The Lagos State Government has denied media reports that from October 2024, it would charge churches and worshippers in the state, who park vehicles on designated streets around places of worship.

In a letter addressed to the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Lagos State branch, the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) had informed the religious body that vehicles parked by churches and members on designated streets will be charged hourly.

The agency noted that indiscriminately parked vehicles will be enforced upon accordingly.

“I am directed to inform your revered organisation that LASPA will be commencing its on-street parking scheme at designated streets within the Lagos State metropolis.

“In view of this, I am using this medium to inform your eminence, that vehicles parked on designated streets by the church and its members, will be charged hourly and indiscriminately parked vehicles will be enforced upon accordingly.

“Consequently, we advise that this piece of information be adhered to as a law-abiding organisation,” the letter dated July 19 and signed by the Head of Operations of LASPA, Ayokunle Akinrinmisi, stated.

But in a statement, LASPA’s General Manager, Adebisi Adelabu, said the state is not imposing parking fees on churches or worshippers for parking on streets around religious houses.

According to her, LASPA is rather implementing the Lagos State Parking Policy to mitigate parking induced traffic congestion across the state.

“To clarify the matter, LASPA wishes to emphasize that this information is inaccurate and does not reflect the true intent of our communication. The Lagos State government is not imposing parking fees on churches or worshippers for parking on streets around religious institutions. Rather, LASPA is implementing the Lagos State Parking Policy to mitigate parking induced traffic congestion across the state.

“Like many other major cities worldwide facing similar challenges, Lagos is experiencing a high demand for parking spaces that exceeds available supply. Therefore, we are adopting a regulated on-street parking model to better manage parking resources efficiently,” Adelabu said.

She explained that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had early this year approved the introduction of regulated on-street parking, which was announced during a stakeholder’s forum held in February.

The LASPA boss stated that the state government has mapped roads for onstreet parking across major zones such as Ikeja, Surulere, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Lekki, adding that the letters sent to religious institutions were to notify them of their respective roles and the financial aspects of utilizing these designated parking lots.

“As part of our efforts to inform stakeholders, including religious organizations who were adequately represented at the forum, about the upcoming implementation in October, LASPA communicated with umbrella bodies representing these groups. One of such correspondences was referenced in a news release making the rounds.

“It is important to clarify that no specific religious group is being singled out by this policy. Our aim is to ensure all stakeholders are informed and prepared for the implementation of the regulated on-street parking scheme.

“Additionally, Lagos State Government has designated and lane-marked suitable roads for onstreet parking across major zones such as Ikeja, Surulere, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Lekki, creating approximately 1800 additional parking slots.

“The communication sent to religious institutions serves to notify them of their respective roles and the financial aspects of utilizing these designated parking lots. The management of these facilities will be overseen by concessionaires under the regulation of the Lagos State Parking Authority,” Adelabu added.

President Bola Tinubu has presented the state of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) report at the mid-year coordination meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana.

The mid-year coordination meeting, initiated in 2017, serves as the principal forum for the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to align their work and coordinate the implementation of the continental integration agenda, replacing the June/July summits.

This year’s meeting, themed “Educate and Skill Africa for the 21st Century,” brought together the Bureau of the AU Assembly, RECs chairpersons, the AU Commission, and regional mechanisms (RMs) on Saturday. 

In a statement on Sunday, Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, quoted Tinubu, who is the chairman of ECOWAS, as saying the community “has activated a standby force to counter-terrorism and will continue to explore funding options”.

He added that ECOWAS has actively supported member states in enhancing electoral and governance processes, recently deploying election observation missions to Senegal and Togo, both of which were deemed “peaceful, transparent, and fair”.

He highlighted the facilitation of the national unity agreement signing in Sierra Leone, while noting that ECOWAS will continue to work with stakeholders to implement the agreement’s provisions.

The president said consultations are ongoing to revise the ECOWAS 2001 Supplementary Protocol on democracy and good governance.

On economic integration, Tinubu stated that ECOWAS has consolidated the free trade area, customs union, and common market through various activities.

