ExxonMobil’s Ultra Deepwater Drillship Arrives Niger Delta as $1bn Usan Infill Project Begins Hope rises for additional 40,000bpd oil output in 18 months Peter Uzoho Nigerian affiliate of ExxonMobil,
Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, operator of the Usan field located
in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 138, has announced the arrival of Noble Gerry de Souza, an ultra-deepwater
drillship, in Nigerian waters. The development marks a major milestone in the execution of the
Usan Infill Project, reinforcing the company’s commitment to investing in Nigeria’s deepwater
energy sector. In a statement issued yesterday, Esso said the arrival of the stateof-the-art ultra-deepwater drillship Continued on page 8
Australia Passes Law to Levy Tech Giants as Nigerian Media Awaits FG... Page 7
Friday 21 August, 2026 Vol 31. No 11457. Price: N400
www.thisdaylive.com TR
The stoppage of subsidy and price-fixing is a right move, although it should have come earlier when the economy was stronger. FG and state governments should proceed to remove other impediments and roll out incentives to spur investments in the sector...
–December 20, 2022
& RE A S O
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We will move subsidy from importation to production, from middlemen to Nigerian refineries, and from unverifiable claims to verifiable barrels. The principle is simple: the subsidy will follow the barrel
–June 5, 2020, Atiku tweeted
I will remove the fuel subsidy; within the first 100 days in office, we should be able to make a decision...
UT H
Atiku Abubakar
–August 20, 2026, Atiku changed his position
Before I came here, 27 states were unable to pay salaries, not to even talk of pensioners, salary of workers. In your state, I know a man that I raised who is nicknamed half salary. They come to the federal government, cap in hand, President Bola Tinubu unable to do anything. –President Tinubu’s response
Atiku in Dramatic U-turn, Wants Fuel Subsidy Returned Tinubu: It shows your ignorance on governance, economy I will follow the barrel, ensure accountability, ex-VP insists No, you are desperate for power, presidency says Wike: Atiku confused, will never be president
Deji Elumoye, Emmanuel Addeh, Chuks Okocha and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday reopened one of Nigeria’s most contentious economic debates, promising to restore petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027. However, the position marked a dramatic departure from his earlier advocacy for its removal and set the stage for a fresh political battle over the policy that has defined much of President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms. But in a response, the President flayed Atiku over his plan to return fuel subsidy if elected President next year, saying that the ex-number two man is ignorant of governance Continued on page 8
LAUNCHING OF NATIONAL COMMUNITY FOOD BANK IN SAGAMU...
L-R: Commissioner of Health, Dr. Mrs Tomi Coker; Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun; Governor Dapo Abiodun; and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during the launching of National Community Food bank in Sagamu, Ogun State... recently