Buhari rolls out autogas scheme Tuesday, targets one million vehicles – Newstrends
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Buhari rolls out autogas scheme Tuesday, targets one million vehicles

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President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday roll out the much-awaited National Gas Expansion Programme (autogas) in Abuja, which is expected to complement the use of petrol by Nigerians.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, said the event would also herald the formal dispensing of autogas, mainly Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) products at two retail filling stations belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the minister, Mr Garba Muhammad, in Abuja yesterday emphasised that the federal government’s autogas programme will deliver at least one million vehicle conversions by the end of 2021 and herald the clean energy transition for Nigeria as well as the delivery of cheap transportation fuel.

 

It stated that the programme was the culmination of the resolve of the Buhari-led government to deepen domestic usage of natural gas in its various forms.

 

“It is also in line with the government’s plan to make gas the first choice source of cheaper and cleaner energy for Nigerians in their personal and industrial endeavours,” Sylva said.

At the event, the release noted, Sylva will also on behalf of the federal government handover CNG-powered mass transport buses to Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

He added that the handing over was part of the agreement reached with labour during negotiations and in recognition of the role organised labour plays in the quest to bring relief to ordinary Nigerians.

 

Sylva had argued that to give deregulation a human face, the government was introducing an alternative fuel which will mean that Nigerians will convert their cars to the dual capability of both fuel and gas.

“So, if you look at the price of petrol versus the price of gas and you think that gas is cheaper which of course, it is going to be cheaper. Gas will even be cheaper than petrol as it is today. So you see that we are also giving an alternative to ordinary Nigerians,’’ he had said.

Also, recently, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), said it instructed about 9,000 filling stations across the country to start the installation of facilities for gas products as an alternative to fuel for Nigerians.

 

Apparently, the government’s new policy was prompted by the rising international crude oil prices which have led to a steady rise in the pump price of petroleum in the country for several months.

 

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Naira loses N81 to dollar in one day

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Naira loses N81 to dollar in one day

The naira lost N81.34 against the US dollar at the foreign exchange market on Thursday

FMDQ data showed that the naira fell to N1,154.08 per dollar on Thursday from N1,072.74 on Wednesday.

This represents a 7.04 per cent loss against the dollar compared to N1,072.74 per dollar traded the previous day.

At the parallel market, the naira also depreciated N1,100 per dollar on Thursday from N1, 040 on Wednesday.

This is the second time the naira would be depreciating against the dollar in three days amid fears of depleting foreign exchange reserves.

Nigeria’s foreign reserves dropped to $32.29 billion as of April 15.

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Govt paying N600bn for fuel subsidy monthly — Rainoil CEO

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Govt paying N600bn for fuel subsidy monthly — Rainoil CEO

The CEO of Rainoil Limited, Gabriel Ogbechie, has claimed that the federal government resumed the payment of the controversial fuel subsidy following the devaluation of the Naira in the foreign exchange market.

Ogbechie made this statement on Tuesday during the Stanbic IBTC Energy and Infrastructure Breakfast Session held in Lagos.

He pointed out that with Nigeria’s daily fuel usage at 40 million liters and the foreign exchange rate at N1,300, the government’s subsidy per liter of fuel falls between N400 and N500, culminating in a monthly total of approximately N600 billion.

He said; “When Mr. President came in May last year, one of the things he said was that Subsidy is gone. And  truly, the subsidy was gone, because immediately the price of fuel moved from 200 to 500 per liter. At that point truly, subsidy was gone.

“During that period, Dollar was exchanging for N460, but a few weeks later, the government devalued the exchange rate. And Dollar moved to about N750. At that point, subsidy was beginning to come back.

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“The moment the two markets officially closed, officially the market went to about N1,300. At that point, that conversation was out of the window. Subsidy was fully back on petrol. If you want to know where petrol should be, just look at where diesel is. Diesel is about N1,300 and petrol is still selling for N600.

Furthermore, he said that NNPC being the only petrol importer in the country implies that there is an ongoing subsidy, as prices had to be fixed.

Earlier yesterday, the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El Rufai, said the federal government is spending more on petrol subsidy than before.

In addition, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Mrs. Olu Veŕheijen, said that the Federal Government reserves the right to pay fuel subsidy intermittently to cushion hardship in the country.

“The subsidy was removed on May 29. However, the government has the prerogative to maintain price stability to address social unrest. They reserve the right to intervene.

“If the government feels that it cannot continue to allow prices to fluctuate due to high inflation and exchange rates, the government reserves the right to intervene intermittently and that does not negate the fact that subsidy has been removed,” she said.

Govt paying N600bn for fuel subsidy monthly — Rainoil CEO

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Breaking: Dangote brings diesel price down to N1000/litre

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Breaking: Dangote brings diesel price down to N1000/litre

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a further reduction in the price of diesel.

When it commenced operation a few weeks ago, Dangote Petroleum Refinery pegged the price of diesel as N1,200.

While rolling out the products, the refinery supplied at a substantially reduced price of N1,200 per litre three weeks ago, representing over 30 percent reduction from the previous market price of about N1,600 per litre.

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However, on Tuesday, a further reduction of N200 was noticed in the price, with the product now pegged at N1,000.

This significant reduction in the price of diesel, at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is expected to positively affect all the spheres of the economy and ultimately reduce the high inflation rate in the country.

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had during the Eid-el-Fitr celebration said if the cost price of diesel comes down, the inflation rate will be substantially reduced.

Dangote spoke when he visited President Bola Tinubu in his residence in Lagos State to celebrate the end of the Ramadan fast with him.

Breaking: Dangote brings diesel price down to N1000/litre

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