27th March 2025

The chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Anti-corruption Committee, Professor Babafemi A. Badejo, has hailed the President of the Association, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, for his ‘bold actions’ in speaking up against corruption and holding the government to account.

 

In a piece titled ‘The NBA is Rising Up to its Motto’, Prof. Badejo said the current NBA national leadership has now made the Association to be leaving up to its motto—”Promoting the Rule of Law”—through its actions.

 

“The motto of the NBA is: ‘Promoting the Rule of Law.’ However, the rule of law can not be promoted wherever corruption is normal and is the order of the day. It has been clearly established that there is an inverse relationship between corruption and the rule of law: the more of one results in the less of the other,” he said.

 

Prof. Badejo noted that, in walking his talk, Mazi Osigwe has entrusted the responsibility to work assiduously against corruption to some NBA members who have been tried and can be trusted to join in the fight against the menace, promising that his Anti-corruption Committee members will do their best to live up to expectations and deliver.

 

“Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, since his election as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association last year, has at every opportunity, been speaking against corruption. In walking the talk, he has entrusted the responsibility to work assiduously against corruption to some members who have been tried and can be trusted to join in the fight against corruption.

 

“While corruption in Nigeria is larger than the three arms of government, the NBA President has resolutely been stressing the need to hold governments in Nigeria to account.

 

“I salute Mazi Afam Osigwe’s bold actions. The Anti-corruption Committee members will do their best to live up to expectations and deliver. The NBA, the oldest and strongest professional body, has to start to make a dent by changing the growing perception that corruption is normal,” Prof. Badejo stated.

The alarming prevalence of girl child trafficking in Plateau State has severely hindered the progress and development of young girls in the region. This trafficking involves various forms of exploitation, including child labour, the illegal use of girls as domestic help outside the state, and the trafficking of girls for prostitution, all of which have devastating effects on the victims.
For example, girls trafficked for prostitution often endure life-threatening diseases, while others fall prey to ritualists and criminals who abuse and mistreat them to the point of death

However, girls trafficked as house helps in various homes outside the state face not only excessive workloads, such as cooking, washing, and caring for their employers’ children, but also reported cases of rape by the husbands or children of those who employed them. Victims are often threatened with harm if they attempt to report the abuse.

In fact, young girls from Plateau State have frequently been lured by trafficking syndicates to other states and even foreign countries for purposes of prostitution and child labour.

As a result, there is an urgent need for decisive action to address this growing menace in the state. Several stakeholders who spoke with LEADERSHIP Weekend highlighted the dangers of this practice, not only to the girl child but also to the state and society as a whole.

The first to express his concerns about this troubling issue is the President of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Rev. Dr. Amos Mohzo, who urged pastors to use the pulpit to raise awareness among their congregations about the increasing cases of child trafficking, particularly in Plateau State.
He noted that the sharp rise in child trafficking reports in the state is alarming, emphasising the need for church leaders to address families on the consequences of this immoral act and how it can be tackled.

Rev. Dr. Mohzo expressed concern over how some parents push their children to fend for themselves, which he pointed out exposes especially the girl child to the risk of prostitution. This, in turn, allows traffickers to exploit the situation, luring them to other states or even countries.

In his statement, he emphasised, “We are not lazy people to that extent in Plateau State, and as Christians, this should not be among us.”

In a related development, the Plateau State Government has accused certain lawyers, religious leaders, hospitals, and other institutions of being complicit in child trafficking within the state.
The state commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Panglang Dafur, made these remarks while inaugurating the state office of the Child Protection Network (CPN) in Jos. She highlighted that despite the government’s continuous efforts to combat child abuse in the state, some unpatriotic individuals, including influential figures, are obstructing these efforts.

We will prosecute anyone found guilty of child trafficking in any of the 17 local government areas of the state. This issue is not limited to individuals alone but involves institutions like schools, hospitals, and even legal practitioners. Unfortunately, some influential persons have been implicated in child trafficking, which is completely unacceptable,” stated Mrs. Panglang Dafur, the state commissioner for Women Affairs.

