NLNG relocates HQ from Lagos to Port Harcourt
By Festus Eriye 02/10/2011 00:00:00
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NLNG relocates HQ from Lagos to Port Harcourt

Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) is moving its entire headquarters operations presently located at C&C Towers in Victoria Island, Lagos to Port Harcourt with immediate effect. The movement involves over 400 staff and would be completed by the end of November.

Authoritative company sources told The Nation on Sunday that the decision to fast-track the relocation is causing considerable unease within the company. It was the single item issue that came up for discussion at the NLNG board meeting which held in Dubai last week.

The board was reportedly divided over the wisdom of the sudden relocation. However, the Presidency is said to have come down on the side of those backing the movement. Originally, the transfer was to be effected in phases, with the process concluding in 2013.

The movement is part of the company’s measures to save costs, ensure greater efficiency by moving operations to the region where the NLNG plants are located. The company operates six liquefaction units (LNG trains) on Bonny Island in Rivers State where it produces 22 million metric tonnes of LNG per year - roughly 10% of the world’s consumption.

Staff opposed to the move – many of whom have resided in Lagos for very long - are said to be worried about the disruption of family life that the relocation would cause. Others are said to be afraid that their career prospects could be adversely affected by the movement to Port Harcourt. There are issues of job alignment between staff holding parallel positions in Lagos and Bonny.

Such is the level of anger and disquiet that the planned relocation causing that some senior management staff are said to threatening legal actions and, in some instances, resigning from the company altogether.

A senior manager who spoke to The Nation on Sunday anonymously said: "A lot of people are not happy with the way the matter is being handled by a select few. It is against the established practice and tradition in the company." A staff briefing is expected to be carried out shortly by NLNG management to inform workers on the modalities of the movement.

The movement which would be a boost for the Rivers State economy would affect Lagos State negatively as she stands to lose millions in corporate taxes paid by NLNG to the state government.

Nigeria LNG Limited was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1989, to produce LNG and natural gas liquids for export. It is jointly owned by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) 49%, Shell Gas B.V. 25.6%, Total LNG Nigeria Ltd 15% and Eni International 10.4%.

In recent years the company has been trailed by controversies over bribes of $180 million allegedly paid by the TSKJ consortium of engineering companies to Nigerian federal government officials between 1994 and 2004 to obtain contracts worth more than $6 billion for building the LNG facilities.


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/21564-nlng-relocates-hq-from-lagos-to-port-harcourt.html

Its a good move. I think GEJ is moving the right war to the right section. Thump up GEJ

There is peace in the Niger Delta now, so all offices concerned with oil and gas need to leave any unnatural locations and move back. Its a welcome development, more will surely follow.

Frankly, this is one of those thing GEJ must complete before he leaves office, and that is to relocate ALL oil and gas related industry headquarters and key institutions back to nearer the oil producing areas.
Shikena.

gbam

Good war against the yarobas. GEJ swore that lagos must come to its knees before he lives office.

i think relocating the Head quarters to ND in a business aspect of it, it make sense for the oil company to move cos number one Lagos is too congested two workers can get affordable homes it will be cheaper cut down the expenses,

Good moves in the right direction

he's biting the fingers that fed him

What is wrong in it? Very good move in my opinion.

Although, I would have preferred Bayelsa. It would froce development to the state create employment opportunities for the Bayelsa youths.

Great news for Nigeria. Industries need to spread out. Btw, Lagos is getting choked, moving this companies will help decongest Lagos on company at a time, and help in population redistribution. It's a necessary balancing act! Kudo GEJ!

This is a right step in the right direction. I comment NLNG for this giant step. I see no reason why the headquarter whould not be located where the natural materials are found.

wonderful move,development is coming

A good move. I think all other majors(Exxon, Chevron and Total) should follow suite.

indifferent.

chy101: Good war against the yarobas. GEJ swore that lagos must come to its knees before he lives office.

Dude na your wahala be that.

Positive development. Wonder what the HQ was doing in Lagos in the first place. Chevron, ExxonMobil and others who have their operational bases should move out of congested Lagos with immediate effect - too.

ono: Positive development. Wonder what the HQ was doing in Lagos in the first place. Chevron, ExxonMobil and others who have their operational bases should move out of congested Lagos with immediate effect - too.

