Business
Benue launches facilities for NIHOTOUR zonal campus
By Ebere Chibuzor
The Benue State Government has kept faith with its promise to hand over of some structures and facilities to the Federal Government for the take-off of the North Central zonal campus of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).
The Minister for Arts and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the statement at the official handing over of the facilities in Makurdi, said tourism had assumed an extraordinary growth globally.
Tourism, according to him, is a major catalyst for economic growth and social development of most countries with its attendant spiral effects along the long line of its value chain.
He further said that one of the prerequisites for the tourism industry to flourish and play the desired role in the socio-economic development of the country is the availability of trained personnel to run the sector.
This, he said, was what informed the setting up of NIHOTOUR by the Federal Government with the mandate of providing skill proficiency, technical upgrading and professional-based education for the hospitality, travel and tourism industries for both Nigeria and the West African sub region.
Mohammed expressed the appreciation of the Federal Government to the government and people of Benue State for making the desire to establish the North Central zonal campus of the institute a reality and called for renewed understanding between states, organised private sector and the Federal Government in the efforts to transform the socio-economic growth of Nigeria through tourism.
He reiterated the determination of his ministry to develop, project and showcase the country’s tourism potential and endowments because the benefits derivable therein are enormous in revenue generation, job creation, wealth redistribution, infrastructural development and inter-sectorial linkage incentives.
In his address at the occasion, the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, stated the resolve of his administration to tap into the potential of tourism products and activities that the state had been endowed with to grow the economy and better the social activities of the people of the state.
Ortom said the handing over of the magnificent edifice to the Federal Government for use by NIHOTOUR was informed by the desire of his government to create the needed platform for youth empowerment and skill acquisition which the training centre would offer youths of the state as well as states within the North Central Zone to grow the economy through hospitality and the tourism industry.
Director General of NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, had earlier in his speech stated that the dearth of needed skilled and trained manpower to run the hospitality and travel-tourism industry in the country was responsible for the stunted growth and development of the industry, adding that with NIHOTOUR in place, it has the capacity to overturn the trends for the best to develop the sector.
He said the choice of Benue as the zonal campus and headquarter of the North Central Zone of the institute was informed by the place of the state not only as the food basket of the country, but a tourism haven of Nigeria.
He urged the state to explore the tourism potential the state is endowed with to grow its internally generated revenue to boost its economy.
Kangiwa pointed out the need for the state to produce its tourism development master plan which would be a guide in the appropriate development of the state’s tourism endowments in line with global best practices.
Business
Dangote refinery increases petrol price from N899 to N955/litre
Dangote refinery increases petrol price from N899 to N955/litre
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced an increase in the cost of lifting its petrol from N899 per litre to N955.
This also affirmed the projection of oil marketers and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria that Nigerians should gear up for an imminent hike in the pump price of fuel.
This is coming following the latest rise in the cost of crude oil in the international market.
Dangote refinery in a notice on Friday titled, “Communication on PMS Price Review”, said the new pricing structure of N955 per litre was for customers purchasing between two million and 4.99 million litres.
Bulk buyers of five million litres or more are to pay N950 per litre, according to the notice.
This price adjustment indicates a 6.17% increase, or N55.5 per litre, compared to the discounted rate of N899.50 per litre offered during December 2024’s holiday period.
The refinery added that the new rates took effect from 5:30pm Friday impacting all unsold stock balances and pending orders.
Dangote refinery informed its customers of the price revision, attributing the change to rising global oil prices.
“Kindly be advised that effective from 5:30 PM today, an upward adjustment has been implemented on the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit.
“Please note that all stock balances yet to be lifted as at the above-stated time are to be repriced at the new reviewed prices.
“We shall communicate with customers on their revised volumes based on the reviewed prices, in due course,” it read in part.
The increase is due to the rise in the price of Brent, the global benchmark for crude.
Brent crude rose to $81.84 per barrel—the highest level in 2025.
Business
Petrol price hike imminent over biting exchange rate – PENGASSAN
Petrol price hike imminent over biting exchange rate – PENGASSAN
The President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has warned that the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, could increase if the upward trend in global crude oil prices persists.