Speaking to our correspondent the state coordinator for the Child Protection Network,
Mrs. Sandra Chikan, highlighted the alarming rates of child molestation, abuse, and other related vices. She stressed the importance of collaborating with the state government to address these issues.
“This is the time to tighten our belts. We must unite and collaborate to tackle the pressing issues affecting our children. We can no longer afford to work in isolation; we must come together as a united front to confront this growing threat,” she said.

In Plateau State, a distressing reality persists, with many children falling victim to human trafficking. According to the state coordinator, some children in certain local government areas are falsely accused of witchcraft and subjected to severe mistreatment. In extreme instances, these children are even buried alive or killed.”Such acts are entirely unacceptable,” the state oordinator emphasised.

Recently, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) successfully rescued 14 children trafficked from Riyom LGA of Plateau State to Lagos. The children, aged between 13 and 17, were freed by NAPTIP’s zonal command in Ikeja, Lagos, following intelligence gathered from a reliable informant.

NAPTIP’s Plateau commandant, Adole Agada, handed over the children to the state government in Jos, ensuring their safe return.

He described the recent case as an outright case of child labour and exploitation, revealing that authorities acted upon a tip-off about three underage girls being trafficked from Plateau to Lagos. Following this lead, NAPTIP collaborated with relevant stakeholders to address the situation.
This latest operation comes on the heels of a previous rescue effort, where 10 Nigerian girls, aged 15 and 16, were freed from trafficking in neighboring Ghana, where they were being exploited for prostitution.

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, reported the successful return of 39 children who had been trafficked across various regions of the country.

The acting executive chairperson of the Commission , Barr Olivia Dazyam , told LEADERSHIP Weekend in Jos that the commission was able to bring back some girls trafficked to Ghana, while adding that the masterminds are standing trial.

According to her, the agency has secured its first conviction, where the perpetrators has been sentenced to prison.

In order to further nipped the menace of child trafficking in the bud, the Plateau State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Both Ends Believing (BEB), and Association of Orphanages and Home Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON), to create digital identity of children in orphanages in the state.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is focused on supporting efforts to find permanent, safe, and loving families for children living in orphanages.

Both Ends Believing (BEB), a global non-profit organisation, utilises a unique technology known as Children First Software (CFS) to help children in institutions reunite with loving families. Through this software, BEB enables government authorities to transition vulnerable children to environments that offer them the opportunity to thrive and grow within a supportive family structure.

Mr. Bruce Graham, President of BEB, and Gabriel Oyedeji, President of the Association of Orphanages and Home operators in Nigeria (ASOHON), commended the Plateau State Government for its commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable children in the region.

The two leaders emphasised, “Our goal is to integrate children into safe and loving families. We work towards creating digital profiles for children in institutions around the world.”

The officials noted that the new system would enable authorities to effectively track orphanages, as well as identify unregistered, closed, or non-existent homes. They stressed that this development would significantly build trust in the process.

Similarly, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, in his New Year’s address, issued a stern warning to those involved in child trafficking. He condemned the actions of individuals who have turned child trafficking into a business for exploitation within the state.

Governor Mutfwang emphasised that his administration would take firm and decisive action against anyone involved in this criminal activity. He also urged parents to take full responsibility for raising their children and protecting them from such dangers.

Last year’s festive season in Bayelsa State took a different shape as families cope with the challenges of inflation and rising living expenses. Before now, festive seasons were characterized by lavish celebrations and communal feasts, however, last year’s festivities are marked by low budget planning and creative approaches to sustaining the holiday spirit.

With the prices of essential goods such as rice, cooking oil, onion and protein at all-time highs, many Bayelsans have been forced to adopt innovative strategies to celebrate within their means. For many families, the rising costs have redefined how they approach holiday shopping. In Yenagoa, the state capital, bulk buying and cooperative contributions among colleagues and neighbours have become the norm.

