New PH refinery over 90% completed —Mele Kyari – Newstrends
Connect with us

Business

New PH refinery over 90% completed —Mele Kyari

Published

on

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari

New PH refinery over 90% completed —Mele Kyari

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, said the new Port Harcourt refinery is over 90 percent completed.

The Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC, operates two refineries; the old plant with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and a new facility with 150,000 bpsd, bringing the refinery’s combined crude processing capacity to 210,000 bpsd.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mele Kyari, spoke, yesterday, when Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, labour leaders visited the facility in Rivers State.

Kyari, who was represented by NNPC’s Executive Vice-President (Downstream), Isiyaku Abudulai said the new Port Harcourt refinery is under rehabilitation and would be updated soon.

He said: “When the rehabilitation is completed, it will be up and running and to the state of art compared to any refinery around the world. So, There will be compliance to health and safety compliance (HSC).

“All the assurances of compliance will be made. And that is why a total rehabilitation is being made. From the contractor’s view, Tecnimont SPA , and from the reports they send us, they are up to over 90 percent completed and we will deal with that as soon as possible.

READ ALSO:

“We are following up too to ensure that we get value and that we have a combined 60,000 bpsd and 150,000 bpsd to get 210,000 bpsd, so that that will support our refining processes, our products, and with the multiple effects that we have on our refining products, finished products, that we desire in this country.”

Kyari said once the feat is achieved, the refinery can propel sufficiency, exports and imports and local consumption of petroleum products, especially petrol.

Speaking further, he said the NNPC has ensured that there is an established and professional technical operations and maintenance (O&M) team that would continue to operate and maintain the facilities.
Kyari said: “And that also involves looking at the processes and the assets, replacing those aging items that need to be changed and ensuring that the refinery is up and doing.

“I think that’s the fundamental, and as I said, we are looking at the best O&M teams around the world to support that process.”

The GCEO said the company would scale up monitoring to ensure that “we comply with the best practices around the refinery across the world.”

Business

CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

Published

on

CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso

CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted Bureau de Change (BDC) operators temporary permission to purchase up to $25,000 weekly in foreign exchange (FX) from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM). 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted Bureau de Change (BDC) operators temporary permission to purchase up to $25,000 weekly in foreign exchange (FX) from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM). 

This move, detailed in a circular dated December 19, 2024, is designed to meet seasonal retail demand for FX during the holiday period. 

The circular was signed by T.G. Allu, on behalf of the Acting Director of the Trade and Exchange Department. 

The arrangement will be in effect from December 19, 2024, to January 30, 2025. 

Under the directive, BDCs may purchase FX from a single Authorized Dealer of their choice, provided they fully fund their accounts before accessing the market.  

Transactions to occur at the prevailing NFEM rate 

The transactions will occur at the prevailing NFEM rate, and BDCs are required to adhere to a maximum 1% spread when pricing FX for retail end-users.

READ ALSO:

All transactions conducted under this scheme must be reported to the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department. 

The circular read in part:

In order to meet expected seasonal demand for foreign exchange, the CBN is allowing a temporary access for all existing BDCs to the NFEM for the purchase of FX from Authorised Dealers, subject to a weekly cap of USD 25,000.00 (Twenty-five thousand dollars only).

This window will be open between December 19, 2024 to January 30, 2025. 

“BDC operators can purchase FX under this arrangement from only one Authorized Dealer of their choice and will be required to fully fund their account before accessing the market at the prevailing NFEM rate. All transactions with BDCs should be reported to the Trade and Exchange department, and a maximum spread of 1% is allowed on the pricing offered by BDCs to retail end-users.” 

The CBN assured the general public that PTA (Personal Travel Allowance) and BTA (Business Travel Allowance) remain available through banks for legitimate travel and business needs.”

These transactions are to be conducted at “market-determined exchange rates” within the NFEM framework.

This initiative reflects the CBN’s strategy to stabilize the FX market and manage seasonal surges in demand.

CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

Continue Reading

Business

Bitcoin price crashes to $95,000

Published

on

Bitcoin price crashes to $95,000

The cryptocurrency market experienced sharp declines after the United States Federal Reserve announced a 25-basis point rate cut.

Bitcoin’s price dropped from its record high of $108,267 to a multi-day low of $95,000 within 36 hours.

Amid this turmoil, Paper-hand traders are rushing to sell their assets while the experienced ones are taking advantage of the dip to increase their portfolios.

Bitcoin price drops after Federal Reserve announces rate cut 

Bitcoin experienced a sharp decline after the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points for the third time this year.

  • The announcement led to Bitcoin’s price falling to a multi-day low of $95,000, marking a $13,000 drop within 36 hours.
  • This pullback followed a recent record high of $108,268 earlier in the week.
  • Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggested the central bank may halt further rate reductions due to recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) data.

“Today was a closer call, but we decided it was the right move,” Powell said during a press conference. While rate cuts typically benefit cryptocurrencies due to their risky asset status, this decision appears to have introduced caution among buyers. 

READ ALSO:

Crypto analysts predict that Bitcoin could face increased volatility in the short term. On-chain data reveals selling pressure has eased since November, but caution remains high. Buyers are closely monitoring Bitcoin’s support levels, particularly around the $100,000 mark, with potential resistance seen at $110,000 in the coming weeks.

Some buyers anticipate a “Santa Rally” a term used to describe the Bullish performance of bitcoin during the Christmas holidays. Historical data on this notion has given mixed outcomes.

In previous halving years, Bitcoin often surged during Christmas week, with price moves of 11% to 25% recorded in 2017, 2020, and 2024.

However, analysts warn that current market conditions, including macroeconomic uncertainty and a cautious Fed, could dampen such expectations.

United States Bitcoin strategic reserve in doubts  

Aside from the federal rate cuts announced by Powell. He also mentioned that the Central Bank is not allowed to hold Bitcoin unless approved by Congress.

  • This statement cast shadows of doubt on the proposed Bitcoin reserve by Donald Trump during his campaign days.
  • The President-Elect last week confirmed that his administration hopes to set up a strategic Bitcoin reserve and pilot the dominance of the US in the Global crypto space.
  • The FOMC chairman’s speech about the Central Bank not being able to hold Bitcoin cast doubts on the proposed Goal by the Donald Trump administration.

Bitcoin price crashes to $95,000

Continue Reading

Business

Dangote reduces petrol price to ₦899.50/litre

Published

on

Dangote Refinery

Dangote reduces petrol price to ₦899.50/litre

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has slashed the  price of its petrol t to ₦899.50 per litre.

Making this known in a statement on Thursday was Anthony Chiejina, Chief Branding and Communications Officer of the Dangote Group.

He said, “Africa’s first privately-owned oil refinery, which previously lowered the price to N970 per litre on November 24, has now announced a new price of N899.50 per litre. This reduction is designed to ease transport costs during the festive period.”

Adding, Chiejina said, “In addition to the holiday discount, Dangote Petroleum Refinery is allowing consumers to purchase an additional litre of fuel on credit for every litre bought on a cash basis.”

READ ALSO:

“To alleviate transport costs during this holiday season, Dangote Refinery is offering a holiday discount on PMS. From today, our petrol will be available at N899.50 per litre at our truck loading gantry or SPM. Furthermore, for every litre purchased on a cash basis, consumers will have the opportunity to buy another litre on credit, backed by a bank guarantee from Access Bank, First Bank, or Zenith Bank.”

The statement said  the refinery was committed to making sure Nigerians have access to premium quality petroleum products that are competitively priced which are also environmentally and engine friendly.

 

Dangote reduces petrol price to ₦899.50/litre

Continue Reading

Trending