Nigerian oil producer Oando completes pipeline repairs after spills
Nigerian oil producer Oando has completed repairs on its pipeline in the oil-rich Bayelsa state after four oil spill incidents caused by sabotage in recent weeks, the company said on Tuesday.
The company activated emergency responses immediately after each spill, shutting down affected wells, halting crude delivery and deploying containment measures.
Joint investigations were conducted with government regulators and community representatives, it said in a statement.
Oando, which now owns former Eni unit Nigerian Agip Oil Co, said it plans a sectional replacement of the pipeline to further reduce future risks.
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Daily Maverick
a day ago
- Daily Maverick
Nigeria slaps Meta with $290m in fines for invasive practices
Found guilty of data sharing and other invasive practices, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram was issued with a $290-million penalty. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, was recently hit with three fines totalling more than $290-million in Nigeria. The fines were imposed by Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria. Meta was accused of invasive practices against data subjects and consumers in Nigeria. The company denied the allegations and has challenged the fines in court. What are the violations for which Meta has been fined? The trouble began on 4 January 2021 when WhatsApp updated its privacy policy to introduce mandatory data-sharing with Facebook (now Meta) and its subsidiaries. The main change allowed WhatsApp to share user business interaction data with Facebook for marketing and advertising purposes. The updated policy did not include an opt-out provision. It was a 'take it or leave it' policy. In other words, if users did not consent to the updated terms, they would no longer be able to use WhatsApp. This triggered a Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission investigation into Meta, conducted jointly with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission. The probe was conducted from May 2021 to December 2023. Meta has allegedly not complied with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, and failed to appoint a Data Protection Compliance Organisation. That's an entity licensed to assist data controllers and processors in achieving compliance with Nigeria's data protection regulations. It has not submitted its mandatory Nigeria Data Protection Regulation reports for two consecutive years. Nigeria is the most populous country on the continent, with about 236 million people. It has about 107 million internet users. The most used social media platforms at the end of 2024 were WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Telegram. Meta owns WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram and has threatened to pull Facebook and Instagram services from the country. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has said quitting Nigeria won't absolve Meta of its liability. Facebook has about 51.2 million users in Nigeria, while Instagram has about 12.6 million. What have regulators found against Meta? The investigation uncovered several violations. These included: Unauthorised data sharing: Meta was found to have shared Nigerian users' personal data without their consent. This included cross-border transfers and storage, violating the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act. Discriminatory practices: Meta allegedly treated Nigerian users differently from those in other jurisdictions with similar regulations. Meta offers stronger privacy protections in the European Union because of the General Data Protection Regulation. Nigerian regulators have highlighted this double standard. Denial of data self-determination: The company was accused of denying Nigerian users the right to control how their data is used, compelling them to accept exploitative privacy policies. Abuse of market dominance: The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said the company abused its dominant market position to enforce unfair privacy policies. Tying and bundling: Meta was found to have engaged in tying and bundling practices, which are considered anti-competitive. Tying occurs when a company requires customers to buy a secondary product or service as a condition of buying a primary product or service. For example, if Meta required users to accept Facebook's terms and automatically enrol in WhatsApp or Instagram services (or allow data sharing across them) to use Facebook, then that could be considered tying. This is because it can limit consumer choice, stifle competition and force people to accept products or terms they don't want. Bundling occurs when a company sells multiple products or services together as a package, or makes it difficult to buy them separately. For example, Meta might bundle multiple services such as Facebook, Instagram and Messenger in such a way that users must accept a single privacy policy that covers all, even if they only use one service. This can shut out smaller competitors and prevent users from choosing alternatives. After remediation efforts failed, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission issued its final order in July 2024. 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The South African
2 days ago
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs target poised to turn down Amakhosi for Russia
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IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Ranga Chivaviro shown the door by Kaizer Chiefs
EXIT STAGE LEFT Kaizer Chiefs have parted ways with striker Ranga Chivaviro after his contract expiration, amid plans to beef up their strike force. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix Chivaviro did not reach his full potential with Chiefs, as he struggled with injury during the 2023/2024 season. In total, Chivaviro has made 45 appearances for Chiefs while scoring nine goals. The forward joined Chiefs in June 2023, and the club chose not to extend his two-year contract. Kaizer Chiefs confirmed on Wednesday that Ranga Chivaviro has left the club with immediate effect. Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Kaizer Chiefs Part Ways with Striker Ranga Chivaviro 'Kaizer Chiefs will not be extending striker Ranga Chivaviro's contract when it expires at the end of the month,' said the club in a statement. 'The Limpopo-born attacker joined Amakhosi from Marumo Gallants in the 2023/24 season on a two-year deal. 'We thank Ranga for his positive contribution to the team and wish him all the best in his future exploits.' Chiefs completed another deflating season in the Betway Premiership as they ended ninth, their second league campaign in a row in which they finished outside the top eight. The goal-scoring battles of Chiefs were well-documented as they netted just 25 times in 28 matches. According to reports, Chiefs are set on securing the services of a Mamelodi Sundowns striker currently on loan. According to Soccer Laduma, Chiefs are intent on signing 23-year-old Nigerian striker Etiosa Ighodaro, who is currently on loan to AmaZulu from Sundowns. This comes after unsubstantiated rumours emerging that Orlando Pirates forward Monnapule Saleng might be making a move to Chiefs. The 27-year-old Saleng was believed to have been left out of the side for months due to a salary dispute, although the club has not confirmed this as they remain tight-lipped on the situation. @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport
