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$900m FG bond: United Capital leads with 180% subscription

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Forex Market - Dollar

$900m FG bond: United Capital leads with 180% subscription

United Capital Group has successfully led the issuance of Nigeria’s first-ever Domestic FGN US Dollar Bond, securing more than $900 million in funding with over 180 per cent subscription. The bond program, with a 9.75 per cent yield, attracted significant interest from local and international investors, including Nigerians in the diaspora, institutional investors, and non-resident Nigerians, highlighting confidence in Nigeria’s economic growth potential and financial markets.

The bond will be listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and FMDQ Securities Exchange and proceeds from the issuance will be used to fund key infrastructure projects in critical sectors of the economy.

Commenting on the achievement, Chief Executive Officer of United Capital Group, Peter Ashade, said, “The successful issuance of Nigeria’s inaugural Domestic FGN US Dollar bond is a significant milestone for both the country and United Capital. This transaction aligns perfectly with our vision of transforming the African financial landscape. By providing access to innovative investment opportunities, we are empowering investors and contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth.”

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On his part, the Managing Director of Investment Banking at United Capital Gbadebo Adenrele, described the transaction as a “landmark moment for Nigeria’s capital market.” He added, “As a pioneer in this class of transactions, United Capital has laid the foundation for more significant capital raises by the Nigerian Government, other African sovereigns, and major corporate issuers.”

United Capital was the Lead Issuing House and Coordinator for the transaction, with Africa Finance Corporation serving as the Global Coordinator. Other firms involved include Meristem Capital, Stanbic IBTC Capital, Vetiva Advisory, and several other financial institutions and legal advisers.

This bond issuance reinforces United Capital’s position as a leading player in Africa’s financial markets, following recent successes like the listing of Transcorp Power on the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the issuance of Sierra Leone’s first local currency corporate bond.

$900m FG bond: United Capital leads with 180% subscription

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Dangote Refinery resumes naira petrol sales, fixes gantry price at ₦1,215 per litre

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Dangote Refinery resumes naira petrol sales, fixes gantry price at ₦1,215 per litre

Dangote Refinery resumes naira petrol sales, fixes gantry price at ₦1,215 per litre

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has resumed the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in naira, ending its temporary dollar-denominated pricing regime and fixing a new gantry (ex-depot) price of ₦1,215 per litre.

The refinery announced the development in a statement issued on Wednesday, saying the decision is expected to provide relief to petroleum marketers and consumers after days of uncertainty caused by the temporary switch to dollar pricing.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has resumed the sale of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in naira, providing a measure of relief to marketers and consumers. The gantry price is fixed at ₦1,215 per litre,” the company stated.

The announcement comes barely a week after the refinery suspended naira sales and introduced U.S. dollar pricing for some refined petroleum products, including petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.

Under the temporary pricing template circulated to marketers, petrol was sold at $0.779 per litre, diesel at $1.087 per litre, while aviation fuel (Jet A1) was priced at $0.942 per litre.

The refinery had attributed the temporary dollar pricing to commercial realities surrounding crude oil procurement and foreign exchange obligations, particularly following challenges associated with the Federal Government’s crude-for-naira initiative.

The decision immediately triggered higher depot prices across the downstream petroleum sector, forcing marketers to source products at increased costs.

Consequently, retail petrol prices rose sharply in several parts of the country. In Lagos, pump prices climbed to between ₦1,200 and ₦1,280 per litre, while motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and many other states paid even higher prices due to transportation costs, logistics and regional distribution margins.

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Industry operators, including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), had warned that prolonged dollar pricing would expose marketers to foreign exchange risks, increase operating costs and ultimately push higher fuel prices onto consumers.

Many independent marketers also complained that the pricing structure forced them to purchase petroleum products from private depots at significantly higher prices after loading from the refinery became more expensive.

The refinery’s decision to resume naira sales is therefore expected to ease pressure on marketers by reducing their dependence on foreign exchange for product purchases while improving fuel availability across the country.

Although the new ₦1,215 per litre gantry price is higher than the refinery’s previous naira ex-depot price before the temporary suspension, analysts believe the return to naira transactions could help stabilise the downstream market and reduce price volatility.

Energy experts, however, noted that the gantry price represents only the wholesale cost of petrol. The final pump price paid by motorists will continue to depend on transportation costs, depot charges, distribution expenses, retail margins and other operational factors across different regions of Nigeria.

The development also supports the Federal Government’s broader objective of encouraging local currency transactions in the petroleum sector through the crude-for-naira policy, which is intended to reduce pressure on foreign exchange demand and strengthen domestic fuel supply.

With a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery remains Africa’s largest single-train refinery and is expected to play a central role in improving Nigeria’s energy security, reducing fuel imports and stabilising the domestic petroleum market.

Industry stakeholders are now watching closely to see whether the refinery’s return to naira transactions will translate into lower retail petrol prices and improved product availability in the coming days.

Dangote Refinery resumes naira petrol sales, fixes gantry price at ₦1,215 per litre

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Blessing Computers marks over 20 years of building trust, expanding access to genuine technology

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Blessing Computers marks over 20 years of building trust, expanding access to genuine technology

For more than two decades, while Nigeria’s technology landscape has evolved at a remarkable pace, one company has steadily built its reputation on a less glamorous but enduring asset—trust.

