During Nigeria’s First and Second Republics, not many people had faith in the country ’s judiciary. To start with, court cases dragged on for too long; making it practically impossible for litigants to enjoy the fruits of judicial victories. In other cases, many criminals were set free on account of some technicalities couched in Latin that ordinary people never understood. Part of the assignments of some transition bodies set up during military rule was to educate Nigerians on the dangers of extra- judicial activities. But if the truth must be told, it has been quite difficult to persuade politicians to follow the ser- mons on the rule of law which seem to provide inconsequential efficacy.

Years ago, there were Nigerian politicians who had no patience for a long wait to take a seat in parliament when they could have been returned unopposed even before voting by merely organising thugs to kill their opponents. However, political assassinations have reduced considerably since 1999 but they have been replaced by a new design by which the judiciary is used to win cases, especially election petitions. The danger is that those who are unable to command what it takes to manipulate the judiciary may, as time goes on, be forced to return to such evils as assassinations while proclaiming that their ambition is not worth the blood of fellow citizens. If this must be prevented from recurring, there is no better time than now to stop our judges who speak in tongues while on duty.

In Nigeria today, every court judgment or judicial pronouncement is often subjected to multiple interpretations by the different parties in a case. This usually happens when two or more courts with coordinate jurisdiction give contradicting rulings on the same case. Another aspect is when some courts grant daily ex parte orders despite the repeated caution of the Chief Justice of the Federation against such behaviour. At the same time, there is the issue of jurisdiction which should ordinarily not be difficult to ascertain; yet, many courts hear and determine several cases where the law states clearly that they have no jurisdiction. When that happens, all we hear is that those adversely affected should go on appeal. But can the judiciary not stop it from happening at all?

If a layman does not know the court which has jurisdiction to hear his case, are his lawyers and the judge to whose court the case was assigned also ignorant of the law? This question and some others that many of my readers have asked me in the last one month and which I obviously have no answers for are raised in this piece in the hope that someone can help me out. The first set of questions I received had to do with the reinstatement of Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II of Kano. Whereas the federal court presided over by Justice Abdullahi Liman nullified the reinstatement of the Emir, a state high court, presided over by Justice Aminu Adamu Aliyu, issued a restraining order preventing the police, the DSS and the military from forcibly re- moving Sanusi 11.

What explains why both a state and a federal high court located in the same city were both hearing the same case is the issue of jurisdiction which is essentially one of the mysteries of our legal system. It is only a court that can de- termine whether it has juris- diction over a case or not de- spite what the law says. Those who believe that Justice Liman had no jurisdiction argued that the case of Emirship being a chieftaincy mat- ter ought to be a state affair. But then, Jurisdiction in Nigeria is more than mathematics hence the pro-federal judge claimed that those dis- placed by the new Kano chieftaincy law were bothered about their fundamen- tal human rights which they think explains the interest of the federal judge.

The only other persons who understand the issue of jurisdiction between the state and federal courts are our lawmakers who in their own self- interest ensured that the federal high courts were so empowered especially in political matters. While the rest of us are bothered that there is some confusion in the system, our legislators are comfortable. This is because once a federal legislator sees the need to institute a case, it is the federal high court that first occurs to him because it can be difficult getting justice from a state high court which a state governor has control over. In other words, confusion in our courts was deliberately planted by politicians hence judgments in those courts are always communicated in such a way that they can be interpreted to suit any party’s position.

If applied to the lingering case between the executive and the legislature in Rivers State, it is easy to see every party interpreting last week’s judgment of the Court of Ap- peal on the fate of majority of the lawmakers as it suits them. The decision of the court which was in favour of the Amaewhule-led legislators said nothing about the real subject in contention. Instead, it nullified the previous contrary order on the grounds that the state high court which earlier determined the case had no jurisdiction. But the real issue of whether or not speaker Amaewhule and his colleagues had lost their seats for decamping to another party is yet to be resolved.

Also last week, an Abuja federal high court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwogave a judgment concerning the Edo PDP governorship primaries that everyone is still busy debating. The real order made by the court was that certain lawfully elected delegates must not be excluded from the party’s primaries scheduled for February 22, 2024. How does anyone understand such an order to be carried out concerning an election that had already been conducted some 5 months ago? What would the court have lost if it had declined to make such an academic order which had been overtaken by events? While some people would have appreciated the need to penalise a careless political party, there is doubt if such an intention would have made sense considering the position of the law on internal matters of a political party

If it is true as some critics have argued that the litigants being delegates and not aspirants ought not to have been allowed to bring up such a case, what public good was served in dealing with the case at all? Talking about the public good what exactly are our courts enjoying in the unending litigations that distract governance? The judiciary as an arm of government cannot be exculpated from blame if it does not work together with other arms of government to assist Nigeria to attain good governance that can improve the living standards of the people. For example, it is clear that asking parties to maintain status quo is severally interpreted to suit each person’s wish. If so, of what use is a jargon if all those to whom it is addressed, do not have same meaning for it?

Considering the level of confusion that the term status quo has been causing in society by those who are exploiting it, is it not time for judges to clearly spell out the true position they want par- ties to maintain? No one needs to be a professional communicator to recognise the defect in using a term that is subject to more than one meaning. In other words, engaging in effective communication can easily enhance the prospects of relevant actors in the justice delivery system attaining greater professional competence. As it is today in Nigeria, it is difficult to make the average citizen to comprehend the rationale for certain judgments even if translated into local dialects of the people. The real problem is that there is too much of working to the answer especially when compared with other cases with similar facts.

The trend whereby Nigerian court judgments are never self-explicit is worrisome as the trend continues to adversely affect the image of our judiciary that was in times past internationally respected. Painfully, majority of our judges who have continued to perform well are watching helplessly as a few of their colleagues are holding high an inglorious emblem on behalf of all. If per chance any law enforcement agency invades judges’ home again in search of different currencies, no one should be surprised if it elicits public applause across the nation.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked INTERPOL in three North African countries of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria to watch-list former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, it was learnt at the weekend

It was further learnt that the decision by the EFCC was based on credible intelligence.