A market woman, Mrs. Ebikepreye Tonye, explained how her group of friends pooled resources to purchase food items in bulk, securing discounts that would have been impossible for individual buyers.

“It’s all about teamwork now. We realized we could do more together than separately”, she said.

These cost management strategies also extended to gift-giving and holiday decorations. Instead of expensive gifts, some families embraced handmade items and locally sourced products while others embraced do-it-yourself approach to create their Christmas decorations.

Mr. Ebimobowei Benibo, a teacher, shared how his children used recycled materials to make Christmas ornaments. “This year, we decided to teach our kids the value of creating memories instead of focusing on material gifts,” he explained.

Additionally, community support has become a lifeline for many low-income households. Churches, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and local businesses stepped up to organize food distribution and charity events. The Izon Cultural Heritage Centre (ICHC) in Yenagoa, for instance, distributed essential food items to over 500 families in the area. According to the chairman of ICHC, Bodmas Prince Kemepadei, the initiative aimed to ensure that even those in remote areas, who might otherwise be excluded, could enjoy the festive season celebrations.

Also, an economist and lecturer at the Niger Delta University, who spoke on condition of anonymity, provided insight into the economic realities impacting the festive season in Bayelsa State. He highlighted the rising cost of goods and services in Bayelsa, which has significantly affected the purchasing power of residents. “This economic strain has limited the ability of many families to celebrate the festive season as they would traditionally prefer”, he said.

While the challenges are evident, the resilience and adaptability of Bayelsans demonstrate that even in tough times, the festive spirit can endure.

Amid rising concerns over respiratory infections and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreaks, public health experts have urged Nigerians to adopt stringent hygiene practices and other precautionary measures.

The call followed the HMPV outbreak in China and the seasonal spike in respiratory illnesses globally.

Tropical disease specialist, Prof. Wellington Oyibo, in an interview with LEADERSHIP, stressed the importance of personal protection, particularly for travellers, as a way to curb the spread of respiratory viruses.

“As they are going to the airport, they must have their masks and protect themselves. Maintaining hygiene and using the right masks are key steps to protecting oneself,” he said.

He reassured that while HMPV is not as deadly as COVID-19, it is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications in vulnerable groups such as children and older adults.

Highlighting Nigeria’s challenges with public health preparedness, renowned virologist Prof. Oyewale Tomori, while speaking to LEADERSHIP, criticised the country’s inconsistent approach to disease prevention and monitoring.

“We lack sustained preparedness. Each time an epidemic arises, it’s like we’re starting all over again. This approach leaves us unprepared for outbreaks like HMPV or even Lassa fever, which re-emerge yearly,” he asserted.

Tomori lamented the underutilisation of laboratories and health infrastructure built during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that many are now defunct. “Instead of maintaining these facilities, we let them go to waste. When the next crisis hits, we start from scratch, bringing in temporary laboratories that are unsustainable,” he said.

 

 

Amid rising concerns over respiratory infections and human metapneumovirus (HMPV) outbreaks, public health experts have urged Nigerians to adopt stringent hygiene practices and other precautionary measures.

The call comes in light of HMPV outbreak in China and the seasonal spike in respiratory illnesses globally.

Tropical disease specialist, Prof. Wellington Oyibo, in an interview with LEADERSHIP, stressed the importance of personal protection, particularly for travellers, as a way to curb the spread of respiratory viruses.

“As they are going to the airport, they must have their masks and protect themselves. Maintaining hygiene and using the right masks are key steps to protecting oneself,” he said.

He reassured that while HMPV is not as deadly as COVID-19, it is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications in vulnerable groups such as children and older adults.

Highlighting Nigeria’s challenges with public health preparedness, renowned virologist Prof. Oyewale Tomori, while speaking to LEADERSHIP, criticised the country’s inconsistent approach to disease prevention and monitoring.

“We lack sustained preparedness. Each time an epidemic arises, it’s like we’re starting all over again. This approach leaves us unprepared for outbreaks like HMPV or even Lassa fever, which re-emerge yearly,” he asserted.

