Chevron Nigeria says it has continued to make significant investments in the country, including generating socio-economic development in several communities across the nation in its six decades of operation.

The Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria and Mid-Africa Business unit, Rick Kennedy, said this in a statement to mark Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary on Sunday, October 1, 2023.

Rick stated that the company has been making significant investments in Nigeria for over 60 years, contributing to the growth and development of the country.

He said: “Chevron Nigeria has been successful in leading and investing in some major initiatives in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. These include the development of the Deep Water Agbami project which has produced over 1 billion barrels of oil, the development of the Escravos Gas Processing (EGP) facility to enable the reduction of flares and be the largest supplier of on-spec domestic gas in Nigeria, and the development of the Escravos Gas-to-Liquids (EGTL) facility to reduce gas flaring and produce high-quality diesel.

“Also, in partnership with the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), Chevron Nigeria led the development of the 700km West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) project through which Nigeria supplies gas to Benin, Togo, and Ghana, helping to boost economic development in the region.”

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Rick noted that Chevron companies in Nigeria developed and imbibed the Local Nigerian Content development philosophy well before the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (“NOGICD Act”) in April 2010.

He said Chevron also helped in building the capacities of several Nigerian businesses by providing training, contracts, and procurement opportunities to the citizens on all projects in its operations.

“For the last 10 years, one of the Chevron Nigeria companies, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has spent an estimated annual average of $1 billion on Nigerian suppliers and service providers.

“Chevron does all this, not because it is compelled to, but because it is the right thing to do,” the Chevron MD added.

On his part, Chevron Nigeria’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn, said the company was focused on helping to engender the development of communities in the Niger Delta region through the erstwhile Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU).

He stated: “Through the GMoU, we provided funds to execute hundreds of projects in the communities where we operate in the Niger Delta region. This has led to social investment projects benefitting over 600 communities in the Niger Delta area.

“We will be leveraging our experience with the GMoU in the implementation of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

“In 2010, Chevron established the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), a non-profit organization working with partners to complement the GMoU, build peace and address the macro socio-economic issues in the Niger Delta region.

“Chevron has invested over $100 million in PIND and leveraged a corresponding amount from investors and partners. PIND’s programmes have continued to create socio-economic impact in the Niger Delta region through the twin pillars of economic development and peacebuilding, leading to increased productivity and incomes, jobs, and reduced conflict.”

The Star