“We supported six Member States in ratifying the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, and thirteen Member States have ratified the AFCFTA agreement,” Tinubu said.

“The ECOWAS interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) is also operational in twelve Member States.”

On the humanitarian and social development front, Tinubu noted that ECOWAS has allocated $9 million to assist refugees, internally displaced persons, and asylum seekers.

“The frontline Member States in the fight against terrorism have also been supported with USD4 million under the ECOWAS Counter Terrorism Humanitarian Response,” the president said. 

“On education, the West African Network of National Academies of Sciences, and the African Forum for Research and Innovation have been established.

“Our regional academic mobility scheme has continued to equip the youth with practical skills and is harmonizing education systems.

“While in the area of health, ECOWAS continues to provide support to women with obstetric fistula, empowered women entrepreneurs in agribusiness, and focused on gender equality in education and the green economy.”

Tinubu highlighted progress in energy, mines, and agriculture, with ECOWAS advancing electrification efforts in The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, and Mali through the ECOWAS-Regional Electricity Access Project (ECOREAP).

“It is also implementing the Regional Off Grid Electricity Access Project (ROGEAP). Thirty-two Solar Off Grid SMEs have been approved, including nine SMEs led by women. A total of 3 million US dollars will be disbursed to finance the SMEs. More than 400 SMEs in 13 countries were trained in 2023 and 2024,” Tinubu said.

“To achieve sustainable electricity access within the ECOWAS and Sahel countries, we will provide a total grant of 38 million US dollars to SMEs in Member States. ECOWAS will extend this to Mauritania, Central African Republic, Chad and Cameroon through Commercial and Financial Institutions. An additional loan of 140 million US dollars will also be made available to the solar SMEs.

“Within the period under review, ECOWAS has supported Experts from Member States in international meetings and negotiations on environmental issues, including environmental governance. We provided support to our members in the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the establishment of a regional carbon market.

“With respect to food security, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved the instruments to operationalize the Regional Fund for Agriculture and Food (RFAF). A Regional Food Security was developed to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production.

“Furthermore, our support for pastoralism in the Sahel has targeted the improvement of animal health, with a record vaccination of over 490 million livestock. We have established common rules for controlling veterinary medicine products at borders. In addition, ECOWAS launched a project for Member States to access the Green Climate Fund. This will promote climate-smart agriculture through the use of technologies.”

Tinubu noted that the sixth legislature of the ECOWAS parliament elected Maimunatu Ibrahim, its first female President from Togo.

He added that the ECOWAS community court of justice reviewed fifteen new cases, held thirty-three court sessions, and delivered eleven judgments.

However, the ECOWAS chairman warned of multiple threats facing the bloc, including member states withdrawing, geopolitical rivalries, terrorism, food insecurity, climate change, and the spread of misinformation.

He assured that ECOWAS will continue dialogue with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to maintain unity and will convene a special extra-ordinary summit on the future of the community.

On the sidelines of the AU meeting, Tinubu held a bilateral meeting with Ismail Omar Guelleh, Djibouti president.

Kamala Harris, US vice-president, says she is honoured to be endorsed as the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party.

On Sunday, President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential race, saying his decision not to seek reelection is in the best interest of the Democratic Party and the country.

Biden subsequently endorsed Harris, adding that he has offered his full support to the vice president as a nominee of the party in the November 5 presidential election.

In a statement, Harris said she would “earn and win” the nomination, adding that she would work hard to unite the party and country to defeat Trump.

“On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country. His remarkable legacy of accomplishment is unmatched in modern American history, surpassing the legacy of many Presidents who have served two terms in office,” the statement reads.

“It is a profound honor to serve as his Vice President, and I am deeply grateful to the President, Dr. Biden, and the entire Biden family.

“I first came to know President Biden through his son Beau. We were friends from our days working together as Attorneys General of our home states.