Other countries where the ex-governor is put on the watch-list are Egypt, Libya and Sudan. 

Sources in the anti-graft agency said many option are on the table in dealing with the Bello situation, which include but not limited to storming the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, where the ex-governor is believed to be hiding.

The watch-list was activated ahead of the July 17th expected appearance of the former governor before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Bello is facing a 19-count charge for alleged money laundering, breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds  of about N80.2billion.

Although the ex-governor has denied the allegation, he has consistently failed to appear before the trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite on June 13th and June 27th.

At the last hearing, he filed an application for the transfer of his trial to the Federal High Court, Lokoja.

Speaking in the situation, the EFCC source said: “Ahead of the next hearing of the case, EFCC has activated many options, including taking a concrete action to watch-list Bello in North Africa.

“We are aware of a botched  exit to Morocco via Cameroon. We are determined to stop him from going on exile.

“From Singapore, the EFCC Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede was in Tunisia where he delivered a paper at a session on illicit financial flows. Thereafter, he had a meeting with all the Heads of INTERPOL in North Africa on the intelligence on the ex-governor.

“He formally asked INTERPOL to place  Bello on Red Alert in all North African countries and it was accepted.

“The watch-list has taken immediate effect. He will be arrested in any part of North Africa.

“We took this step because we are suspecting that he had been bidding time not to be available for arraignment.

“We expect Bello to be in court to prove his innocence. EFCC has to do its work to avoid bad precedent.”

At the last hearing, Bello’s lawyer, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), applied to withdraw his appearance for his client.

But Adedipe drew the court’s attention to an application before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the transfer of charge no: FHC/ABJ/CR/98/2024 to the Federal High Court, Lokoja.

He said the application was pursuant to Section 45 of the Federal High Court Establishment Act.

[TheNation]

The United States President Joe Biden faces a critical week Monday that will test his standing at home and abroad, as moves to force him to quit his fight for a second White House term gather pace.

The 81-year-old has so far defied calls to step aside after a disastrous debate against election rival Donald Trump last month threw into stark relief fears that he is too old to serve as president until 2029.

Allies have warned he needs to do more to convince his party and the public that, as he insists, only he can beat Trump at the ballot box.

“This week is going to be absolutely critical,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told CNN on Sunday. 

NATO leaders will also need reassurance as they gather in Washington for a summit this week, with many European countries fearful of a Trump victory in November.

The 78-year-old Republican has long criticized the defense alliance, voiced admiration for Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, and insisted he could bring about a quick end to the fighting in Ukraine.

After a barnstorming day of campaign events in swing state Pennsylvania Sunday, Biden has no public events scheduled for Monday, which he is expected to spend preparing for the summit.

First Lady Jill Biden, a fierce defender of the president, is scheduled to campaign for him instead in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina.

And Democratic lawmakers will return from a brief recess to Capitol Hill under pressure to either fall in line behind the president or urge him to step aside.

Tuesday, when the NATO summit begins, could prove a turning point: Democratic congressmen are expected to hold their regular caucus meeting, which may see the drumbeat of dissent that has dogged Biden since the debate intensifies.

Clock ticking for Democrats –

In recent days, five Democratic lawmakers have publicly called for him to drop out of the race, while party stalwarts such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have said that questions about his health are “legitimate.”

On Sunday four senior congressmen said on a call with party lawmakers that it was time for Biden to bow out, according to US media.

With election day just four months away, the clock is ticking on any move to replace Biden as the nominee, and Democrats will be scrutinized for any signs of more open rebellion.

As for the public, Biden’s next major test before the increasingly unforgiving glare of the cameras is set to be a press conference on Thursday, during the NATO summit.

On Friday he picks up the campaign trail once more, heading for the battleground state of Michigan, before going to his beachside home in Rehoboth, Delaware.

Biden and his team appear determined to dig in for the siege, with the campaign unveiling an intense schedule for later in July, including an avalanche of TV spots and trips to key states.

But Democrats who have lost faith warn that the threat of a second Trump presidency — one in which, among other things, he has threatened to target “the enemy within” — makes the stakes too high to take any chances.

“There’s only one reason” the race between Trump and Biden is close, Democratic Representative Adam Schiff told NBC on Sunday.

“And that’s the president’s age.”

AFP

Fuel scarcity is gradually surfacing in Lagos and other parts of the country as private depot owners hiked the ex-depot price of petrol from N630 to N720 per litre.

This came as fuel scarcity deepened in Abuja and the adjoining states on Sunday with some filling stations dispensing PMS as high as N900/litre.

Our correspondents report that a number of filling stations in Lagos, Ogun and some states have run out of stock as they refused to buy high-priced fuel from the private depots.

Speaking in an interview with one of our correspondents on Sunday, the National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, said many filling stations did not open for business because they had no fuel in their tanks.

“Those that shut their stations do not have fuel to sell. When you don’t have fuel, you cannot open your station. That is the problem. You know the NNPC is the sole importer of this product. I think it is in the best position to tell us what is actually going on.

“Currently, independent marketers cannot buy what the private depots are selling. They are selling fuel between N715 and N720 per litre. How much will marketers sell the product? Look at the cost of bringing it to their depots; with transportation and other depot expenses, it will be too costly for them. That is why the stations are shut down. Some marketers refuse to go and buy because they know the masses cannot afford high-priced petrol in this economy. That is the situation for now,” the IPMAN leader stated.

Our correspondents learnt that the third parties, who are private depot owners, used to sell PMS to independent marketers at the rate of N630-650/litre before now, while the NNPC sells petrol to major marketers at a price below or around N600.