Blessing Computers Limited, established in 2003 and incorporated by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), has marked over 20 years of providing genuine technology products, ICT infrastructure solutions, technical support and after-sales services to individuals, businesses, educational institutions, government agencies and corporate organisations across Nigeria and beyond, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s dependable technology solution providers.

Reflecting on the role of technology in today’s society, the company said access to reliable digital tools has become increasingly critical to personal and economic development.

According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Blessing Ikhayere Usinode, “Technology has quietly become the infrastructure of modern life. It powers how students learn, how businesses operate, how professionals deliver their best work, and how individuals stay connected to the opportunities around them.

“But access to reliable, genuine, and well-supported technology has never been evenly distributed — and for many people across Nigeria, finding a trustworthy place to start has been the first and hardest challenge.”

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Headquartered in Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, Blessing Computers says its growth has been anchored on a simple philosophy of ensuring customers receive honest professional guidance, quality products and dependable support long after every purchase.

As an authorised Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partner for globally recognised brands including Dell, HP and Lenovo, Blessing Computers supplies laptops, desktop computers, printers, network servers, networking equipment and a broad range of technology accessories.

It also offers products from other leading global technology manufacturers to meet the diverse needs of its growing customer base.

Beyond hardware sales, the company has expanded its offerings to include IT infrastructure deployment, system upgrades, network solutions, technical consultancy, repairs and maintenance, delivery services, deployment support, structured after-sales support and warranty management, positioning itself as a long-term technology partner rather than simply a retailer.

From its Lagos base, Blessing Computers has steadily expanded its reach across Nigeria while serving clients in international markets.

Over the years, the company said it has earned the confidence of businesses, institutions and organisations through consistent service delivery, professional expertise and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

The company says its sustained growth has been driven less by aggressive marketing than by referrals from satisfied customers and a reputation built on reliability, integrity and quality service.

Evaluating the milestone, Blessing Computers notes that technology goes beyond the devices people use every day, describing it as a critical enabler of education, business growth, productivity and economic opportunities.

The company reaffirms its commitment to delivering trusted technology products, expert technical support and innovative ICT solutions that help individuals and organisations embrace digital transformation with confidence while making reliable technology more accessible to Nigerians.

Blessing Computers marks over 20 years of building trust, expanding access to genuine technology

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NNPCL delivered less than 25% of expected crude under naira-for-crude programme — Dangote

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NNPCL delivered less than 25% of expected crude under naira-for-crude programme — Dangote

NNPCL delivered less than 25% of expected crude under naira-for-crude programme — Dangote

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has disputed claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) that it fully met its obligations under the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude programme, revealing that the national oil company supplied only three of the 14 crude oil cargoes expected under the arrangement.

The refinery said the deliveries represented less than 25 per cent of the crude volumes it anticipated receiving through the initiative, forcing it to source the majority of its feedstock from international suppliers to keep operations running.

The clarification follows NNPCL’s recent assertion that it supplied all crude cargoes made available under the naira-for-crude programme and did not withhold feedstock from the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery.

Responding to the claim, Dangote Refinery maintained that the crude volumes supplied under the arrangement fell significantly short of its operational requirements.

According to refinery officials, the facility received only about four million barrels of crude per month, compared with an expected allocation of roughly 13 million barrels monthly under the programme. The shortfall, the company said, made it impossible to rely solely on domestic crude supplies.

To bridge the gap, Dangote Refinery said it turned to international crude suppliers, purchasing additional feedstock from global trading companies and producers in Africa, the Middle East and other oil-producing regions.

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The refinery noted that the naira-for-crude initiative remains an important policy designed to support local refining, reduce pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves and improve the availability of petroleum products in the domestic market. However, it stressed that the programme can only achieve its objectives if adequate volumes of crude are consistently supplied to local refineries.

The disagreement comes shortly after Dangote Refinery announced plans to begin selling refined petroleum products in United States dollars, citing rising production costs caused by inadequate domestic crude supply and increased dependence on imported crude purchased at international market prices.

The company explained that buying crude in dollars while selling refined products in naira had become increasingly unsustainable, particularly amid exchange rate volatility and higher global crude prices.

Industry analysts have warned that continued reliance on imported crude could increase production costs, place additional pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange market and ultimately affect domestic fuel prices.

At the same time, analysts noted that higher international oil prices could improve Nigeria’s export earnings, partially offsetting some of the economic pressures associated with increased crude import costs.

For its part, NNPCL maintained that it fulfilled its obligations by delivering every crude cargo allocated under the programme, arguing that crude supply depends on production levels, availability, contractual commitments and operational schedules.

The differing positions highlight the broader challenge of ensuring sufficient domestic crude supply for local refineries despite Nigeria being Africa’s largest crude oil producer.

Since commencing operations, Dangote Refinery has increasingly relied on a combination of domestic and imported crude to maintain production. The refinery is expected to play a pivotal role in reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, improving energy security and expanding exports of refined fuels across Africa.

Industry stakeholders say strengthening the implementation of the naira-for-crude policy and guaranteeing consistent crude supply to domestic refiners will be critical to achieving the Federal Government’s goal of making Nigeria self-sufficient in refined petroleum products.

NNPCL delivered less than 25% of expected crude under naira-for-crude programme — Dangote

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