Tomori lamented the underutilisation of laboratories and health infrastructure built during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that many are now defunct. “Instead of maintaining these facilities, we let them go to waste. When the next crisis hits, we start from scratch, bringing in temporary laboratories that are unsustainable,” he said.

Discovered in 2001, HMPV is part of the Pneumoviridae family and causes respiratory infections with symptoms such as fever, cough, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath. While mild in most cases, the virus can lead to severe complications, including bronchitis and pneumonia, especially among those with weakened immune systems. HMPV spreads through respiratory droplets and contaminated surfaces, with an incubation period of three to six days.

Reports from China suggest hospitals are overwhelmed with cases, and concerns over a mix of circulating viruses, including influenza A and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, have raised alarms. Although no official state of emergency has been declared, public health experts recommend heightened vigilance and adherence to preventive measures.

 

The public health experts both emphasised the importance of public health education and proactive measures to mitigate risks. Simple practices like washing hands with soap and water, covering the mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing, and self-isolation when sick can significantly reduce the spread of respiratory infections.

 

“With the flu season in full swing, we must prioritize preventive care,” said Oyibo. “Consistent hygiene practices and wearing masks can save lives, particularly in crowded spaces.”

 

The experts’ warnings serve as a timely reminder for Nigerians to take personal responsibility for their health while urging authorities to strengthen national preparedness for HMPV and future outbreaks.

Concerned Nigerians in the United Kingdom have raised the alarm over the rising cases of sudden collapses among their compatriots following the death of an international student, Ross, who died on December 29, 2024, after he allegedly slumped and lost consciousness.

TheNigerian Metro gathered from a GoFundMe account set up by Benedita Ross, the deceased’s wife, to raise at least £30,000 for either repatriating his body to Nigeria or burying him in the UK, that he had no pre-existing medical condition.

The message on the GoFundMe page by the widow, Benedita, read, “Ross died suddenly on December 29, 2024. He had no prior illness, collapsed, and passed away before an ambulance could arrive. He was an international student in South Wales, UK, and was set to graduate in January 2025.

“We humbly ask for support to enable his family to start his burial arrangements to either be buried back home in Nigeria or here in the UK. His young widow would need your support to care for the kids and meet their immediate needs.”

Announcing the death on X.com on Wednesday, the deceased’s sister, known as @iamwinyjoe, wrote, “It’s a dark day for my family. Our brother Ross passed away on December 29, 2024, without any prior illness. He died in South Wales, UK, as an international student and is survived by his wife, mother, three children, and siblings.”

She also expressed sorrow, noting that the deceased had “just brought his children to the UK last month,” leaving his young widow to care for three small children, and appealed for support from the community.

“They were meant to switch their visas to PSW, but with the main applicant gone and their study visa expiring this January 2025. The young widow is even more confused,” the bereaved sister added.

TheNigerian Metro learnt on Thursday that before Ross’s death, another UK-based Nigerian, Chinonso Ezeonwumere, an MSc Management student at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, also collapsed and died while waiting to resume work on October 7, 2024.

According to information on the fundraiser account, efforts by medical practitioners, officers from Hatfield Police Station, and security personnel to resuscitate Ezeonwumere after he collapsed were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead.

Information from the GoFundMe account set up to raise funds for the repatriation of Ezeonwumere’s body to Nigeria for burial revealed that he arrived in the United Kingdom in September 2023.

The GoFundMe note partly reads: “My name is Christian, and I am raising funds to support the repatriation and funeral expenses of my relative, Chinonso Ezeonwumere, who, like many other Nigerian youths, arrived in the UK in September 2023 to pursue an MSc in Management at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, England.”

“On October 7, 2024, Chinonso was reported to have slumped and died at his workplace while waiting to resume his shift. Efforts made by the medical practitioners, Hatfield Police Station officers, and security officers on site to resuscitate him all proved abortive. Chinonso’s hope and dream of a brighter future in the UK were cut short by his sudden demise.