“As we worked together, Beau would tell me stories about his Dad. The kind of father and the kind of man he was. And the qualities Beau revered in his father are the same qualities, the same values, I have seen every single day in Joe’s leadership as President: His honesty and integrity. His big heart and commitment to his faith and his family. And his love of our country and the American people.

“With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.

“I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination. Over the past year, I have traveled across the country, talking with Americans about the clear choice in this momentous election. And that is what I will continue to do in the days and weeks ahead.

“I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party and unite our nation to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.

“We have 107 days until Election Day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.”

Mr. Biden’s decision came four months before the country’s 2024 presidential election.

Joe Biden’s campaign has been thrust into pressure, as panic and worry about his election chances pour in from the highest levels of the Democratic party.

Below are some incidents and people who called for his withdrawal:

According to BBC, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had expressed concerns in private to Mr Biden about his candidacy.

His former running mate, former President Barack Obama, had reportedly said Mr Biden’s chances of winning the election have greatly diminished.

Why Biden should leave the race

On why he should quit, US senator Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat said it was time for Biden to “to pass the torch to a new generation”. Leaving the race, Manchin said, would allow Biden to focus on issues the president cared about, including helping Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion and ending Israel’s war on Gaza.

“He will go down with a legacy unlike many people, as one of the finest and truly a [patriotic] American,” Manchin said. “So, with that, I come with a heavy heart to think the time has come for him to pass the torch to a new generation,” he said during an interview on ABC’s This Week.

Similarly, a 6 July letter from high-ranking congressman Jamie Raskin, a Maryland representative, compared the president to a baseball pitcher whose arm has “tired out”.

Mr Biden, 81, has repeatedly and defiantly declared he is “not going anywhere”, urging his party to refocus on the task of defeating Donald Trump.

But the calls to exit are nearing a crescendo as Democratic politician, donors and voters speak out against the president’s candidacy.

Who wants Biden to go

Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol came out in growing numbers against the idea of Mr Biden staying in the race.

It began five days after the June 27 debate with Lloyd Doggett, a 15-term Texas congressman, who said that it was time for Mr Biden to “make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw”.

Mr Doggett, 77, who sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, said he respected “all that President Biden has achieved” but that the Democrat had failed to “effectively defend his many accomplishments” on the debate stage.

Only three members of the Senate publicly called for Mr Biden to drop out. They are Peter Welch of Vermont, Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Montana’s Jon Tester, who is fighting for re-election.
They have been joined by House colleagues including the likes of Adam Schiff, California’s likely next senator, and several members in tight re-election races of their own. The others are:

Raul Grijalva of Arizona, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Mike Quigley of Illinois, Angie Craig of Minnesota, Adam Smith of Washington, Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey, Pat Ryan of New York, Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, Hillary Scholten of Michigan, Brad Schneider of Illinois, Ed Case of Hawaii, Greg Stanton of Arizona, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Scott Peters of California, Eric Sorensen of Illinois, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state, Mike Levin of California, Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, Jim Costa of California, Sean Casten of Illinois, Jared Huffman of California, Marc Veasey of Texas, Chuy Garcia of Illinois, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Zoe Lofgren of California.

Biden quits presidential race

President Joe Biden bowed to pressure yesterday and withdrew from the United States Presidential race. 

He made the announcement on his X platform (former Twitter).

‘Heartfelt appreciation’

In his statement, President Biden thanked his Vice President Kamala Harris, saying she was an “extraordinary partner”.

“And let me express my heartfelt appreciation for the American people for the faith and trust you have placed in me,” his statement added.

“I believe today and always have: that there is nothing America can’t do – when we do it together. We just have to remember we are the United States of America.”

He wrote that he would address the nation on the matter next week.

Last week he returned to his home in Delaware after being diagnosed with Covid, but said on Friday he was looking forward to “getting back on the campaign trail next week”.

He has previously said only the “Lord Almighty” could make him withdraw, but then later said he would consider withdrawing if he had a health condition.

Responding on his Truth Social platform, Republican nominee Donald Trump said that Joe Biden “was not fit to run for President”

Biden endorses Kamala Harris as Democratic presidential nominee

In another development President Biden has endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris as Democratic presidential nominee.

