Nigerian Government Reacts As Malaysia Plans To Phase Out CNG 

The Malaysian government has announced its decision to phase out compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles by July 1, 2025, marking the end of CNG vehicle registrations.  The move also includes halting the sale of natural gas vehicles (NGV), which include both CNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered vehicles.  Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook shared concerns over the safety risks posed by LPG cylinders, particularly in modified vehicles, which have been involved in explosions during accidents.  These concerns have led the government to prioritize public safety, especially regarding older CNG cylinders, some of which are over 15 years old. In response to the announcement, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, clarified that Malaysia’s focus is more on the safety issues surrounding LPG rather than CNG itself.  He pointed out that while Malaysia has struggled to transition successfully away from petrol and diesel, Nigeria’s move toward CNG remains distinct due to its focus on safety and cost-effectiveness.  Onanuga also noted that Nigeria is already developing the necessary infrastructure, including tank manufacturing, to ensure a safer and more sustainable CNG transition. The statement released by Onanuga on x (formerly known as Twitter) reads, “Some clarification on the plan by Malaysia to phase out CNG powered vehicles: “1. The Malaysian issue speaks more to the safety of LPG NOT safety of CNG. In the original report, government transport minister Anthony Loke said: “There are also some car owners who have modified their vehicles using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, which are very dangerous. “The report also spoke about the safety of 15 year-old CNG cylinders. “2. NGV covers both CNG and LPG. Nigeria in its transition has adopted CNG ONLY not both because of LPG valid safety and cost concerns “3.Malaysia basically had an unsuccessful transition away from costly and dirtier petrol and diesel. “Conversion of 45,000 vehicles in 15 years (less than 0.2%) is not enviable unlike India, China, Iran and Egypt. “The end of 15 year CNG tank cycle means they need to replace tanks and it was easier/cheaper to scrap their program and continue with their petrol than to do so if they had not built tank manufacturing capacity which Nigeria is already developing in year one.”

It is cheaper to import petrol than buy from Dangote refinery – IPMAN chieftain

Yakubu Suleiman, the National Assistant Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has disclosed that buying petrol is cheaper when they import than buying from Dangote Refinery. He recounted that as at last week, the local refinery was selling PMS at a bulk price of N995/Litre. Suleiman said this during an interview session he had with Arise Tv, on Friday, November 1. He said: “Dangote’s price is higher than other places. As at last week, Dangote gives at N995/litre and you have to bring your cargo to load. “How much will you pay the cargo? How much will you pay other charges to your depot? We have to pity Nigerians. “The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), are trying their best to salvage this country at this particular time when people are suffering. “So let us go for products that are cheaper that when we sell it to the people, the people appreciates. Most people don’t understand the whole dynamics that is going on at the moment. “So when we go and buy the higher price we come and sell it as higher as what people are not expecting and they’ll start calling ‘IPMAN’. We are tired. “If people understand the dynamics they will have praised IPMAN, because we are truly patriotic to Nigerians.”

