Business
Bad fuel: Shortage’ll last till end of this month — Marketers
The prolonged petrol shortage in the country will last till the end of February 2022, due to the gap created in the distribution chain, major operators in the industry have said.
Investigation by Vanguard indicated that the stoppage of the imported bad petrol, evacuation and importation of new product required a long time to actualise, leading to instability in the value chain, which needed some time to stabilise.
National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Mike Osatuyi, who confirmed the development, said, “At present, there is still shortage of petrol nationwide. Most of our members do not have the product because the depot owners and others prefer to supply their outlets at this time.
“But we expect that the instability will be over by the end of February 2022. The government said it has imported 2.1 billion litres of the product. Since this quantity is coming from the spot market, it will take some days to arrive. We are hoping that the expected arrival of the product will make a lasting impact.”
Similarly, the Managing Director/CEO, 11 Plc, Adetunji Oyebanji, who noted that the nation would require many days to recover from the fuel shortage, said: “The problem is now mainly operational. The system was starved of fuel for many days because of bad product disruption. Now, we have been loading continuously since last Monday.
“Certainly, the situation will be better in Lagos by Monday this week (today). But, it might take more days to ease in Abuja and other parts of the nation, due to trucks’ travel time, bad roads and other issues.”
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Sharp practices
Meanwhile, the shortage has culminated in sharp practices, including diversion of product, smuggling, meter adjustment and hawking at high prices.
Vanguard reported that it was only the state-owned stations and the major marketers that sell the product at N162 or N165 per litre regulated price.
The independents, who got their supplies at between N165 and N175 per litre, sell it at between N180 and N200 per litre, while illegal retailers sell theirs at between N200 and N500 per litre, depending on location.
Commenting on the situation, Osatuyi, said, “These are abnormal times. It is difficult to control marketers who source their products at different prices. They also have the right to sell them at different prices to recover costs.”
However, the management of some filling stations seized the opportunity to force sale of some products, including insecticides, before dispensing fuel to motorists.
The trend was noticed in Alimosho area of Lagos State as early as 7:00 am on Saturday, along Egbeda-Ikotun Road when a filling station was seen making it compulsory for motorists to buy insecticide.
The development led to protest by some motorists who could not afford the condition attached, while desperate motorists took advantage of the situation to pull out of long queues to gain entrance through the exit gate to buy fuel.
Most of the filling stations were not dispensing as their gates remained shut, while a few other stations were selling above the approved pump price, between N200 and N300 per litre.
Reps committee probes importers
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Meanwhile, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Downstream, Abdullahi Gaya, said yesterday that the committee had concluded arrangements to investigate or probe importers of the bad fuel into the country.
He said, “By the grace of God, we intend to meet the alleged importers of the bad fuel on Tuesday this week (tomorrow). It is very important we get to the root of the matter. We have the mandate to investigate and make recommendations to the House of Representatives. We have already invited them to appear before us.”
Gaya, who declined to mention the names of the invited companies, said the committee would be transparent and fair to all parties.
Inspection failure regrettable — FG
Also, yesterday, the Federal Government expressed regret over the failure of its agencies to identify imported adulterated petrol that led to shortage across the country.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, in a statement in Abuja, sympathised with Nigerians “over the unforeseen hardship” caused by the shortages.
Sylva in the statement signed by his Senior Adviser (Media and Communications), Horatius Egua, said the government was working hard to ensure that petrol supply normalised across the country.
Major marketers pledge support
Already, the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, has pledged support required to enable the government end the fuel shortage.
Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Clement Isong, stated: “The recent importation of off-spec petrol into the country and the subsequent directive to withdraw the affected products from the market created a huge supply gap.
” We know that the withdrawal of the four vessels disrupted the supply chain leading to panic buying by Nigerians.”
Harp on full deregulation
Furthermore, the major oil marketers also harped on the full deregulation of the downstream sector in order to bring about lasting stability.
Specifically, they added: “It was imperative for the downstream petroleum sector to be fully deregulated with the importation of PMS liberalised to ensure improved supply and stability.”
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Business
Petrol, Diesel Prices Drop as Dangote Cuts Ex-Depot Rates
Petrol, Diesel Prices Drop as Dangote Cuts Ex-Depot Rates
Motorists and businesses may get some relief from fuel costs as Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced fresh reductions in the ex-depot prices of petrol and diesel, cutting the prices by N50 and N80 per litre respectively.
Under the new pricing regime, the refinery reduced the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, from N1,215 to N1,165 per litre.
The price of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), or diesel, was also reduced from N1,650 to N1,570 per litre.
The latest adjustment represents a 4.1 per cent reduction in the price of petrol and a 4.8 per cent cut in diesel.
The refinery said in a statement issued by the Dangote Group on Wednesday that the review was aimed at improving energy affordability, expanding access to locally refined petroleum products and supporting economic activities across the country.
The company said the new prices reflected its commitment to delivering affordable and quality petroleum products while maintaining a stable supply to the Nigerian market.
“Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the ex-depot prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), reaffirming its commitment to providing affordable, high-quality petroleum products to the Nigerian market,” the statement said.
It added that the refinery would continue to leverage operational efficiencies and pass the resulting benefits to consumers whenever market conditions allowed.
The latest reduction comes less than two weeks after the refinery resumed naira-denominated petrol sales and raised its ex-depot price to N1,215 per litre following a brief shift to dollar-based transactions.
The earlier change had triggered concerns among petroleum marketers over rising downstream costs.
In July, the refinery had temporarily suspended petrol truck loading and introduced dollar-denominated sales, with petrol priced at $0.779 per litre under the new framework. It subsequently returned to naira transactions and fixed the ex-depot price at N1,215 per litre.