In his statement Biden said: “My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. 

“My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made. Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this”.

Biden wasn’t fit to run — Trump

Reacting to Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 election, former President Donald Trump said his former opponent was “not fit to run.”

Trump, in a statement, said: “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was.

“All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t.

“We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. Make America great again.”

THE Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Owo in Ondo State, Revd Stephen Fagbemi, has lamented that the economic challenges in the country have left  Nigerians in pain and frustration just as he urged President Bola Tinubu to as a matter of urgency intensify efforts to address the security challenge and economic hardship facing Nigerians.

He stated this in his Charge delivered during the third session of the 14th Synod of the Church held at St Stephen’s Church, Ipele in Owo local government area of the state.

The cleric noted that the effects of the current economic hardship are real and painful.

Fagbemi said: “Unless urgent and effective steps are taken to curtail the effects of the current economic situation in the country, Nigeria may witness an uncontrollable rise in crime.

“Nigeria has become a harder place to live in as evident in the fact that many people are leaving the country for greener pastures while many are finding themselves in difficult situations where they fled to.

“Nigeria and its people have encountered acute economic hardship within the past year owing to the sudden removal of petroleum subsidy and due to devaluation and instability of the foreign exchange.

“The resultant effects of these actions are the harsh economic reality that Nigerians are facing daily. Inflation is almost out of control and prices of goods and commodities have risen astronomically.

“It has become hard for people to feed their families. Perhaps only very few wealthy individuals can claim to be comfortable at the moment.

“We urge our government to work harder at diversifying our economy. Already it is evident that unemployment is very high, as so many graduates are walking about without any job or means of livelihood. This makes the future look bleak and hopeless for many.”

He noted that despite the economic quagmire, Nigeria has continued to borrow while “the political class is not undergoing any serious economic adjustment as their monthly take-home which is humongous is a shameless inconsideration of the plight of their electorate.”

The federal high court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate cases of electoral violence, bribery, vote-buying, and conspiracy during the 2023 general election.

The judgment was delivered on Thursday following suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/583/2023.

The suit was filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

SERAP had sought for the prosecution of suspected perpetrators of electoral offences and their sponsors.

In a statement on Sunday, SERAP said the court ordered INEC to ensure the appointment of independent counsels to “investigate cases of electoral violence and other electoral offences against state governors and their deputies during the 2023 general elections”.

The court also ordered INEC to identify suspected perpetrators and their sponsors and ensure their effective prosecution.

Egwuatu asked INEC “to swiftly prosecute all arrested offenders in the 2023 general elections in the custody of the Nigeria Police Force, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and other law enforcement agencies”.

“I have compassionately evaluated the depositions in the affidavit of SERAP and I have no reason not to believe the depositions more so when there are documentary evidence in support of the depositions,” Egwuatu was quoted as saying.

“In the circumstances therefore, I find merit in the application. The sole issue of whether this Court ought to grant the relief of judicial review and orders of mandamus is resolved in favour of SERAP. Accordingly, I grant the prayers sought.

“Being citizens of this great country, SERAP and its members have the legal interest whose enjoyment or enforcement directly or substantially depends on the performance of public duty by INEC.

“In requesting the performance of the public duty imposed on the electoral body, SERAP has demonstrated a great zeal of patriotism.

“The substance of SERAP’s grouse is the violence associated with elections in Nigeria which tends to prevent citizens from exercising their franchise during elections, thus preventing credible election and in the long run credible leaders.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that electoral violence and the associated crimes committed during elections in Nigeria is a great bane to the development of this country both democratically and economically.”

The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, is expecting fresh reports to confirm the real sulphur content of the diesel produced by the Dangote refinery as the company debunked claims of inferior fuel production.

The NMDPRA spokesman, George Ene-Ita, in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, said the agency had done its job and would not engage in a media fight with anybody over the claims made by the NMDPRA Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, that Dangote’s diesel has more sulphur content than imported one.