A report by TheNigerian Online, published on March 6, 2024, revealed that a 37-year-old Nigerian woman, Chidimma Ezenyili, who had been working as a carer in the United Kingdom, collapsed on February 22 and passed away two days later.

The incident occurred while Ezenyili was attending to an elderly woman, Ian Hale, on Scott Road, which led to her collapsing while on duty.

Before migrating to the UK, Ezenyili was reported to have practised law in Nigeria. She had been caring for Hale for the past five months, alongside her husband, Friday.

Other Nigerians, such as Obinna Dominus (@dominuspapai), raised similar concerns on Wednesday, revealing that he had witnessed two additional Nigerians in the UK who collapsed but survived due to prompt medical intervention.

“I have two close family friends here in the UK. A lady collapsed at work and was rushed to the hospital. A cardiac-related issue; luckily she survived and got treatment. A guy, on his way to pee at home, slumped. Luckily, his wife was around to resuscitate him.”

A member of Nigerians in the UK, known as Young Neche, attributed the rising cases of collapses among Nigerians to the strain of “working morning and night,” adding that he “nearly lost myself in June” after starting a schedule of morning and night shifts from February but had to stop due to alleged health issues.

Another Nigerian in the UK, Ani Nelson, supported Neche’s statement, saying, “Trying to keep up with bills can drain you mentally, but people won’t understand what you’re going through.”

“This is what most of our people pass through outside the country,” Ugwuagbo Providence added.

Petrol has become unaffordable to ordinary Nigerians despite the availability of two facilities refining the nation’s crude oil. This has spiked inflation, making life difficult for the citizenry whose hope of cheaper fuels depended heavily on local refineries, DARE OLAWIN reports

Years ago, Nigerians were made to believe that the only road to affordable petroleum products was to have local refineries processing the country’s crude oil. It was argued that the price of premium motor spirits, otherwise known as petrol, would crash if the product were produced in the country, but that seems not to be the reality at this time.

When former President Goodluck Jonathan attempted to remove petrol subsidies in 2012, he faced strict resistance. There was a violent protest tagged ‘Occupy Nigeria.’ Then, the organised labour and members of the opposition rejected the decision, saying Nigerians could not pay N141 for a litre of petrol. One of the requests made by the protesters in 2012 was a revamp of the nation’s refineries and stop the importation of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, and others. The anti-subsidy removal protesters, many of whom are in the current government, said the locally refined petroleum products would be cheaper than the imported ones, so subsidy removal would not impact the price as envisaged. Jonathan bowed to pressure over his inability to revamp the refineries immediately, but   reduced the price to N97 instead of taking it back to N65 per litre.

In 2015, Muhammadu Buhari took over with a promise to fix the refineries before removing fuel subsidies. Though the prices of PMS went up close to N200 per litre under his watch, Buhari was very reluctant to remove subsidies because of the hardship this could inflict on the masses. The former president secured a $1.5bn loan to revamp the Port Harcourt refinery, which was not ready before he left office. However, the ‘clever’ Buhari shifted the subsidy removal burden to his successor as he made no provision for the same in the budget from June 2023.

When the incumbent Bola Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, he wasted no time declaring that “the fuel subsidy is gone.”

No sooner had Tinubu made the pronouncement than the country’s economic situation began a downward slide, changing for the worse. Filling stations, including the ones owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, raised the pump price of petrol above N500 per litre at the time. Some Nigerians, who had hoped that the new administration would turn around the situation positively, began to feel uneasy, though they were persuaded by the president, who stated that there would be gain after pain.

To the average Nigerian, petrol means more than what it is in other countries. The country’s economy depends almost solely on fuel. Both the rich and the poor need petrol for vehicles or to run engines for commercial activities.