Speaking during PENGASSAN’s National Executive Council Meeting in Lagos on Thursday, Osifo highlighted the correlation between rising crude oil costs and Nigeria’s foreign exchange challenges, cautioning that the situation may lead to higher fuel prices.
“The crude price rose to $80 per barrel today. Without exchange rate improvements, PMS prices will increase in the coming weeks,” Osifo stated.
He attributed the nationwide high fuel prices to the volatile exchange rate, even with the gradual resumption of operations at domestic refineries. However, he noted that these facilities were not yet operating at full capacity.
Addressing misconceptions about refining, Osifo explained that producing high-quality PMS involves extensive blending and processing. “The old Port Harcourt refinery is functional, and there is significant progress at the Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries. Refineries globally engage in blending operations; it is a normal part of the process,” he said.
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Osifo linked the rising cost of petrol to the weakened naira, explaining that a stronger exchange rate could stabilize PMS prices.
“The price of PMS is directly linked to our weak naira. If the exchange rate improves to below N1,000 to a dollar, PMS could sell for N500–N600 per litre,” he added.
Drawing comparisons with countries like Venezuela and Zimbabwe, Osifo stressed the importance of currency management in the oil and gas sector, which relies heavily on U.S. dollars for equipment, operations, and expatriate salaries.
On local refining, he refuted claims that it would automatically lead to significantly lower prices, emphasizing the importance of maintaining cost margins. “Producing locally does not mean selling below cost. Even farmers calculate their production costs before adding margins,” he explained.
In a separate discussion, Osifo criticized Nigeria’s proposed 2025 budget of ₦49 trillion (approximately $30 billion), describing it as inadequate for a country with a population exceeding 230 million.
“The budget of $30 billion is abysmally low for a country like Nigeria, especially when you compare it with nations like South Africa, which has a population of about 60 million but operates on a budget of over $120 billion,” he stated.
He urged the Nigerian government to explore its vast natural and mineral resources to increase revenue and reduce reliance on borrowing.
Petrol price hike imminent over biting exchange rate – PENGASSAN
Business
Nigeria’s CNG conversion capacity increases by 2,500% – NMDPRA
Nigeria’s CNG conversion capacity increases by 2,500% – NMDPRA
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has said that the country’s Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion capacity increased by over 2,500 per cent in 2024.
Mr Farouk Ahmed, Authority Chief Executive, NMDPRA, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the inaugural Petroleum Industry Stakeholders’ Forum, organised by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Ahmed said that NMDPRA supported the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) by stimulating 186 new conversion centers which triggered the county’s conversion capacity.
“The NMDPRA will continue to collaborate with the PCNGI to ensure deployment of CNG infrastructure in major cities of Lagos and Abuja, up to 100,000 conversions, while collaborating with states to develop Nigeria Gas Vehicles (NGVs) in other areas.
“The development of CNG as a viable alternative to Petrol has been incentivised.
“These conversions alongside new buys have raised the Nigerian Gas Vehicles population to an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 vehicles and trucks, and it continues to grow daily.
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“With over 400 million dollars attracted for investment in 86 and 65 new daughters and mother stations under construction respectively, Nigeria refueling capacity has therefore risen from 20 to 56,” he said.
Ahmed said that the collaboration between PCNGI, NMDPRA and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) led to the development of standards and the NGV Monitoring System expected to be inaugurated this year.
“The NMDPRA also collaborates with the SON, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and the National Institute of Transportation Technology (NITT) in ensuring that our mobility CNG growth is achieved in a safe and sustainable manner,” he said.
The NMDPRA boss, however, listed some challenges facing the initiative to include establishment and operation of petroleum handling facilities without proper licensing, permits and authorisations.
He listed other challenges to include poor collaborations for Open/ third party access to facilities and lack of cooperation of some operators for an effective regulatory oversight, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provisions.
“We implore the industry to adhere to all regulatory requirements, especially as they relate to safety, efficiency, best practices, sustainability, consumer protection and community participation.
“As we progress into 2025, the NMDPRA will continue to consolidate on its successes for enhanced regulatory oversight.
“This will include the upgrade of our laboratories for enhanced product quality analysis and referencing, inter-agency collaborations, automation and sustainability in the industry,” Ahmed said.
Nigeria’s CNG conversion capacity increases by 2,500% – NMDPRA
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