According to Ene-Ita, the authority has about 15 engineers and scientists embedded in the Dangote refinery, whose fresh report about the refinery’s sulphur content will be out on Monday (today).

The PUNCH reported Ahmed as alleging that the diesel from the Dangote refinery contains high sulphur content.

Reacting to Dangote’s allegations that the NMDPRA was giving licences to some traders to import dirty fuel into Nigeria last week, Ahmed argued that it was the Dangote fuel that had a larger content of sulphur.

He also said the refinery, which has been selling diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria for months, had yet to be licensed, stating that it was still at the pre-commissioning stage.

“The claim by some media houses that there were steps to scuttle the Dangote refinery is not so. The Dangote refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage. It has not been licensed yet; we haven’t licensed them yet. They are still in the pre-commissioning. I think they have about 45 per cent completion,” Ahmed declared.

The NMDPRA boss warned that Nigeria could not rely heavily on the Dangote refinery for its fuel supply.

According to him, the refinery had requested the regulator to stop giving import licences to other marketers so as to be the only fuel supplier in Nigeria.

“We cannot rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop importation of all petroleum products, especially AGO and direct all marketers to the refinery, that is not good for the nation in terms of energy security.  And that is not good for the market, because of monopoly,” he stressed.

Speaking about quality, he said, “So, in terms of quality, currently the AGO quality in terms of sulphur is the lowest as far as the West African requirement of 50 ppm is concerned.

“Dangote refinery and some modular refineries, like Waltersmith refinery and Aradel refinery, they are producing between 650 to 1,200ppm. So, in terms of quality, their product is much more inferior to the imported quality,” he alleged.

Reacting during a tour of the refinery by members of the House of Representatives led by the Speaker, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, over the weekend, Dangote asserted that products refined at the world’s largest single train refinery are of superior quality compared to the imported fuel.

The speaker and other members had observed the testing of Automotive Gas Oil from two petrol stations alongside the same taken from the Dangote refinery.

The diesel samples were procured from two well-known filling stations near Eleko junction along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, by the lawmakers.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Downstream, Ikeagwunon Ugochinyere, and Chairman of the House Committee on Midstream, Okojie Odianosen, oversaw the collection of samples from the Mild Hydro Cracking unit of the Dangote refinery for testing of all the samples.

The Dangote laboratory tests were said to have revealed that Dangote’s diesel had a sulphur content of 87.6 ppm while the other two samples showed sulphur levels exceeding 1,800 ppm and 2,000 ppm respectively.

Dangote faults NMDPRA

Speaking, Dangote emphasised that the findings had debunked claims made by Ahmed that imported diesel surpasses domestically refined products.

The Africa’s richest man openly challenged the regulator to compare the quality of refined products from his refinery with those imported, advocating for an impartial assessment to determine what best serves the interests of Nigerians.

“We produce the best diesel in Nigeria. It is disheartening that instead of safeguarding the market, the regulator is undermining it. Our doors are open for the regulator to conduct tests on our products anytime; transparency is paramount to us. It would be beneficial for the regulator to showcase its laboratory to the world so Nigerians can compare. Our interest is Nigeria first because if Nigeria doesn’t grow, we have limited capacity for growth.

Dangote argued that the imported products being encouraged by Ahmed have failed in tests, saying most of the importers have fake certificates because the owners of the laboratories have been told what to write.

On the allegation of monopoly, Dangote said, “If you are saying how can Dangote alone supply the market, are you saying the N4bn that the NNPC spent now on the activation of their refineries in Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt is down the drain? Are the refineries not going to work? They have announced a date. If they are there, we cannot be a monopoly because we are not the only one; actually, they are more powerful than us. So, there is no way we can be a monopoly, it is not done.”

Speaking about the sulphur content, he added, “I am surprised for somebody to come and mention that we have a bad quality; we and other modular refineries. I can’t talk of the quality of the modular refineries, but our own today is 87ppm and by Monday, we will be at 50ppm, by the beginning of August, we will be at 10ppm.