In a country where over 85 million people have no access to electricity, petrol has always been the hope of the people, both the rich and the poor alike, to avoid darkness. Nigeria is also one of the largest markets for power generators in the world. With the current high cost of petrol, access to electricity has been reduced, especially in rural communities. According to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, with the high cost of petrol, an individual would need about N750 to generate 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity.

Similarly, those who don’t have reasons to buy petrol feel the impact of the price hike whenever they intend to use public transport because commercial drivers have repeatedly jerked up  transport fares, provoking a rise in the prices of items in the markets.

The masses’ worry was compounded about two weeks after Tinubu’s inauguration when he also floated the naira as the cost of petrol rose again upon the devaluation of the exchange rate. However, the NNPC quickly introduced subsidy payment through the back door. While the landing cost of petrol was around N1,200, the NNPC sold it at half the price, based on the promise of the Federal Government to pay the shortfall. For close to a year, the NNPC sold the product at about N600/litre, denying claims that it was paying subsidies.

Recently, however, the energy firm admitted to selling below the cost price. The national oil company admitted that it owed its suppliers. It stated this when there seemed to be no way out of the lingering fuel queues at filling stations in the third quarter of 2024.

“NNPC Ltd has acknowledged recent reports in national newspapers regarding the company’s significant debt to petrol suppliers. This financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the company, and it poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply,” Soneye said in a statement in September.

Soon after Soneye’s statement in the ninth month of the year, the NNPC raised the PMS pump price from N600 to N855/litre or more, depending on the location. This significant hike coincided with the unveiling of the Dangote refinery’s PMS, fuelling concerns about what the future held for Nigerians who had hoped that the private refinery would crash the price of the product. The price later rose to N1,100/litre, a development that has forced many vehicles off the road, deepening the country’s economic crisis.

Earlier, crude oil refiners had told The TheNigerian that local refineries in Nigeria would crash the price of petroleum products.

The Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria, Eche Idoko, explained in June that what happened to the cost of diesel after Dangote started producing it would happen to petrol prices once it is being produced massively in Nigeria. Idoko had opined that PMS would sell at the rate of N300 per litre when the Dangote refinery came on board.

“If we begin to produce PMS today in large volumes, provided there is adequate crude oil supply, I can assure you that we should be able to buy PMS at N300/litre as the pump price.

“Why make Nigerians buy it at almost N700/litre when you know that if you allow refineries to work, the price will come down? Is it because you want to satisfy the global refiners abroad that are making so much from us?” Idoko said.

According to him, the sale of crude to Dangote would crash the prices of diesel and PMS.

“There is every tendency that before December, diesel prices will drop further. The only reason why diesel is not below N1,000/litre is because of our exchange rate. If the exchange rate drops, diesel will drop below the N1,000/litre price. Now the exchange rate concern is because Dangote imports crude. If he is not importing, the exchange rate may not have so much effect, though he is still buying crude in dollars (in Nigeria) anyway.”

When the Dangote refinery began production, it faced serious crude challenges. The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; his vice, Davakumar Edwin; and other officials of the company repeatedly accused international oil companies of refusing to sell crude to the refinery, thereby impacting its ability to produce cheaper fuels for Nigerians.

The company also accused the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission of failing to effectively enforce the domestic crude supply obligation, saying it was allowing the IOCs to sell crude through their foreign agents at a premium. Officials of the 650,000-capacity refinery told our correspondent in June that crude shortage was the main reason why the refinery kept postponing petrol production.

Dangote also slammed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority for allegedly granting licenses for the importation of dirty fuel. In an attempt to defend the NMDPRA, the Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, irked Nigerians by saying the fuels produced by Dangote refinery and other local refineries were substandard compared to imported ones. Nigerians took to the media to bash the regulator. To the ordinary man on the street, some saboteurs would not allow them to enjoy cheaper PMS from Dangote. The support they gave to Dangote was because they thought the refinery would be a source of succour for them, but the reverse was the case.