With the latest adjustment, the refinery has now reversed part of that increase, reducing the petrol price by N50 and diesel by N80.
However, the new figures are ex-depot prices and do not necessarily translate into an equivalent reduction in pump prices. The final price paid by motorists will depend on factors including transportation, depot charges, margins and other downstream costs.
Dangote said it remained committed to ensuring stable supplies while improving operational efficiency and supporting consumers, businesses and other stakeholders.
The refinery, which has a nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has increasingly become a major source of locally refined petrol, diesel and other petroleum products as Nigeria seeks to reduce its dependence on imported refined fuels.
The company said its operations were contributing to Nigeria’s energy security by strengthening domestic refining capacity, reducing reliance on imports and supporting economic development.
It added that it would continue to pass on the benefits of improved operational efficiencies to consumers whenever market conditions permitted.
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Auto
High Power Bills Force BUK to Halt Electric Vehicle Charging on Campus
High Power Bills Force BUK to Halt Electric Vehicle Charging on Campus
Rising electricity costs have forced Bayero University, Kano, to ban the charging of privately owned electric motorcycles and other electric vehicles across its campuses.
The university said the growing practice of using its electricity supply to charge private electric vehicles had contributed significantly to a sharp increase in its power bills, creating an additional financial burden for the institution.
The directive, which takes immediate effect, was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the university’s Director of Public Affairs, Lamara Garba.
According to the statement, the management has observed the “indiscriminate charging” of privately owned electric motorcycles and other electric vehicles using the university’s electricity supply.
It said the development was no longer sustainable at a time when the institution was seeking to manage its resources prudently.
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“The Management of Bayero University, Kano has observed with concern the indiscriminate charging of privately owned electric motorcycles and other electric vehicles using the University’s electricity supply across its campuses.
“This practice has contributed significantly to the sharp increase in the University’s electricity bills, thereby placing an enormous financial burden on the institution,” the statement said.
The university consequently directed all staff, students, commercial motorcycle operators and other users of electric motorcycles to stop charging their vehicles with the institution’s electricity.
It warned that anyone who violated the directive would face disciplinary action in accordance with the university’s rules and regulations.
“Management expects full compliance with this directive. Any person found violating this ban will be liable to appropriate disciplinary action,” the statement added.
To enforce the ban, the university directed provosts, deans, directors, heads of departments and heads of units to monitor compliance in their respective areas and report any violations to the appropriate authorities.
It also announced that a monitoring team would conduct regular patrols across the campuses to ensure strict adherence to the directive.
The institution urged all affected persons to cooperate with the measure, saying it was part of broader efforts to reduce energy costs and promote the prudent use of university resources.
High Power Bills Force BUK to Halt Electric Vehicle Charging on Campus
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Business
Zenith Bank confirms cyberattack, says customers’ contact information was accessed
Zenith Bank confirms cyberattack, says customers’ contact information was accessed
Zenith Bank has confirmed that hackers gained unauthorised access to limited customer information, including email addresses and phone numbers, following a cyberattack linked to a broader global attack affecting organisations across different sectors.
The bank disclosed the incident in an email sent to customers on Tuesday, assuring them that its banking services and digital channels remain secure and fully operational.
According to the lender, the breach involved only limited customer information, while its core banking infrastructure and digital platforms were not affected.
Zenith Bank said it activated its incident response procedures and other cybersecurity measures immediately after the unauthorised access was discovered.
The bank added that investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, determine its full impact and strengthen measures designed to prevent further security breaches.
“Hackers accessed limited customer information, including email addresses and phone numbers, during a cyberattack that forms part of a broader global attack on organisations across different sectors,” the bank said.
Although Zenith Bank did not disclose the number of customers affected or identify the individuals or group responsible for the attack, it maintained that its banking services remained secure.
The bank also did not indicate whether sensitive financial information, such as account balances, transaction records, passwords, PINs or banking credentials, was accessed.
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The development has raised concerns about possible phishing attacks, fraudulent text messages and deceptive phone calls, as cybercriminals may attempt to use customers’ contact information to impersonate the bank or obtain confidential banking details.
Zenith Bank urged customers to remain alert and exercise caution when receiving unexpected emails, text messages or phone calls claiming to originate from the bank.
The lender warned customers not to disclose their passwords, Personal Identification Numbers, One-Time Passwords or other security credentials to anyone.
Customers were also advised to avoid clicking suspicious links, downloading unfamiliar attachments or responding to unsolicited requests for banking information.
The bank said customers should independently verify suspicious communications through its official channels before taking any action.
Zenith Bank has previously warned customers about fraudulent messages and impersonation attempts, stressing that customers should rely only on verified communication channels when seeking banking support. (Zenith Bank Gambia)
The latest Zenith Bank cyberattack has renewed concerns about the growing threat of cybercrime in Nigeria’s financial sector, particularly as more customers depend on mobile banking applications, internet banking and other digital financial services.
In August 2024, Guaranty Trust Bank, now operating under GTCO, reported attempts to compromise its website domain. The bank said at the time that customers’ data had not been affected and that its banking operations remained secure.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also warned Nigerians about fraudulent emails, online messages and other communications falsely presented as official notices from financial institutions and regulatory agencies.
Such messages may contain suspicious links or requests for personal information intended to deceive recipients and gain unauthorised access to their accounts.
Zenith Bank said it remained committed to protecting customers’ information and thanked customers for their continued trust while investigations into the security incident continue.
As of the time of filing this report, the bank had not disclosed the number of customers affected, the source of the cyberattack or whether any financial information was compromised.
Zenith Bank confirms cyberattack, says customers’ contact information was accessed
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