“All the test certificates people are busy flaunting around today are fake. Where are the laboratories? We have the laboratory.

“The demarketing of a company by a regulator that he is supposed to protect is very very unfortunate. We produce the best diesel in Nigeria and if the regulator wants, he can come any time to conduct a test. I would like the media to show our lab and I would like the regulator himself to show us which lab is he using.  As a regulator, he is supposed to have a lab. If the regulator doesn’t have a lab, then we have an issue because he cannot rely on somebody. He is supposed to check us.”

However, while commenting on the claim that the Dangote’s diesel has 87ppm sulphur content, the NMDPRA spokesman posited that a lot might have changed within a space of five days.

“We are not fighting anybody. Dangote refinery is the same as an indigenous local refinery. We are regulators, we don’t fight in the media. We have done our job, and that is it.

“You know we are dealing with engineering and time, and when we deal with engineering and time, it means that whatever claims put forward can be put to test and verified or debunked. If you recall, the ACE made that pronouncement on the sideline of an interaction on Wednesday or so. Between that time and now, it’s been like five days, a lot can change. So, 650ppm or 500 can come down to whatever.

“What I am saying is that I can’t give you any verifiable result for now, being a Sunday evening, until perhaps tomorrow when we will be in a position to review our technical report that must have been submitted by our engineers who are embedded in that plant. What normally comes to us are weekly reports. These particular tasks are done across the week from Monday to Sunday; even now, operations are going on and our engineers are there. So, I can’t speak to the claims made by that refinery now,” Ene-Ita explained.

On the insinuation that ACE may be relying on a report from other laboratories to describe his fuel as inferior, he replied, “Of course we have laboratories all over the country. Does Dangote work in NMDPRA? He doesn’t work in NMDPRA.”

The NMDPRA official fumed over the allegation that the regulator was demarketing a company it should protect, wondering if Dangote wants the agency to bend the rules in his favour.

“Why should we protect any company? We are regulators, operations are going don’t protect anybody; we regulate operators. If he says protect, it means we are shielding. It means that we should bend the rules. We don’t do that, we regulate every company.

“And we don’t demarket, what does he mean? You only demarket your competitors to gain an advantage. We are not competing with an operator. The word, ‘demarketing’, is only used when two competing brands are fighting. We are not an operator; we are a regulator. How can we demarket? Please, I take exception to that, on behalf of my organisation. We are not demarketing anybody. We are regulating every local refinery, including NNPC,” he clarified.

When told perhaps the business mogul means the regulator should be boosting local refining capacity, he retorted, “That’s what we are doing. As we speak, there are over 15 engineers and scientists of the NMDPRA working with them for the last how many months. That’s how we get our reports. We have engineers and scientists there, who go there. That’s how we get them. That is why I keep on saying we don’t want to personalise this matter. We are working to see that the local refining capacity is booted to a point where we are self-sufficient in producing our fuel here.”

Dangote imports crude

Meanwhile, the Dangote refinery is in talks with Libya to secure crude for the 650,000 barrels per day plant and will also seek Angolan oil, a senior executive, Devakumar Edwin, told Reuters, as the refinery seeks to overcome problems with domestic crude supplies.

Since Dangote began operations in January, it has been unable to get adequate crude supplies in Nigeria, which, although Africa’s biggest oil producer, is struggling with theft, pipeline vandalism and low investment.

Dangote has resorted to importing crude from as far as Brazil and the United States.

“We are talking to Libya about importing crude,” Edwin told Reuters late on Saturday. “We will talk to Angola as well and some other countries in Africa.”

He declined to give details about the talks but said international traders and oil companies were among the biggest buyers of Dangote’s gasoil, much of which was being exported.

“The biggest off-takers are the two big traders Trafigura and Vitol and BP and, to some extent, even TotalEnergies. But all of them are saying they are taking it to offshore,” Edwin said.

Traders and shipping data have shown that Dangote is increasing gasoil exports to West Africa, taking market share from European refiners.