Dangote Refinery counters IPMAN on challenges faced loading its petrol

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has said that it is misleading to suggest that the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) are experiencing difficulties loading refined products from its refinery. The company’s statement signed by its Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, on Thursday, was in response to a claim by IPMAN on Wednesday that its members can’t load petrol from the Dangote Refinery in Lagos despite having paid ₦40bn to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). IPMAN President Abubakar Garima, who stated this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme, expressed surprise that Aliko Dangote, the owner of the $20bn refinery, said marketers were boycotting his refinery to buy imported petrol. However, the Dangote Refinery in its statement clarified that it has not received any payments from IPMAN to purchase refined petroleum products. It stated that although discussions are ongoing with IPMAN, “it is misleading to suggest that they (IPMAN Members) are experiencing difficulties loading refined products from our Petroleum Refinery, as we currently have no direct business dealings with them.” Consequently, the company said it cannot be held responsible for any payments made to other entities, as the payment in mention has been made through NNPCL, and not Dangote Refinery.It added that in the same vein, NNPCL has neither approved, nor authorised the company to release our Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to IPMAN. While emphasizing that it can meet Nigeria’s demand for all petroleum products, Dangote Refinery advised IPMAN to register directly with the company and make payments for petroleum products. “We would like to emphasise that we can meet the nation’s demand for all petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel. At present, we can load 2,900 trucks per day and we have also been evacuating petroleum products by sea. We advise IPMAN to register with us and make direct payment as we have more than enough petroleum products to satisfy the needs of their members. “Furthermore, we believe it is instructive for all stakeholders to refrain from making unfounded statements in the media, as that could undermine the economic re-engineering efforts of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Conducting business through public speculation is counterproductive and unpatriotic. “In the interest of our country, we encourage all stakeholders to collaborate and heed the advice of President Tinubu, while promoting a unified approach, rather than engaging in media conflicts and needless propaganda,” the statement read in part.

Senate Reconstitutes Ad-hoc Committee to Probe Economic Sabotage in Petroleum Industry

The Senate has reconstituted its Ad hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry contrary to reports that some stakeholders were working to stop the oil probe. The upper chamber also communicated the decision to reconstitute to the House of Representatives with a view to conducting a more holistic investigation that would sanitise the petroleum industry. At a session presided by the Deputy President, Senator Barau Jubrin, announced these decisions yesterday after the Leader of the Senate/Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele sponsored a motion on the need for the two chambers to jointly conduct the oil probe. In his motion yesterday, Bamidele observed that the House of Representatives had debated on the same subject and also constituted its ad-hoc committee to investigate it. He observed that there “is need for the Ad-hoc Committees of the two chambers to work together to avoid duplication in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities.” He further called for the committee to be reconstituted and be named as “National Assembly Joint Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry”. After Bamidele’s presentation, the Senate recaptioned the title to “National Assembly Joint Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry”. The upper chamber also resolved “to communicate its decision to the House of Representatives for the purpose of constituting the equal number of an ad-hoc committee that will working with the Senate.” While Senator Opeyemi Bamidele will still chair the National Assembly Joint Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Economic Sabotage, its members include Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi; Senator Mohammed Monguno and Senator Solomon Olamilekan. Other members include: Senator Plang Diket, Senator Ipalibo Banigo; Senator Khabeeb Mustapha; Senator Adams Oshiomhole; Senator Williams Eteng Jonah; Senator Adetokunbo Abiru; Senator Osita Izunaso; Senator Sahabi Ya’u; Senator Ahmed Abdul Ningi and Senator Suleiman A. Kawu. The lawmakers agreed further that the resolution of the Senate be communicated to the House of Representatives, following which the Joint Ad-hoc Committee will be inaugurated by the presiding officers of both chamber The Senate had on Wednesday, 3rd July 2024 debated a motion on the urgent need to investigate the Importation of Hazardous Petroleum Products and Dumping of Substandard Diesel into Nigeria moved by Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River North). The Senate had on Thursday, 11th July 2024 recaptioned the title of the Ad-hoc Committee to Ad-hoc Committee to Investigate Alleged Economic Sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry. After holding meetings with key stakeholders in the petroleum sector, the Bamidele Committee put its activities on hold with conducting a joint session with the lower chamber and providing workable antidotes to a myriad of challenges in the industry.