On many occasions, leaders of IPMAN have appealed to the NNPC to supply them with petrol directly like they do to major marketers, but the NNPC has yet to yield to that call.

Fashola appealed to Nigerians to avoid panic buying, saying they should buy what they need so that the fuel in circulation could go round.

It was gathered that the major marketers sold petrol below N650 while the independent marketers sold between N750/litre and N800 /litre.

Multiple officials confirmed to one of our correspondents that officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited stormed the various depots in Apapa on Friday, mandating depot owners to prioritise fuel supply to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where the fuel queues were initially noticed on Friday.

Abuja prioritised

On Saturday and Sunday, many trucks were reportedly directed to Abuja to reduce the queues in the FCT, leaving Lagos and other places with little supply.

One of the officials disclosed that the NNPC was rationing PMS to depots due to the fuel supply gap.

This is coming barely three days after a report by Reuters claimed that Nigeria’s debt to suppliers of Premium Motor Spirit had surpassed $6bn, doubling what it was since early April, as the NNPC struggled to cover the gap between fixed pump prices and international fuel costs.

Although this was denied by the NNPC, the Reuters report stated that the national oil company began struggling early this year when late PMS payments surpassed $3bn.

The company, it said, had yet to pay for some January imports which traders put between $4bn and $5bn.

“The only reason traders are putting up with it is the $250,000 a month (per cargo) for late payment compensation,” one industry source said.

At least two suppliers were said to have stopped participating in recent tenders after hitting self-imposed debt exposure limits to Nigeria, meaning they will not send more PMS until they receive payments.

It was reported that Nigeria’s tenders to buy gasoline in June and July were smaller, traders told Reuters. NNPC will import via tender about 850,000 tonnes in July, according to the Reuters report quoting sources, down from the typical one million tonnes in previous months.

Meanwhile, PUNCH findings show some marketers have refused to supply petrol to independent marketers, who own the larger percentage of the filling stations in Nigeria. This, it was gathered, was because the depots/marketers were getting limited supplies from the NNPC.

“Currently, we focus on our filling stations. We get less than 50 per cent of what we usually get from the NNPC now. So, we make sure we feed our stations first before we consider selling to independent marketers. That is why most of them are out of stock. You know they don’t have access to the NNPC and the little we get is not even enough for our stations,” one of the depot operators told The PUNCH on condition of anonymity because was not authorised to speak on the matter.

The operator mentioned that the few depots selling to IPMAN members sell at higher prices as demand overshoots supply.

Our correspondents report that queues were returning to Lagos as of Sunday, creating fears among residents, who have yet to forget the fuel scarcity that almost grounded the economy in May.

When our correspondent visited some fuel stations across the state, it was observed that some fuel stations had adjusted the prices of PMS upward.

The PUNCH reported that fresh queues for the product surfaced in Abuja, parts of Niger and Nasarawa states on Friday, following the closure of many filling stations operated by independent marketers.

Dealers closed their retail outlets due to their inability to access petrol as a result of the hike in the ex-depot price of the commodity to N710/litre by private depot owners.

Motorists besieged the few stations that dispensed petrol on Friday; particularly those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and some major oil marketers in Abuja and neighbouring states.

It was noted that the situation was extending to Lagos. Out of about 10 fuel stations along the Ikotun to Egbeda axis, only about two stations were dispensing at the time of filing this report.

At Ikotun, one of the outlets belonging to the NNPC that was selling for N568 per litre had long queues while others were not dispensing. At the Igando-Ikotun axis, only an outlet belonging to Petrocam sold at N820 per litre.

Long queues

The PUNCH also observed that an outlet belonging to TotalEnergies along Mushin Road, in Isolo, sold fuel at N615 per litre with a long queue of waiting buyers.

Meanwhile, a Technoil filling station at Isolo Bustop was not selling fuel at the time of filing this report. Also, the NNPC filling station on the same axis that sold for N568 per litre was crowded with cars.

Our correspondent further observed that there were no fuel attendants at an AP filling located along Okota Road, as the outlet was closed at the time of filing this report.

Al Morouf filling located along Ilasa Road only sold to a few customers.

 A motorist who simply gave his name as Mr Emmanuel Anyebe, said, “They said they have removed fuel subsidy and by that, we assumed that what happened in the telecommunication industry would happen to the oil and gas sector, but it didn’t. It is not as if there is scarcity, there is no scarcity anywhere. I asked at the fuel station why the queue all they could say was that they had not been able to get the product. He said that about six tankers they ordered in the last two weeks were only able to get one tanker delivered to their station. This is just unnecessary suffering that is how I see it, they suffer people and waste people’s time unnecessarily.”

The PUNCH gathered that the AP Fuel Station at Ilasamaja experienced intermittent fuel sales on Sunday.

The station sold fuel in the morning but stopped operations in the afternoon, resuming sales later in the evening. Customers willing to pay a premium could purchase five litres of fuel at a rate of N4,000.

“We sold at N615 per litre today but we have stopped for now. However, if you are desperate, we can sell to you at a higher rate,” a customer attendant at the AP Fuel Station revealed.

Meanwhile, the General Fuel Station in Sadiku had no fuel available when visited by our correspondent, exacerbating the fuel scarcity crisis in Lagos.

A motorist simply identified as Segun in Nepal, Akowonjo, Lagos State, told our correspondent that he purchased fuel at the rate of N650, adding that the queue was becoming unbearable.

 “I paid N650 per litre, and it is annoying because I have been buying it like this for the longest time, and I think the government needs to do something about it, but then again, we have no choice.

A commercial driver, Timothy stated that he purchased fuel at Petrocam in Ikeja for N670.

He said, “Things keep increasing, the dollar is high, and all these producers are storing the fuel somewhere. They even mentioned that the prices might be higher.”

In Ogun State, checks by our correspondent revealed that petrol was sold between N700 to N800 amid long queues.