Dangote has said the refinery will begin the sale of Premium Motor Spirit in August, with a plan to stop the importation of refined fuel into Nigeria.

Marketers worried

However, Nigerians and marketers have been expressing concern over the ongoing controversies, especially after the regulator said the country would continue to import refined petroleum products into Nigeria.

The PUNCH recalls that while accusing the IOCs of plans to frustrate the refinery, the Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Edwin also accused the NMDPRA of granting licences indiscriminately to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country.

According to Edwin, the Federal Government issued 25 licences for the construction of refineries in Nigeria, but only the Dangote Group delivered on its promise.

The vice president noted that more than 3.5 billion litres of diesel and aviation fuel had been exported to Europe by the refinery in the past few months. The exported fuel, it was said, represented about 90 per cent of its production.

“The Federal Government issued 25 licences to build refineries and we are the only one that delivered on our promise. In effect, we deserve every support from the government. It is good to note that from the start of production, more than 3.5 billion litres, which represents 90 per cent of our production, have been exported. We are calling on the Federal Government and regulators to give us the necessary support to create jobs and prosperity for the nation,” Edwin stated.

It was alleged that even though Dangote was producing and bringing diesel into the market, complying with the regulations of the Economic Community of West African States, “licences are being issued, in large quantities, to traders who are buying the extremely high sulphur diesel from Russia and dumping it in the Nigerian market.”

Edwin lamented, “The decision of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in granting licenses indiscriminately for the importation of dirty diesel and aviation fuel has made the Dangote refinery expand into foreign markets. The refinery has recently exported diesel and aviation fuel to Europe and other parts of the world. The same industry players fought us for crashing the price of diesel and aviation fuel, but our aim, as I have said earlier, is to grow our economy.”

He noted that because the refinery meets the international standard as well as complies with stringent guidelines and regulations to protect the local environment, it has been able to export its products to Europe and other parts of the world.

“It is regrettable that in Nigeria, import licences are granted despite knowing that we can produce nearly double the amount of products needed in Nigeria and even export the surplus. Since January 2021, ECOWAS regulations have prohibited the import of highly contaminated diesel into the region,” Edwin stated.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians online have called on President Bola Tinubu to relieve the NMDPRA chief executive of his job for saying the fuels produced by local refineries are inferior to imported ones.

Also, the House of Representatives said the allegations would be investigated.

Josephine Adeh, police public relations officer (PPRO) in the FCT, has lamented that “the rate at which Nigerian men break women’s hearts is saddening”. 

The FCT police PRO expressed her displeasure over failed relationships in Nigeria via a post on X.

Adeh said most of the cases she is attending to lately are related to women being jilted by men — although she did not provide sufficient information to back her claim.

She described the situation as “distasteful” while urging men not to “get into a relationship if you don’t want anything serious”.

“It’s distasteful to lead a woman on and then break her heart. The rate at which men are doing this is saddening. Most of the calls I receive these days are from women sharing their experiences in tears. Men, please, don’t start a relationship if you don’t want anything serious,” she wrote.

Also airing his opinion via the tweet’s comment section, Bright Edafe, the Delta state police PRO, claimed most ladies go into relationships with “too many expectations”. He also argued that women who date internet fraudsters are bound to be jilted.

“I feel women gets into relationships with too much expectation. Most women are not ready to invest in men. Already made men. And secondly, if you are in a relationship with a Yahoo boy, forget it, you are single. Meanwhile, you know I can’t break your heart sha,” he wrote.

US President Joe Biden has officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him as President of the United States.

The announcement came, few minutes after Biden revealed he would not seek reelection due to health concerns and a recent COVID-19 diagnosis.

“My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best decision I’ve made.

“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” Biden said in a statement on X.

Harris, who has been a loyal supporter of Biden’s agenda, is now poised to become the Democratic Party’s frontrunner for the 2024 presidential nomination.

Her campaign has gained significant momentum in recent weeks, with many describing her as a “natural heir” to Biden’s legacy.