The missing minister and cabinet reshuffle for ‘on your mandate choristers’

NO serious leader, (Nigeria’s president, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu, does not qualify as one because he is a ruler), hibernates in two European capitals, first in London (UK), and then in Paris, France, or in any foreign country for that matter, for a very simple and routine task of changing his or her ministers. My recollections may have failed me at this moment, but I do not recall since 1999 when any past president – Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007), Musa Yar’Adua (2007-2010), Goodluck Jonathan (2010-2015), and Muhammadu Buhari (2015-2023), going away from the country for weeks on an alleged working vacation to rest and plot on how to sack the persons who are working at his pleasure back home. Not even Yar’Adua nor Buhari who were unfortunately sick for parts of their presidential tenures (Yar’Adua actually died in office midway into his first term) travelled abroad to plot how to sack their ministers. Tinubu’s supporters will have a contrary opinion, but this president is an unserious, and certainly a tired fellow. The state of Tinubu’s state has been obvious for decades including while he was the governor of one of Nigeria’s wealthiest states, Lagos, between 1999 and 2007. Those who were close to him back then knew this and whispered about their concerns on the man who is now president. The late Yinka Odumakin was an admirer of Tinubu until he stopped being one, and became his fiercest critic. He, perhaps, more than anybody else, dealt body blows on Tinubu including questioning everything about the Alhaji long before others added their voices. But today is not about Nigeria’s president who has no verifiable and ‘certifiable’ information about much of his life until the 1970s. Officially he claims to be in his 70s. Unofficially, he’s said to be in his 80s. Age is a mere number. So it may not matter much. But truth matters. Among the known unknowns are his blood parents, his siblings if any, his primary school(s), his secondary school(s), his university education (fortunately, depending on where you stand in the country’s sharp and deep political divide, there may soon be a Bola Ahmed Tinubu University in Abia state in the heart of the Igbo nation), his certificates, his employment records bar one, among other puzzles. The president epitomises the word puzzle but not the one of Melchizedek, the high priest in the Judeo-Christian legend who was reputed to have no origins. All unknowns about Tinubu are actually known, though not admitted. Achoba ihe buru-uzo ruo ala, egbuo oba mmiri. If you are interested in killing an abominable animal or reptile, then deal with the crocodile. It is the chief of evil doers. But for the pains and privations inflicted on hapless citizens, the regime of this president aka T-Pain has been a joke. After months of assailing Nigerians with the threats of cabinet reshuffle, the administration finally did so last week. As expected it turned out to be a distraction. For a start, the cabinet change was unnecessary; and the method of effecting it smacks of illiteracy. Before we proceed further let’s quickly put one important issue behind us. If there was any need to sack any minister, the first to go should be the minister of petroleum resources, whoever that may be. Why? Next to Nigeria’s president in the savaging of the economy in the past 17 months is the petroleum resources minister. The minister failed to warn the president on May 29, 2023, on the foolishness and the dire consequences of his ‘subsidy is gone’ proclamation at the onset of the regime. Since then everything has fallen apart. If the economy is in tailspin (and it is), it’s down to ‘subsidy is gone’. If inflation, especially food inflation, is going through the roof (and certainly it is), it’s down to ‘subsidy is gone’. If about 150 million compatriots (the number could be far more), are living below the poverty line, ‘subsidy is gone’ is implicated. The same petroleum resources minister who should be first in the line for firing is also complicit in failing to quickly arrest the ongoing and brazen industrial scale theft of barrels of our crude oil. It has to be acknowledged, however, that there have been recent claims that the hemorrhaging in that area appears to be abating. Even if the claims are true, it would still amount to too little too late. The minister should have been sacked long before the cabinet reshuffle. This same minister who is still sitting pretty in the federal executive council of the federation also superintends the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). Year-on-year studies have shown that this government oil behemoth consistently ranked amongst the most corrupt public institutions in the country. NNPCL has the dubious distinction of spending tens of billions of dollars in the past 10 years, at the minimum, executing turn around maintenance of the country’s four refineries, with no results. None of the four refineries – two in Port Harcourt, one each in Warri and Kaduna – has contributed even one litre of any petroleum products for domestic consumption in more than one decade in spite of the billions allegedly invested in their rehabilitation. In half of the years of their interminable turn around maintenance, an individual had spent about $20 billion to construct and commission what is reputed and reported to be the largest single train refinery and petrochemical company in the world. Yet, the minister who it must be said inherited the mess was not affected by the cabinet reshuffle. It is easy and attractive to conclude that the minister who supervises NNPCL has not lifted a finger in the nearly two years that he has been in office because the mess may be beneficial to him. Under a previous petroleum resources minister, the NNPCL boss promised, and gave specific dates for the completion of the maintenance works on the refineries, and their restreaming. He kept none of the promises, not even after moving the goal posts over