Our correspondent learnt from a resident, Emmanuel Ogbonna, that Ebefem fuel station in Abeokuta dispensed petrol at the rate of N720.

Emmanuel decried the difficulties experienced in getting petrol as there seems to be a return of fuel scarcity.

Emmanuel said, “I bought fuel at N720 in Ebefem filling station. There was no queue at the time I visited the station but major fuel stations like NNPC were not dispensing fuel when I visited yesterday (Saturday) evening. It seems petrol is scarce.”

A fashion designer in Abeokuta who identified himself as Ibrahim told our correspondent that he purchased the product at the rate of N750 at a private fuel station.

“My apprentice got the fuel at N750 at Oyinkansola. This is affecting my business.”

Further checks in the Oloka area of Imeko-Afon revealed that petrol was dispensed at N850 per litre.

A resident, Ade Akinola, told our correspondent that petrol was dispensed at the rate of N850. He blamed the Federal Government’s decision to ban the supply of petroleum products within 20 kilometres of the nation’s borders.

Akinola said, “Over the years, petroleum products have been expensive in border communities because of the 20km ban on the supply of crude to the nation’s border.

“As of today (Sunday), the last filling station permitted to dispense petroleum products sells fuel at N850. In places like Ilara which is the border town, petrol sells for N1,500 per litre. This is making life tough for residents of border communities.”

Ado-Ekiti stations

Our correspondent reports that many of the petrol stations in Ekiti State, particularly in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, have not been dispensing fuel to customers in the past few days.

At the few stations where the product is sold, there are long queues of vehicles especially where the price per litre is a bit low.

On Saturday and Sunday, the filling stations sold for between N650 and N760 per litre.

A motorist, Olaniyi Olaogun, said, “We have been in this fuel situation for some days now and nobody is ready to give an explanation. I bought fuel on Saturday at N650 per litre at a filling station in the Adebayo area of Ado-Ekiti. The queue there was unbelievable at that amount.

“It is only NNPC that sells at N580 per litre, others are above N600 per litre. I know NNPC along Iworoko Road sold at N580 per litre on Friday,” he said.

Another car owner, Mrs Lydia Igbala, said she bought fuel at N750 per litre and N760 per litre at different locations in the state capital on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

In Kwara, The PUNCH gathered that there was availability of PMS in Ilorin, on Sunday as most of the stations were selling fuel to motorists. However, the prices ranged from N600 to N750 per litre in most of the petrol outlets.

The AP filling station at Murtala Mohammed Road, a major commercial area in Ilorin, dispensed fuel at N620 per litre while MJK in the same area sold at N750. The MRS located on Unity Road sold at N600 per litre while Abanik at Sawmill sold at N660.

Shafa station sold at N700 per litre; Rain Oil at Asa Dam road and Lao area respectively were selling at N720 per litre; Tigress at Odota sold at N750 per litre, while Bovas sold at N670 per litre in all its stations located in various parts of the metropolis.

However,  the price of diesel at stations that have supply ranged from N1,450 to N1,700 per litre while kerosene was sold at N1,650 per litre.

In Benin, Edo State, independent marketers sold PMS between N700 and N730 per litre, while the major marketers sold between N660 and N680.

Our correspondent reports that the prices were higher in Edo North with a litre going for between N730 and N900 by the Independent marketers who are mostly in that area. In Edo Central, a litre sold for between N750 and N850 on Sunday.

The NNPCL fuel station sold PMS at N591 per litre, but motorists had to queue for long hours to buy the product.

It was learnt that the NNPC filling stations in Rivers State were selling fuel for N591. However, others sold between N750 and N760 as of Sunday.

Sokoto

Long queues of motorists resurfaced at the mega station of the NNPC in Sokoto State as fuel scarcity hit the state. Our correspondent who monitored the development gathered that only the NNPC station sold the product at N620 naira per litre.

Other fuel stations that sold fuel between N720 and N750 before now sell between N850 and N900, depending on the filling stations.

In Kaduna, fuel is sold between N720 and N800 along the Sabon-Tasha expressway by Command Junction, in the southern part of the state.

At the NNPC Mega stations along Stadium Roundabout and Aliyu Makama Road by Living Faith Church, Barnawa, fuel was being sold at N620 per litre but with a long queue.

At the black-market rate, motorists buy a gallon of petrol at N4,000 and N4,500 depending on the locations within the Kaduna metropolis and its environs.

NNPC spokesperson did not immediately respond to calls and messages seeking reaction on the developments on Sunday

Abuja scarcity lingers

Meanwhile, some filling stations in locations far from the city centre of the FCT dispensed Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, at N900/litre on Sunday, as the scarcity of the commodity lingered in Abuja and neighbouring Nasarawa and Niger states.

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Hundreds of motorists besieged the outlets operated by big dealers such as Nipco, Salbas, and Conoil, among others, to get the product at between N660/litre to N690/litre, whereas smaller stations operated by independent marketers sold the product at higher rates.

One of the remote stations along the Kubwa Village market road dispensed its product at N900/litre and had fewer queues compared to those at the few outlets of major dealers that sold petrol on Sunday.

Attendants at the Kubwa facility confirmed the position that was earlier stated by the National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, that the ex-depot price of petrol had been increased to N710/litre at depots.

“The price of petrol at depots is now more than N710/litre. You have to pay for transportation to bring it from Lagos, Port Harcourt or Warri to Abuja, That cost has to be factored in. There are other operational costs to include too.

“When you add all this, there is no way you will sell at even N800/litre and be able to get a sensible margin. This applies mainly to independent marketers who operate smaller stations.

“For the major marketers, some of them have their private depots, so they can afford to sell at lower prices,” an attendant who simply identified himself as Austin, stated.

The IPMAN president had earlier told our correspondent that some dealers closed their retail outlets due to their inability to access petrol as a result of the hike in the ex-depot price of the commodity to N710/litre by private depot owners.