The marginal rise in crude oil production in June 2024 increased Nigeria’s earnings from crude oil sales by about N91bn in the same month.

Latest oil production data obtained from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, an agency of the Federal Government, indicated that Nigeria’s oil production rose from 1,251,494 barrels per day in May to 1,276,159 barrels per day in June, representing an increase of 24,665 barrels daily.

This implies that the country pumped an additional 739,950 barrels of crude oil in 30 days in June.

The average price of Brent, the global benchmark for crude, was $82.25/barrel in June 2024, according to data from countryeconomy.com, an international analytical firm.

Also, the average exchange rate of the United States dollar in June, according to exchangerates.org, was N1,489.88/$.

Therefore by increasing oil production by 739,950 in 30 days, Nigeria’s earnings rose by $60.86m, an equivalent of N90.67bn in the review month.

Further analysis of NUPRC’s data showed how the country’s crude oil production fluctuated in the first half of 2024.

Nigeria produced 1,426,574 barrels of crude oil daily in January, but this dropped to 1,322,208 barrels per day in February and further declined to 1,230,518 barrels in March.

The downward trend was halted in April as the country produced 1,281,478 barrels of crude per day in that month. This was, however, not sustained as crude oil output from Nigeria dropped to 1,251,494 in May, before rising marginally to 1,276,159 in June.

The low crude oil production from Nigeria has remained a source of worry for operators in the oil sector.

Findings by our correspondent, as reported recently, showed that Nigeria failed to meet the crude oil production quotas approved by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries all through 2022 and 2023 and had been unable to meet those approved since January 2024, worsening the oil supply crisis to indigenous refiners.

OPEC is an intergovernmental organisation that enables the cooperation of leading oil-producing and oil-dependent countries to collectively influence the global oil market and maximise profit.

Refineries in Nigeria, including the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery, as well as modular refiners, have been starved of adequate supply of crude required for the production of refined products such as Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, Automotive Gas Oil or diesel, and JetA1, otherwise called aviation fuel, among others.

They called on the Federal Government to work harder in partnership with International Oil Companies to ramp up Nigeria’s crude production, stressing that the lack of crude has remained a disincentive to investors, particularly those interested in modular refineries.

However, data obtained from NUPRC indicated that crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and force majeure at two key terminals, among others, stopped the country from meeting various OPEC oil production quotas, hence making it tough to get crude to local refineries.

Had Nigeria met its crude production quotas, it would have earned more United States dollars by exporting the commodity. Crude export is Nigeria’s major source of earning foreign exchange required to boost its foreign reserves.

Also, had the country produced enough crude for domestic refining, it would have been able to reduce the cost of refined petroleum products, cut down on the importation of PMS, save the dollars used in importing these products, and create jobs, among other benefits.

However, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, recently declared that the government had awarded a $21m contract to meter all 187 crude oil flow stations in Nigeria to properly account for what the country produces and exports.

He also said the government awarded another contract for software to enable the government to monitor the movement of Nigeria’s crude from the point of loading of every cargo in Nigeria up to the cargo’s destination.

Lokpobiri, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, stated that the initiatives would further give clarity on the volumes of crude produced in-country as well as the amount exported to other nations.

He said, “The Federal Executive Council meeting was held, presided over by Mr President, where we took bold steps to reorganise the oil and gas sector. One of the key approvals by the Federal Executive Council has to do with awarding a contract for the metering of our 187 flow stations across the Niger Delta region of Nigeria by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

“NUPRC is the apex regulatory agency or commission for the Nigerian oil and gas upstream sector. As part of our steps to ensure that we have proper accountability, the Federal Executive Council approved the metering of all our production. We have 187 flow stations in the country, and there was a contract awarded for us to meter all the flow stations so that we’ll be able to properly account for what we produce and what we export.

“It’s a major development that has never happened in this country. This project is meant to be completed within six months, within 180 days. And Nigerians must know some of the key steps that this government is taking to ensure that we maximise opportunities that other countries are getting by the availability of oil and gas in Nigeria.”