Business

Regulator vows to sanction petrol marketers breaching official prices, shuts down 7 defaulting depots

Published

2 years ago

January 1, 2023

Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) yesterday vowed to revoke the licences of petrol marketers selling above the controlled prices as well as those hoarding the product in their depots.

Speaking in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, explained that in the last few days several depots had been shut down for selling above the regulated prices.

He reiterated that as of yesterday, the nation still had at least 30-day sufficiency, explaining however that the global crisis caused by the Russian and Ukrainian war in addition to the fluctuation in the value of the naira had affected the even distribution of petroleum products, particularly from the waterways to the depots through truck-ins to the retail stations.

Ahmed noted that several meetings had been held with petrol marketing companies, independent marketers, transporters, the suppliers-the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) as well as other interested parties to see how the distribution bottlenecks could be addressed.
“Now, the market is not deregulated. So, we are still in a regulated environment as far as petrol is concerned,” Ahmed added.

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According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari had approved an additional N10 for transporters to cover the transportation costs as a result of the high costs of diesel which he said is the main source of transporting other products within the country.
He pointed out that one of the constraints within the distribution system had been the increase in the bunkers’ freight rate from between $16,000 to $19,000 per day to about $35,000 to $40,000 per day within Lagos and even more to Calabar.

“We sat down with the marketing companies and agreed to give them some palliatives through the NNPC, as well as through our regulatory control areas. But the market has continued to increase the cost of ex-depot prices.
“It has gone beyond expectation and reason. And Nigerians have been suffering due to that because when you talk to a retail outlet owner, he will say this is how much he bought it from the depot owner. But NNPC Limited is the sole importer. And they sell these products to the marketing companies within acceptable import parity pricing benchmarks.

“So, even with the additional cost of transportation, by trucking or by sea, the acceleration or the increase in the ex-depot price was completely outrageous,” Ahmed explained.

The NMDPRA’s CEO noted that as a responsible regulator, the organisation was concerned about the yearnings and sufferings of innocent Nigerians who have no voices and had therefore decided to take action, not necessarily to destabilise the market but to strengthen it.
“We had intelligence from other relevant law enforcement agents, in addition to the intelligence information we had within our own system, so we corroborated all the information that we gathered. We had to take action, and the first action we took a couple of days ago was to shut down some of the depots where they have products.

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“A lot of them have breached that trust or regulatory requirement, but we’ll have to start from somewhere. So we shut down about seven depots in Lagos and other parts. We have shut down Aldova.

“Aldova is under maintenance; so, we shut down where they had their products and they were selling beyond the controlled price and Aldova is a major marketing company. You know, they are getting their products directly from NNPC.
“And they’re also getting it with some level of comfort because it’s not like cash and carry, so they had no reason to increase their price beyond reason. Then, of course, Rainoil in Lagos and all their facilities,” he stated.

In Warri, Oghara, Port Harcourt and Calabar, Ahmed added that some depots had also been closed for breaching the rules.
“The next level is the continuation of what we are doing. We have got to a level where marketers understand their responsibility to the consumers. What do you do next? We can revoke any licence.

“We don’t need to shut their depots. We don’t need to shut down their facility or retail outlet. We just have the mandate as a regulator to withdraw or revoke their licence. And once we revoke your licence, we notify all the relevant stakeholders that deal with you in the business to also know that if you do not have a licence, if they deal with you, they’re also breaching the regulation and they’re breaching the process and that’s exactly what we are going to do because we cannot continue like this. Nigerians have suffered,” he added.

According to him, the board of directors of NMDPRA had met and agreed and had given the go-ahead to shut down any defaulting facilities.
“We have enough products in the country. As of last night, we had about 30 days sufficiency and I will tell you that about 10 days of that sufficiency is on land and there has been even distribution by trucking,” he added.

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Related Topics:Featured marketers NMDPRA petrol

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Business

After Multichoice lost 243k subscribers, More customers threaten to leave

Published

13 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Trends Admin

After Multichoice lost 243k subscribers, More customers threaten to leave

Multichoice Group, an African pay-TV operator, on Tuesday, announced that its Nigerian subsidiary lost 243,000 subscribers on its Digital Satellite Television (DStv) and General Entertainment on Television (GOtv) services between April and September 2024.

The company revealed these figures in its Interim Financial Results for the period ending 30 September 2024.

MultiChoice attributed this decline to Nigeria’s high inflation rate, which exceeds 30%, driven by the rising costs of food, electricity, and fuel, causing many customers to disconnect.

In its financial report for March 2024, MultiChoice had earlier reported an 18% subscriber loss in Nigeria.