He said private depot owners had raised the ex-depot price of PMS to N710/litre, whereas the pump price of the commodity at NNPC retail stations was N617/litre.

Maigandi said, “The current situation is a result of the way private depot owners have been selling their products. It has been very difficult for independent petroleum marketers to get the product and sell it in Abuja and neighbouring states, as well as in other states in the North.

“So the queues you are seeing now are because of the cost of PMS by private depots. The private depots are selling at N710/litre, but if you check the price of the same product at NNPC retail outlets, it is N617/litre.

“Therefore, by the time we independent marketers buy from private depots and bring it to our filling stations, we will not be able to sell our product because our cost price is already so high, while the cost at NNPC retail outlets is far lower.

“And you know that when we buy it at the rate of N710/litre we have to add transportation cost again because there is no equalisation. And when we add the cost of transportation, the pump price is going to be higher than the N710/litre ex-depot price, whereas NNPC stations sell at N617/litre.”

Maigandi explained that because of the widespread number of stations operated by IPMAN, any distortion in the supply of products to members of the group would eventually lead to fuel queues because major marketers and NNPC stations are fewer in number.

On whether IPMAN members cannot get direct PMS supply from NNPC, instead of buying the product from private depots, he replied, “That is what we have been negotiating with them (NNPC), and they promised us that they will start giving us our allocation.

“They have started but the quantity is small compared to the number of retail outlets operated by IPMAN nationwide. We are getting products from NNPC, but the volume is too small for our members.

“So we are requesting additional volumes because in Abuja alone we have over 250 retail outlets belonging to IPMAN members. This is just for Abuja, we’ve not talked about Niger, Kaduna, and other states in the North, not to talk of the number nationwide.”

Maigandi, however, stated that the queues for petrol were not pronounced in remote villages, adding that “when you go to the villages you will see that there are no queues.”

[Punch]

JUNE 2024. Festivity was in the air. Professors and students, staff and high class visitors were in attendance. The highlight was a first class dinner. Africa’s book factory, Professor Toyin Falola, flew into the country to deliver the farewell lecture. It was all in honour of Professor Abd-Rasheed Na’Allah, out-going Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, UNIABUJA. But, trust spoilers.

They are never far away from festivities. As the wining and dining went on with fine speeches seeing off the VC at month end, students of the university were lamenting the N500 daily they pay to charge their cell phones. It was the second week the university had been plunged into darkness. It was not that the university is new to power outages, but this particular one had lengthened to pay farewell to Professor Na’Allah.

 UNIABUJA claims it is “the model University in Nigeria (and) a pride of Nigerians and in the provision of higher education”. I am amazed it achieved these and attained such lofty heights while enveloped in darkness.

UNIABUJA students are quite measured: they can live under any condition. But not so the students of the University of Benin, UNIBEN. Confronted with the same circumstances, they took to the streets, blocking the busy Benin-Ore Highway to protest weeks of electricity cut. The students were two weeks away from their examinations, yet had no electricity to study after lectures. They demanded a 24-hour electricity supply. The authorities could not meet the demand, so they shut down the university.

While professors in other countries are professing and advancing the frontiers of knowledge, their counterparts in the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, are lamenting the lack of electricity to do basic work. So, 40 of them signed a petition last week asking the Visitor, President Bola Tinubu, to intervene given the centrality of electricity supply to the operations of the university. They stated what appears to be the obvious. That a university with an average total annual budgetary overhead grant of N150 million, cannot pay an electricity bill of N3.6 billion. The egg heads calculated that if the bill were to be transferred to the 50,000 students of the institution, charges would need to be hiked by over 500 per cent.

The professors suggested alternatives. Government could pay for the cost of electricity as part of its overhead grant or, use its 49 per cent shareholding in the electricity companies to direct them to supply universities uninterrupted power supply in exchange for tax credits. A third suggestion is to mandate the electricity companies to introduce a dedicated social tariff band with rates the universities can afford.

The government’s response is uncertain, but I assume that the university still has many moons to go: producing first class materials without the benefit of electricity supply. Is it for nothing our national anthem proclaims ‘Nigeria, we hail thee’?

The University College Hospital, Ibadan, founded in 1952, is the pioneer teaching hospital in the country. Its 1,000 beds makes it one of the biggest hospitals in the country.

The legendary UCH proclaims, like Ozymandias: “We are the flagship tertiary healthcare institution in Nigeria, offering world-class Training, Research and Services.” It even has a Department of Nuclear Medicine, that branch involved in the use of radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, including nuclear imaging. Short of witchcraft, how can the UCH perform all these, including blood storage and endless operations, with power outages and even conscious power disconnections? The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company had for several days, disconnected UCH from the electricity system for owing N400 million.

Six years ago, the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi-Araba decided to check power cuts by imposing an N11,000 electricity levy on each student. When the students refused to pay, the tertiary health institution reduced power supply to four hours daily. But mass protests led the authorities to seek other ways of reducing the power outages.

The first generation University of Nigeria, UNN, was by 2018 producing about 10,000 first degree graduates and 3,000 higher degrees. But its power outages were between 48 and 120 hours weekly. Sometimes, power cuts lasted a whole week. So, small or micro generators began to pollute the campus.

The Federal University Kashere, FUK, Gombe State is in an area with sweltering temperatures. So, the authorities supply the hostels two hours of electricity daily. The students in most cases pay commercial centres to charge their phones and laptops.

But these power cuts to universities, lasting weeks at a stretch, is like child’s play when compared to the case of the Kaduna State University, KASU. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, branch Chairperson, Peter Adamu, who made a diagnostic analysis, said the situation, like advancing cancer, had gone from intermittent and epileptic to a total blackout. It became so bad that the Kafanchan campus had no electricity supply for over seven months! Adamu described the atmosphere in the university: “There is a feeling of pessimism, hopelessness, despair, despondency and dissent premonition that if the management of the university did not redouble their efforts, the end to this ugly situation might not be palatable.”