To douse tension, President Tinubu waded in, approving the sale of crude oil to Dangote in naira. The President’s aide, Bayo Onanuga, who made the announcement in July, disclosed that the Federal Executive Council approved that the 450,000 barrels meant for domestic consumption be offered in naira to Nigerian refineries, using the Dangote refinery as a pilot.

Onanuga also revealed that the exchange rate would be fixed for the duration of the transaction. Again, Nigerians became optimistic that the pump price of petrol would go down, especially if the Federal Government directed the NNPC to fix the exchange rate for the naira-for-crude deal. Our correspondent gathered that the government did not fix the exchange rate as earlier promised, making Dangote buy Nigeria’s expensive sweet and light crude at the international rate, though in naira.

After much delay, the Dangote refinery started PMS production in September, and the naira-for-crude deal commenced in October. Similarly, the NNPC announced that the Port Harcourt refinery had begun crude processing in November. However, all these have not crashed the price of PMS to N300 or N600 per litre.

PMS expensive in Nigeria—Report

Data released by GlobalPetrolPrices.com recently showed that after the total stoppage of petroleum subsidies, Nigeria now has one of the highest petrol prices on the continent among key oil producers.

 GlobalPetrolPrices.com publishes wide-ranging and up-to-date information on retail energy prices around the world. The new information showed that among the top oil-producing countries in Africa, Gabon’s price came highest at $0.952, while Nigeria sold the product for $0.768 as of December.

Libya reportedly has the cheapest petrol price per litre of $0.031 in Africa and second globally. Angola also has cheaper fuel at $0.329. Egypt sells at $0.335 per litre; Algeria was selling for $0.343 per litre, while Sudan’s was $0.700, followed by Ethiopia at $0.718.

The report added that the average price of petrol around the world as of December was $1.24 per litre but with substantial differences in the prices among countries due to different taxes and levies.

“As a general rule, richer countries have higher prices, while poorer countries and the countries that produce and export oil have significantly lower prices. One notable exception is the United States, which is an economically advanced country but has low gas prices.

“The differences in prices across countries are due to the various taxes and subsidies for gasoline (petrol). All countries have access to the same petroleum prices of international markets but then decide to impose different taxes; hence the retail price of gasoline is different,” it added.

Globally, the report showed that Iran has the cheapest petrol price at $0.029, closely followed by other oil-producing countries like Libya, Venezuela, Angola, Egypt, Kuwait, Algeria, and Turkmenistan, among others, but Nigeria has a higher rate when it comes to petrol pricing.

Meanwhile, countries with the most expensive petrol prices per litre worldwide are Hong Kong at $3.31; Monaco at $2.24; Iceland at $2.20; Denmark at $2.05; Israel at $2.05; and the Netherlands at $2.05.

Dangote, NNPC ‘price war’

Lately, the Dangote Refinery and the NNPC appeared to have engaged in what some stakeholders described as a price war, slashing the ex-depot price of petrol below N1,000 per litre. As of the time of this report, most filling stations sell the product at N1,000, while a few sell above N900. However, this so-called price war did not push the cost to what Nigerians could afford in an oil-producing nation. At the moment, most Nigerians still believe they should not buy petrol above N500/litre.

A senior official of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chris Onyeka, said the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited did not deserve any applause over the recent reduction in the pump price of petrol. Onyeka argued that the current pricing mechanism did not reflect the true cost of the commodity.

“Do you want us to clap for them? How can we be okay with a price of N935/litre of PMS? This is not the right price for PMS. You cannot base the price on imported products when we have refining capacity in Nigeria,” he said.

It could be recalled that some marketers once threatened to import PMS and sell it at a price far below what was being offered by the Dangote refinery and the NNPC. In early November, marketers under the aegis of the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria said the association had struck deals with some international fuel suppliers to import PMS at a good price, adding that the product would arrive in Nigeria at a price around N800/litre.

Speaking further on the recent price drop, Onyeka argued that the costs embedded in the current pricing framework—including foreign labour, freight charges, insurance, logistics, and profits accrued abroad—unfairly burden Nigerians.

