."

East Africa hit by drought

climate change news: "The long rains, one of two wet seasons that quench the thirst of the East African region, failed this year for the second time in a row. Lack of water, withering crops and starving cattle plunged Somalia, Ethiopia and parts of Kenya into a food crisis that the countries are not prepared for.

Humanitarian assistance has helped and will be needed well into 2018. But in war-affected Somalia and South Sudan famine has emerged; in Ethiopia aid money is running short after repeated droughts; and in Kenya the shortage of resources is giving rise to land conflicts."

You shall board public transport for free - Nana Addo assures senior citizens

YEN.COM.GH: "- Government has put out steps to reward all senior citizens in the country

- This will see such persons given free passes for public transportation

- Click here for the latest stories in Ghana

Government says it stays committed to ensuring that all senior citizens in the country are made to live in the comfort they so deserve."

Western societies steal from Africa

Global Justice Now: " “There’s such a powerful narrative in Western societies that Africa is poor and that it needs our help. This research shows that what African countries really need is for the rest of the world to stop systematically looting them.  While the form of colonial plunder may have changed over time, its basic nature remains unchanged.”
 "

Americans don't know there are 96 concurrent US military missions in Africa

The New Yorker: "At the moment, seventeen hundred members of the Special Forces and other military personnel are undertaking ninety-six missions in twenty-one countries, and the details of most are unknown to Americans. "

Humans growing by 190,000 per day

Africa Science News: "Environmental summits keep calling for actions which governments adopt or not. There were many of those summits, the last one in Paris. But all the delegates keep discussing the wrong issues. We are facing the fact that there will be seven and, in the nearby future, even eleven billion potential car owners in the world.
A substantial part of this population surplus of four billion people will exacerbate the present problems of pollution and migration. As long as environmental summits ignore the fact that the world population grows with about 70 million people each year – that is 190.000 people on a daily basis – , we will be fighting a running battle with every environmental protection measure. At first sight, those measures may leave a good impression, but everybody who takes the effort of thinking a little bit longer will understand that they should be considered as mere window dressing, less than an treatment of symptoms."

Fortunately birth rates are falling where energy footprint is biggest. We can accelerate this by providing the following.

• car-free cities
• education for all
• good health-care 

Lagos choked by motor traffic -- but writer blames pedestrians!

BusinessDay: "While these limitations are real, my submission is that, Lagos roads and highways are too accessible to all manners of pedestrians. Therefore, it is imperative that government prevents unwanted users from major roads and highways, especially cart pushers, street hawkers/traders and okada riders who create illegal bus stops on every inch of major roads and highways."

Exploitation of Africa means #IslamicState will flourish

GRAPHIC: Colonial control over Africa in 1914 pic.twitter.com/AnYDg9Wr60

— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) February 20, 2017

Western nations have plundered Africa for hundreds of years. This has created a deep abiding anger which will fuel the Islamic State for a long time.

Full speed ahead on paving Africa

Scrapping Nigerian superhighway buffer isn’t enough, say conservation groups: "The six-lane superhighway, which would connect the inland cities of Katsina Ala and Ikom with the port of Calabar, is seen by proponents as vital to Cross River state’s economy.

“We need to open the horizon to get teeming young people employed,” said Ben Ayade, the state’s governor, in a speech at a groundbreaking ceremony for the project in 2015.

“It became imperative that we reconstruct a new means of production,” of which the superhighway would be a critical component, Ayade said."

Chart: Public Transport in African Cities Often Unaffordable

The Data Blog: "The typical household in many African cities cannot afford public transport fares. According to a new report, public transport in Sub-Saharan Africa's major cities is dominated by informal minibuses, and is expensive relative to household budgets making it largely unaffordable on a daily basis, especially for the poorest.
"

Liberia - Women in Monrovia Call for Safer Public Transport

The Bush Chicken: "“For women and girls worldwide, the freedom to move safely around cities is greatly restricted, whether by gender-blind planning and design of transport infrastructure or by social and cultural norms that tolerate violence towards women,” the report said. “Poor street lighting, a lack of buses and stops, all-male transport staff, lack of public toilets, and inadequate policing has created an environment where sexual violence against women in the city can thrive.”

In Liberia, the report was launched by the minister of gender, children and social protection, Julia Duncan Cassell, along with ActionAid Liberia interim country director, Lakshmi Moore, who said the launch of the report marks the beginning of series of dialogues among citizens, stakeholders, and policymakers on how the recommendations can be used in the Liberian context."

Kenya: Economic Opportunities Can Double If Nairobians Use Public Transport, WB Says

allAfrica.com: "Nairobi — A new policy research working paper by the World Bank indicates that economic opportunities in Nairobi can double within an hour when commuters travel by foot or use public transport."

Fuel subsidy created false growth, now #degrowth is harsh

Al Jazeera: "Sudanese police forces have fired tear gas at about 300 Sudanese protesters demonstrating against a government decision to cut fuel subsidies."

CPP promises PWDs free education, health care, public transport

Ghana News: "“We will ensure that even public transportation would be made progressively free for all Persons with Disabilities.”
The CPP Presidential candidate disclosed the party’s intention to set up a special fund to cater for the basic needs of Persons with Disabilities."

Cars choking Accra, Ghana

The Guardian: "“I’m in trouble if I leave my house around 6 or 6.30am,” Ampofo says. “I then won’t arrive at work until nine or 10am, and that creates a lot of problems with my manager because I’m supposed to get there by eight. If the government doesn’t do anything about the traffic, it’s not going to get any easier …”"

photo getty