The miracle is that KASU, which is like a patient on life support, is still breathing and giving birth to new graduates and post- graduates!

Power failures, I must say, is not just a disease of public universities, the private ones also suffer it. For instance, the students of the American University of Nigeria, AUN, on April 24, 2024 staged peaceful demonstrations against persistent power cuts. To assuage the students anger, school authorities gave an assurance of a minimum five-hour power supply daily until public power supply is restored. They also shifted the commencement of examinations and, agreed to halt regular teaching to give the students more time to study.

Anybody who does not believe academics, staff and students can perform miracles, should visit Nigerian universities.

Electricity is central to the operation of universities, polytechnics and technical institutions. It is necessary for the running or functioning of equipment. It is fundamental to learning, industrialisation and development. So, running tertiary institutions with little, epileptic or no electricity, is nothing short of the miraculous . But it is not a lesson other institutions outside Nigeria want to learn from or experiment.

Do our universities deserve what they are getting having failed to find solutions to the country’s problems, including electricity generation and distribution? Or, does the country deserve the universities it has for not providing even the most basic needs like electricity? On the other hand, do they deserve themselves? But this is no time to trade blames. Rather, it is the time to put our hands on the plough and let there be light.

The brewery industry is now facing severe cost pressure as prices of local raw materials rise astronomically undermining their backward integration strategy.

Industry stakeholders said the cost pressures coming from sorghum, wheat and others would remain elevated, driven by the impact of rising inflation, insecurity across agricultural belts in the country as well as other macroeconomic challenges.

The brewers had embraced a backward integration strategy to help them save money against imports due to exchange rate volatility.

However, the strategy has now started failing with local raw materials expenses by leading brewers increasing 113.6 per cent to N188.0 billion at the end first quarter of 2024, Q1’24, from N88.0 billion a year earlier, Q1’23, and the industry interim reports have indicated further rises in Q2’24 with no respite projected for this year.

Industry experts are now worried that the failure of the policy would lead to a return of massive importation of raw materials despite the foreign exchange implication.
This development, they also believe, amounts to another blow to Nigeria’s industrialization and employment generation.

Meanwhile, Vanguard findings have also shown that under the rising cost pressures, the top four leading Nigeria’s breweries resorted to bank loans to support cash-flow thereby accumulating credits amounting to N812.7 billion in the first quarter of the year, Q1’24.

The amount indicates almost 29 percent increase in borrowing quarter-on-quarter.

Financial information from the four leading manufacturing companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, shows that the finance cost (interest on borrowing) jumped by 191.2 percent to N125.5 billion in Q1’24 from N 43.1 billion in the corresponding period of 2023, Q1’23.

The affected companies are Nigerian Breweries Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, International Breweries Plc, and Champion Breweries Plc.

Commenting on the challenges facing the manufacturing sector in general, Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote raised the alarm over the latest interest rate of 30 percent which came at the backdrop of the hike in Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, as announced by the nation’s apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, saying that it is detrimental to businesses in the country, adding that manufacturers cannot cope with it.

According to him, “But as all of us can testify, our manufacturing sector has declined over the years, and has largely failed to provide the jobs it was expected to create for our teaming youths. It has also increasingly lost the strong linkages it once had with our agricultural and mining sectors which, if it had continued would have resulted in increasing food security, and energy self-sufficiency.”

However, despite the hike in the price of their products, there has not been respite yet for the industry as cost of sales and economic hardship escalates resulting in huge losses recorded by major brewers both in the full year 2023 and in the Q1’24.

The rising inflation, declining purchasing power, naira depreciation coming along with scarcity of foreign exchange, hike in petrol prices, and higher tariff for electricity, among others, have compelled the brewery industry to increase the prices of their products to remain afloat.
But the industry analysts fear that the product price hikes imposed by the breweries may further reduce the demand for the products.

Losses

Meanwhile, the challenges have led the brewers to a combined loss after tax amounting N169.7 billion in the Q1’24, a massive 1034 percent rise from N14.9 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2023, Q1’23.

In the Q1’24, the brewery industry recorded a combined Foreign Exchange, FX, loss of N272.9 billion, indicating a mind-blowing 1342 percent rise from the N18.9 billion they recorded in Q1’23, largely induced by the impact of the devaluation of the naira on their foreign exchange transactions from raw materials among others.

Also the industry’s cost of sales soared by 250.9 percent to N278.5 billion from N79.3 billion in Q1’23, while the net finance cost soared by 616.1 percent to N191.2 billion from N22.7 billion in Q1’23.

Increase in price of products

Nigeria’s inflation as of May this year stands at 33.95% according to National Bureau of Statistics, NBS. The brewery sector players are responding to this, by raising the price of their products.

Vanguard’s finding has shown that major brewery companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX have raised prices of their products either directly or indirectly more than three times in one year and some twice in the first half of this year.

For instance, International Breweries Plc has raised the price of its products two times this year. Just, in April this year, the company announced that its product price would increase with effect from June 1, 2024.

The notice, which was signed by its District Manager, West, Mr Hans Darfour, noted: “All orders created in the system before 23:59 hours of February 29, 2024, will be charged at the current prices.

“All invoices issued by (or after) 00:00 hours of March 1, 2024, will have the new prices, without any exceptions.

“The price on the invoice will depend only on the time and date of invoicing, regardless of when the order was placed. “We urge all our business partners to follow this price chain to keep up with the excellent sales growth in past months and, at the same time, maximise your profits.”

Guinness announced a notice for its increment titled, “Price increase by Guinness Nigeria Plc – Selected Brands,” signed by its Commercial Director, Mr. Olusanya Adesanya, stating: “Following the prevailing economic realities which have impacted significantly on the costs of our production materials and cost of doing business, this is to inform you that we plan to take a price increase on selected Stock Keeping Units, SKUs in our Beer and MSS category.