“Products are refined in Nigeria, yet the price you give Nigerians is based on imported products. Why should we applaud that? It is akin to someone stealing your money and returning only part of it, then expecting you to clap. We cannot applaud this,” he stated.

 Chairman, Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, said the reduced price of N935/litre was still expensive and unsatisfactory, noting that the government and private businesses could still give out free petrol to citizens.

“We believe that if NNPC and the private sector actually give out PMS for free, they will still not run their business at a loss, because the other derivatives of petroleum products can still serve them and can still make them break even. So, even at that N900 and something, it’s still expensive.

“We expected that PMS prices would drop below N200 when Dangote was to come on stream. So, it’s unfortunate that we are still talking about over N900, and they want us to jump up and rejoice for that. That is not satisfactory. They should just let us see the breakdown of their production cost and why it’s still there. I mean, there are countries like Libya under Gaddafi that gave out PMS for free, and they didn’t run anything at any loss. So, I believe that it can still go further down,” he said.

However, CORAN Publicity Secretary Idoko maintained that the price reductions were a testimony that the refineries were on the right path to bring down fuel prices.

Idoko insisted that the price reduction would continue provided the international price of crude remains stable as well as the exchange rate.

“As a matter of fact, we have started seeing the effect of local refining, at least from the refineries with both Dangote and the NNPC announcing a price reduction recently,” Idoko said, adding that “under the economy of scale, this price reduction would likely continue if the international price for crude remains stable and the naira continues to improve against the dollar.”

Asked if the masses should expect a reduction to N500/litre, Idoko retorted, “Well, we cannot tell yet. If the other variables that also affect the pricing of petroleum products reduce significantly, we would see a significant drop in price.”

Aside from the international price for crude oil and the foreign exchange rate, Idoko mentioned another variable as the continuation of the naira-for-crude arrangement, stating that ensuring crude is made available to local refineries will play a significant role in price rebates.

A professor of energy at the University of Lagos, Dayo Ayoade, expressed optimism that more competition is needed to drive the price down. He maintained that the Dangote refinery is more or less the only one producing optimally at the moment, saying the Port Harcourt refinery is yet to be fully on stream.

The don called for patience, saying the price would take time to experience any significant reduction. He maintained that two refineries are not enough to drive the prices down, asking what has happened to the Warri and Kaduna refineries. Ayoade stressed that investors would come to the downstream sector if the sector promised returns on investments.

“To drive the price down, you need competition, and when the local refineries start coming on stream, prices naturally will be low because it is about demand and supply. That’s the general economics of it. We have Dangote and Port Harcourt. The Port Harcourt refinery is not actually really online. Dangote is the one that is really producing, and the price is still high. It will take time for the price to come down; let’s not be in a hurry. In the long term, deregulation is in the interest of Nigerians to avoid the fraud that has been taking place in the downstream sector and to avoid policy flip-flops that have been destroying investments.

“When the sector is stable, we will attract foreign investments. People will invest in the downstream like in the upstream if they are assured of profit-making. So, there will be good news. BUA refinery will be online maybe next year or the year after. People should not worry; they should let other new refineries come on board. The more the refineries, the better for us. Now we can say we have a duopoly—two refineries. That’s not sufficient to drive prices down. What happens to Warri and Kaduna refineries?” the professor queried.

Meanwhile, as Nigerians lament Tinubu’s decision to suddenly remove subsidies, the president has said he had no regrets taking that decision immediately after he was sworn into office. Today, the president believes that the adoption of compressed natural gas would lessen the burden and give Nigerians cheaper and cleaner fuel, but the cost of converting a vehicle to CNG-compliant and the lack of refuelling stations have been a major hindrance. It appears Nigerians would still continue to buy pricey petroleum products except there is a miracle coming soon.

In their advice to the government, local refiners charged the federal government to peg the dollar at N1,000 for transactions done locally in the oil and gas sector, especially for the naira crude sale arrangement. This they said would enhance energy security and affordability.