Exactly! All other companies need to follow suit. It is ridiculous for the oil companies to have their head offices in Lagos or Abuja, in fact it only points at marginalisation, racketeering and ugly deals.

@POST

GEJ is too slow to actions. All crude oil related companies should move their offices, including headquarters or sub-offices, to cities such as Port Harcourt, Owerri, Warri, Sapele or Yenegoa. In USA, the big companies do not have their headquarters in Washington, DC. There is no fathomable reason to have headquarters of crude-oil related industries in Lagos or Abuja. Shell-BP headquarters was at Owerri before the civil war as the first place crude was struck per the history of Nigeria but moved to Lagos after the civil war.

jason123: Although, I would have preferred Bayelsa. It would froce development to the state create employment opportunities for the Bayelsa youths.

I am surprised you did not prefer Ondo State.

jason123: Although, I would have preferred Bayelsa. It would froce development to the state create employment opportunities for the Bayelsa youths.

Why Bayelsa? Port-hacourt is the oil and Gas capital of Nigeria and such the headquarters of most oil companies should be situated therein.

Dede1:


I am surprised you did not prefer Ondo State.

LMAO. I wish i could read my minds of Jason and Al_harem.

Chevron, total and mobile are private western companies, GEJ cannt tell them where to site there operational HQ.

KnowAll: Chevron, total and mobile are private western companies, GEJ cannt tell them where to site there operational HQ.

They're all private except NNPC. Nobody can force them to move to PH but dem sef don dey get sense. It does not make sense to have your corporate office far away from your field.

I dont see the point of moving the hq to PH, unless i missed something? The same people found in the lagos office will be the same people that will be in the PH office. These are NLNG jobs, not your local Mcdonalds. They wont hire a person just because they are locals but rather they will hire the BEST people in the field of LNG because these are work intensive jobs. So just like shell, chevon etc who also have high intense job openings, the average locals wont have the requirements for any/most jobs at NLNG, hence why you see many foreigners and african employees while little to no locals locals are employed [shell,chevon,mobile]. If anything its more of a inconvenience for those at the lagos office to relocate all the way to PH. I understand the position of having the HQ closer to the mineral but overall, the entire move is questionable.

good for them @ topic.

they can even move to ghana or gambia.

nje emi je anfani kankan lara won?

In d Western world Rivers State would be d one doing d wooing. Telling a corporate instition to relocate to a kidnapping prone area is not justifiable in any ramification. The UK and US embassy are still warning their nationals to steer clear of d Niger delta, so forcing people to relocate is what I call an un-warranted higih-handiness on d part of Goverment.

KnowAll: Chevron, total and mobile are private western companies, GEJ cannt tell them where to site there operational HQ.

One of the most determining factors in location of industry is government policy. If you want to do business in certain states, the private company must satisfy certain state demands.

KnowAll: In d Western world Rivers State would be d one doing d wooing. Telling a corporate instition to relocate to a kidnapping prone area is not justifiable in any ramification. The UK and US embassy are still warning their nationals to steer clear of d Niger delta, so forcing people to relocate is what I call an un-warranted higih-handiness on d part of Goverment.

This is only true when the states need what the company had to offer. But when the state has what companies want, there to no way to circumvent state rules and polices. In this case, if crude oil companies do not want to comply with state policies, crude oil companies could sail off to sunset.

Dede1:


I am surprised you did not prefer Ondo
State.

N do u mind telling me why I'll prefer such?

afam4eva:

Why Bayelsa? Port-hacourt is the oil and Gas capital of Nigeria and such the headquarters of most oil companies should be situated therein.

Oil n gas capital? Since when or just by default?
Most oil companies r PRIVATE companies. They don't care about d pettiness regarding where THEIR HQ is located.

afam4eva:

LMAO. I wish i could read my minds of Jason and Al_harem.

Why place my name with harem? Respect urself bros.

Charity must begin at home. B4 d federal Goverment embark on un-warranted executive fiat and draconian pronouncement they should lead by example, relocate NNPC from Abuja to PH.