“This new price structure will be effective from Wednesday, March 13, 2024, and further details will be communicated subsequently.”

Nigerian Breweries Plc approved a second price change in February, 2024 according to information from sources close to the firm.

International Breweries said it has increased prices of its various product offerings in Nigeria. The brewer said in a statement that reviewing prices in its portfolio has become necessary due to current market realities, and was done to serve its customers better.
Head of Sales of the company, Olaleye Abimbola, disclosed that it is confident that the decision to review the prices benefits all its partners.

Fallouts

In response to the difficult operating environment, Nigerian Breweries indicated plans for a company-wide re-organisation as part of a strategic recovery measure.

A letter signed by Nigerian Breweries’ Human Resources Director, Grace Omo-Lamai, and sent to the leadership of the National Union of Food, Beverage & Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE) and the Food Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), stated that its proposed plan would include a temporary suspension of operations in two of its nine breweries. As a result, and by labour requirements, the company invited the unions to discussions on the implications of the proposed measures.

Commenting, Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans Essaadi said: “We recognise and regret the impact that the suspension of brewery operations in the two affected locations may have on our employees. We are committed to limiting the impact on our people as much as possible by exhausting all options available including the relocation and redistribution of employees to our other seven breweries, and providing strong support and severance packages to all those that become unavoidably affected. We are also committed to supporting our host communities in ways that ensure they continue to feel our presence.”

Guinness Nigeria Plc, in Q1’24 recorded a loss after tax of N56.4 billion, and FX loss of N 37.0 billion.

Analysts’ comments

Analysts at Cardinalstone Research, while commenting on Guinness’s performance said: “We expect cost pressures to remain elevated, driven by the impact of rising inflation on locally sourced raw materials (e.g. sorghum) and foreign exchange volatility on imported products, notably the international premium spirits portfolio. Given that raw materials make up over 50.0% of the cost of sales, we envisage a compression in gross profit margin to 32.0% in full-year 2023/24 as against 34.1% in full-year 2022/23.”

Reacting to the development in the brewery industry, Clifford Egbomeade, Economy and Communications expert, said: “The poor performance and losses in the brewery industry in Nigeria can be attributed to various factors. One major challenge is the intense competition in the market, with several local and international players vying for a share of the market.

“The industry has also been affected by the harsh economic climate in Nigeria, which has led to a decline in consumer purchasing power and a shift towards affordable alternatives. Moreover, the industry has been impacted by the increase in excise duties and taxes, which has raised production costs and forced some brewers to increase prices. The industry has also been affected by the ongoing forex crisis, which has made it difficult for brewers to access foreign exchange to import raw materials and equipment.

“Unfortunately, some brewery companies in Nigeria might face closure or consolidation due to the challenging market conditions. Already, some breweries have begun to downsize or halt production, leading to job losses and economic hardship for affected communities and citizens alike.

Commenting also, David Adonri, analyst and Executive Vice Chairman, High Cap Securities Limited, said: “Their fortunes worsened after the government floated the Naira last year as many of them suffered FX losses that caused their balance sheets to become negative. Also, due to galloping inflation that had eroded the purchasing power of consumers and the high cost of production which has priced their products out of the reach of many consumers, the profitability of brewing companies has evaporated.

“Many consumers can no longer afford drinks manufactured by breweries. Due to consumer resistance, many traders in brewed drinks are suffering from loss of income. The quantum of tax that the government usually collects from breweries can no longer be assured. Many direct and indirect jobs have been lost due to the crisis in the brewery industry. The overall impact on the economy is the decline of the contribution of the industry to GDP.”

In his recommendation, he said: “ To avoid shutting down, many breweries are trying to re-capitalize to boost their working capital and extinguish short-term liabilities. IB Plc is currently running a Rights Issue while NB Plc is expected to hit the capital market very soon to raise capital. The breweries understand the huge potential of the Nigerian market and are determined to weather the storm. They know that the challenges are temporary and that their businesses will boom again when the economy rises to the new price level.”

 [Vanguard]

Forty-eight students from 16 higher institutions in Nigeria have qualified for the finals of the maiden edition of University Duel. 

University Duel is a competition for undergraduates to test their ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges.

The 48 students were selected from 167 applicants from over 50 higher institutions — public and private — across Nigeria who participated in a series of tests.

The qualified schools earned their qualifications after presenting their top students in science, technology and innovation. The students competed for the four available spots per category.

According to the results, the University of Lagos (UNILAG), represented by Ogunyemi Oluwatobi, Mulero Raphael, and Okeke John-Paul, took the overall top spot with an average score of 93.3 percent. Covenant University, represented by Chukwuma Gift, Kayode Toluwani and Afinotan Alero, placed second with an average score of 91.3 percent.

The Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) scored 84 percent, the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) earned 82.7 percent, the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) gathered 82 percent, while the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) had 80.7 percent.

Other qualified schools are the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), University of Port-Harcourt (UNIPORT), Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Lagos State University (LASU), Kaduna State University, Achievers University, Bells University of Technology and Veritas University, Abuja.

Oladapo Ojo, chief content developer at DM Holdings and executive producer of University Duel, said television stations nationwide will air the finals.

“We are incredibly proud of the performances of the students on the University Duel 2024-25 who have demonstrated outstanding intellectual prowess and hard work to reach the finals, which will be filled with a great learning experience for all as this will be beamed live on TV/Digital,” he said.

“University Duel is a platform that celebrates the passion, ingenuity, and dedication of Nigeria’s future STEM leaders. This competition will not only highlight the academic excellence within our universities but also foster a spirit of camaraderie and prepare students towards a great career after graduation. University Duel will also connect with the alumni and the general public, thereby producing the next generation of scientists, engineers and Innovators.”

