Lokpobiri Lauds NNPC/FIRST E&P JV over 10m Man-Hour Zero Lost-time Injury Milestone

Peter Uzoho

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Joint Venture (NNPC/FIRST E&P JV) on achieving 10 million man-hours with zero Lost Time Incident (LTI) across its operations on Petroleum Mining License (PMLs) 53 and 54.

The milestone, according to a statement by the JV partners, was marked with a celebratory dinner and award presentation ceremony held in Lagos.

The event honoured the dedication of the NNPC Ltd/FIRST E&P JV workforce, as well as its service providers and contractors, to robust safety protocols and sustainable practices within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Speaking at the event attended by industry leaders, stakeholders, and partners, Lokpobiri lauded the leadership and staff of FIRST E&P for their exemplary safety record and contributions to Nigeria’s energy sector.

“This is a celebration of the oil and gas sector. 10 Million Lost Time Incident-Free Man-Hours is an excellent record. It is important to commend the staff and partners of FIRST E&P. Planning is never enough to achieve this excellent record – it takes the conscious effort of all staff.

“FIRST E&P has been an exceptional leader in the sector. Excellence is rarely celebrated in Nigeria, but we celebrate this so that others in the sector should emulate,” the minister said.

He also extended commendations to the Managing Director of FIRST E&P, AdemolaAdeyemi-Bero, for being an excellent ambassador of Nigeria and Africa in his role as Chairman of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)’s Board of Governors.

In his remarks, Adeyemi-Bero, who is also the Chairman of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) Board of Governors, highlighted the collaborative efforts behind the achievement and reaffirmed the JV’s continued focus on safety and innovation.

He said, “We view this achievement as a shared success. This would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of our contractors, service providers and partners, all represented here today. As a company that has run for almost 13 years, we view our ‘safety first’ culture as one of our foundations.

“In an industry like ours, where accidents often happen, 10 Million Lost Time Incident-Free Man-Hours of operations represents our collective commitment to doing things the right way every time.

“It represents the discipline of men and women who work tirelessly on offshore platforms, onshore facilities, who put safety first to make this a reality. We also appreciate the collaborative support of the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS) and NNPC, whose joint leadership and direction have been invaluable.”

The Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NUIMS, SeyiOmotowa, expressed delight at the achievement, which he attributed to effort, vigilance, professionalism, and a strong commitment to operational excellence.