N3bn needed to revive Ajaokuta steel mill, says Senate – Newstrends
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N3bn needed to revive Ajaokuta steel mill, says Senate

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The Senate says N3 billion is needed to resuscitate the Ajaokuta steel rolling mill which has been under construction since 1980.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Mines and Steel Development, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, said the multi-billion dollar project may remain a dream if N3 billion is not provided for the reactivation of the 21 plants next year.

He also lamented that workers of the complex working in the Mining Cadastral Office would not be getting their monthly salaries from January 2021 as World Bank responsible for that had already informed the country that it’s pulling out of the gesture from next year.

Al-Makura, who spoke to journalists at the weekend, expressed concern that the N3 billion required to facilitate the engagement of experts from Russia for the reactivation of the 21 plants in the Iron and Steel Complex, is not included in the 2021 budget earmarked for the Ministry of Mines, Steel and Solid Minerals.

He said he had made presentation to that effect last Thursday to the Senate Committee on Appropriation during presentation of the 2021 budget estimates of the ministry to the committee.

 

According to him, the remarks made by the Appropriation Committee headed by Senator Jibrin Barau for the provision of the money in the final report on the 2021 budget, was not assuring enough.

 

The senator said: “Nigeria has spent a lot on the Ajaokuta project than to allow just N3billion to make her decade-old efforts a mirage. Resuscitation of the Ajaokuta is key to the industrialisation and development of the country. The Mines, Steel and Solid Minerals Ministry appealed to us during budget defence to effect appropriation for the N3 billion.

 

“Since we cannot on our own as joint Committees on Mines, Steel and Solid Minerals increase the enveloped budget presented to us by the ministry, we pushed the appeal to the Appropriation Committee for the required appropriation.

“The N3 billion is very necessary to be provided for in saving the iron and steel project from total comatose,” he said.

Al-Makura said the completion of the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Project would serve as required catalyst for the diversification of the country’s economy which is one of the key policies of President Muhamnadu Buhari-led government.

 

On workers who may not be collecting their salaries from January, the former governor of Nasarawa State explained that they are contract staff working at the Mining Cadastral Office of the Complex and whose monthly salaries have been footed in the past years from interventions from the world Bank, which had notified the country that it would stop the gesture after December this year.

 

 

 

 

 

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Dangote refinery increases petrol price from N899 to N955/litre

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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.

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Petrol price hike imminent over biting exchange rate – PENGASSAN

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President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo

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

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Nigeria’s CNG conversion capacity increases by 2,500% – NMDPRA

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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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