Police Provide Update on Port Harcourt Helicopter Crash

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the tragic loss of eight lives following the crash of an Eastwind Aviation helicopter into the Bonny River in Rivers State. According to AFRIPOST, the helicopter was transporting two crew members and six passengers from the Port Harcourt Military Base to the FPSO Nuim Antan offshore platform in Calabar when the incident occurred. The police believe that all onboard perished in the crash. Grace Iringe-Koko, Police Public Relations Officer, stated that Ifeanyi Udogwu, an employee with Antan Producing Limited, initially reported the accident to the police. The helicopter, identified by its registration number 5N-BQG (S76C+), took off from Port Harcourt’s NAF Base around 11 a.m. and went down near Antan Producing Limited’s FPSO and Mimbo platform. Rivers State Police Marine Division, alongside other authorities, is actively working on recovering debris and locating all individuals involved. The police extended their deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Meanwhile, Ministry of Aviation spokesperson Odutayo Oluseyi confirmed the incident, noting that three bodies have been recovered so far. Search and rescue operations continue for the remaining passengers. Preliminary information indicates the oil personnel on board were under contract with Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL). The government reported that the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registered as 5N-BQG, was en route to the Nuimantan Oil Rig when it crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima. With no signal from the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), the tracking efforts relied on manual searching. Agencies like the Nigerian Search and Rescue Unit and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) have mobilized resources, including low-flying aircraft and military support, to aid the operation. The National Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. Mrs. Bimbo Oladeji, Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance for the NSIB, explained that the helicopter was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) without an ELT signal, necessitating manual location efforts. Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr. offered condolences to the affected families and emphasized the NSIB’s commitment to determining the cause of the accident. He also urged the public to avoid speculation as the investigation proceeds

FG Unveils Direct Cash Support Scheme for Nigerians 

In a move aimed at alleviating poverty and enhancing economic stability, Nigeria’s government has introduced a cash transfer programme to assist 20 million low-income individuals.  Finance Minister Wale Edun revealed this development at the Nigeria Economic Summit, emphasizing the government’s efforts to allocate its improved revenue toward social welfare programs. The initiative targets the most vulnerable, covering around 60% of the nation’s poorest citizens.  Currently, the programme supports four million households, which equates to approximately 20 million people.  The plan includes an expansion phase that seeks to reach 15 million households nationwide. The government’s revenue for the first half of 2024 saw a remarkable rise to ₦9.1 trillion, a considerable increase from the ₦4.06 trillion collected during the same period in 2023.  This surge has enabled the administration to invest heavily in social programs that address the cost of living and other economic challenges faced by Nigerians. Edun also discussed the broader fiscal reform plan, which involves utilizing technology to enhance tax collection and ensure compliance from various government entities.  This approach has facilitated an increase in domestic resource mobilization, allowing the government to allocate more funds toward social initiatives. The programme’s expansion is in line with the government’s focus on developing sectors like agriculture, manufacturing, oil, and housing. The aim is to curb inflation, improve food production, and make essential goods more affordable.  The initiative reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for Nigerians through targeted economic interventions and sectoral development.

Wale Edun flags off Commencement Fuel Lifting from Dangote Refinery

History was made this afternoon, Sunday, September 15, 2024 as the the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) commences lifting of fuel from the Dangote Refinery. Flagging off the epoch making exercise, Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun thanked Alhaji Aliko Dangote for the initiative that positions Nigeria for the attainment of energy efficiency. Nigeria, a prominent member of the OPEC is currently going through crippling fuel supply emergency running into weeks.