The date for the commencement of the competition is yet to be announced.

[TheCable]

The year 2023 will likely be remembered as a tumultuous one for Nigeria’s economy, with companies facing challenges such as exchange rate depreciation, rampant inflation, and weakening purchasing power.

Despite these obstacles, corporate Nigeria continued to provide services, pay salaries, contribute taxes, support local communities, and reward shareholders with dividends.

In navigating these economic challenges, the Managing Directors (MDs) and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Nigeria’s listed companies played a crucial role. These executives were responsible for steering their organizations through both successes and difficulties, making decisions that often led to either praise or scrutiny.

Nairametrics’ research reveals that the highest-earning MDs and CEOs amassed a combined total of N7.9 billion in 2023. This represents a significant increase from the N4.227 billion combined salaries in 2022, reflecting a notable rise of N3.749 billion.

Whilst some of the companies they oversee reported massive losses due to exchange rate depreciation, they did deliver higher revenue growth leveraging on adaptive marketing and operational strategies.

A review of revenue figures shows that around 30 leading Nigerian companies reported a combined revenue of N11.4 trillion in 2023, up from N9.1 trillion in 2022. This growth spans multiple industries, including consumer goods, industrials, technology, oil and gas, and agriculture.

Commercial banks also performed well, with the top 10 listed banks, including the FUGAZ group, reporting N11.6 trillion in gross earnings, driven largely by significant forex gains.

In the following sections, we explore the profiles and earnings of the highest-paid MDs and CEOs in Nigeria for 2023, offering insights into the strategies and achievements that contributed to their impressive remuneration.

A former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has accused the ruling party of failing to deliver its campaign promises to Nigerians.

According to Lukman, the failure of the APC has surpassed that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was ousted in 2015.

Recall that former President, Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP lost the 2015 presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari and has continued to govern the country.

However, amid the numerous challenges facing the country at the moment, Lukman, in a press release handed to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, expressed concern over the current state of affairs in the country.

The former Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) criticized the APC for failing to fulfil its promise of leading the fight against corruption, instead allowing corruption to thrive and endorsing the concept of ‘state capture’ across various levels.

“What were the failings of the PDP? The failings of the PDP are reflected in the same way today’s challenges are manifesting. If the truth is to be told, whatever the failings of the PDP in 2015, it was less grievous than what it has become under APC in 2024,” Lukman noted in the press release.

He said: “What is the future of democracy in Nigeria? Is there any prospect that it can produce leaders who are responsive to national challenges? Being responsive is basically about ensuring that public expenditures are oriented to tackle challenges facing citizens. What are the challenges facing Nigerians today? Poverty, unemployment, insecurity, drugs and substance abuse, millions of out-of-school children in the North, etc. Not to mention the additional problems of inflation and the crash of the value of incomes, especially in the last year under the leadership of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Although some officials of the government of President Asiwaju Tinubu have attempted to explain the current hardship Nigerians are facing with reference to the bad economy inherited from the previous administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the reality is that both are APC Governments. If anything, APC became very popular in Nigeria on account of the failings of the PDP. What were the failings of the PDP? The failings of the PDP are reflected in the same way today’s challenges are manifesting. If the truth is to be told, whatever the failings of the PDP in 2015, it was less grievous than what it has become under APC in 2024.

“No doubt, former President Buhari had his problems as a leader. However, whatever was estimated to be his failure should be the shared responsibility of APC leaders in varying degrees, including President Asiwaju Tinubu. No leader of APC should attempt to distance himself/herself from the failure of the Buhari era, certainly, not President Asiwaju Tinubu. In one way or the other, APC leaders, without exception, are ‘beneficiaries’ of the Buhari era, just as some of them could claim to be victims. On balance however, APC leaders benefited more from the Buhari era than being victims. At least electorally, former President Buhari made it possible for APC to defeat the PDP. Without former President Buhari, the defeat of the PDP in 2015 would have been almost impossible, and by extension, arguably, it would have been difficult, if not impossible, for President Asiwaju Tinubu to become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Unfortunately, having defeated the PDP in 2015, the APC failed to produce the needed collective leadership required to manage the machinery of governments produced by the party at all levels. Gradually, APC succeeded in turning democracy on its head. Instead of producing democratic leaders, elected leaders increasingly became emperors and overlords. State machinery became captured and privatised to almost exclusively only serve the interests of elected representatives.”

[NaijaNews]

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced that students enrolled in 36 state-owned tertiary institutions can now apply for student loan effective from Sunday, July 7, 2024.

NELFUND said the management of the institutions had successfully submitted their student data to the NELFUND Student Verification System (SVS).

This was contained in a post made at the Fund’s X handle on Sunday.

Recall that the management of the Fund has postponed the application for the loan by two weeks for state-owned institutions on the ground that many of them failed to upload the required student data and fees information to the NELFUND Student Verification System (SVS).

The Fund however urged all other state-owned tertiary institutions to submit their complete student data to the NELFUND Student Verification System timely to enable their students benefit from the scheme.

Meanwhile, students from the following  state institutions can now apply for the loan: Adamawa State University, Mubi; Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri; Borno State University; Mohammed Lawan College of Agriculture, Borno State; Edo State University, Uzairue; Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti; Gombe State University; Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe University, Imo State; Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo; Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Zaria; Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano; Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina; Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management; Kebbi State University of Science and Technology Aliero; and Confluence University of Science and Technology, Kogi State.

Others are Lagos State University of Education; Lagos State University; Nasarawa State University, Keffi; Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State; University of Medical Sciences, Ondo; Osun State University; University of Ilesa, Osun State; GTC, ARA Osun State; Taraba State University, Jalingo; Umar Suleiman College of Education, Gashua Yobe State; Zamfara State University, Talata Mafara and few other GTC institutions in Osun State.

[DailyTrust]