The company further reported a 566,000-subscriber loss in the Rest of Africa (RoA) operations over the past six months, with Zambia and Nigeria contributing the largest shares to this decline.

“The group’s linear subscriber base declined by 11% or 1.8m subscribers YoY to 14.9m active subscribers at 30 September 2024.

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“The loss in the Rest of Africa has been primarily due to the significant consumer pressure in Nigeria, where inflation has remained above 30% for the majority of the last 12 months and, more recently, due to extreme power disruptions in Zambia.

“Of this decline, 298k related to Zambia and 243k related to Nigeria, with remaining markets on the continent reflecting only a minor decline of 25k,” It said.

Meanwhile more customers in Nigeria have threatened to switch allegiance.

While reacting to the story on a WhatsApp platform, a subscriber said: “They will lose more because I’ll soon leave them too.”

On X, @AGUNviews wrote: “They will lose more subscribers”

@Jaheim007: “The numbers are about to triple.”

@skyedron commented: “All anyone needs to acquire is the internet and a few clicks. Multi choice my foot.”

@ribaduabubakar2: “I subscribed to another platform and simply ignored them. They kept increasing the price as if someone would die without them. I am willing to give out my decoder and dish for free.”

@AbelFidelis4: “This is just the beginning. I stopped using DStv in 2022.”

@NdubuisiNC: “The downfall of this company in Nigeria will be televised and will be sweet to me. A company this big can’t improvise on their content?. Nigerians have cried for years about how boring it is, only football channels are what’s keeping most of us.”

@Ekoh4Ekoh: “They should be ready to lose more customers and it is good for them. They have to reduce their monthly subscription and make it pay as you go.”

@cashoggy: “They will still lose more subscribers. Internet and smart TV has rendered Dstv unattractive with their rate. Imagine paying 25,700 for a premium subscription when you can surf the Internet and watch all the programs for less.”

@rilwan_ola01: “They will suffer even greater losses.”

After Multichoice lost 243k subscribers, More customers threaten to leave

Business

XGT Smart Consults unveils renewable energy, others power solutions

Published

19 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Trends Admin

XGT Smart Consults unveils renewable energy, others power solutions

XGT Smart Consults, a power solution firm, says it is ready to deliver renewable energy and other long-lasting energy solutions that will address the power challenges causing huge economic losses and discomfort.

The firm also says it has signed an agreement with an India-based company, ADM-Orient Solar Power, to achieve its goals.

This is contained in a statement by the XGT, revealing a holistic approach to energy provision.

It stated, “XGT Smart Consults is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with ADM-Orient Solar Power (India) aimed at addressing one of Nigeria’s most critical issues – reliable power solutions.”

It stated that its target is to provide Nigeria with solutions to overcome the frequent power outages by empowering homes and businesses with reliable, renewable, and affordable power.

This, it said, would be achieved in conjunction with its partners through renewable energy systems, advanced electrical services, independent power production (IPP) solutions, portable natural gas generators, automation services, and the rental and leasing of CNG tube skids.

Managing Director of XGT Smart Consults Limited, Olu Harrison, said, “The objective is to provide reliable cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy to households and businesses throughout Nigeria.

“Understanding the intricacies of the energy crisis, XGT employs a holistic approach that integrates renewable energy solutions, independent power generation, and innovative technologies tailored to the specific requirements of Nigerian consumers.

“Our goal is to empower every Nigerian household and business by revolutionizing the production, distribution, and consumption of energy.”

According the statement, XGT specifically specializes in providing innovative renewable energy solutions designed to meet the unique climate and energy needs of Nigeria.

“Our wide ranges of solar and sustainable energy systems are suitable for individual homes, corporate settings, and community projects.

“By harnessing the power of renewable energy, XGT offers environmentally friendly alternatives that reduce reliance on the national grid and significantly cut energy costs,” it added.

The company’s Executive Director Toluwase Oni, gave more insights into the IPP for businesses, industries and communities/estates.

“XGT’s IPP solutions provide a solution to the urgent need for self-sufficient power generation, particularly in industrial and commercial sectors where power reliability significantly affects productivity and revenue.

“By establishing a network of captive/ localized, independent power systems, XGT Power-IPP empowers Industries, businesses and communities/estate to take control of their energy needs,” he stated.

Apart from the renewable energy sources, the firm said it offers a range of portable natural gas generators providing a flexible energy solution for areas with limited grid connectivity or for users in need of extra backup during power outages.

“These generators are designed with user-friendly features and portability in mind, enabling users to power essential operations without depending on traditional, often unreliable, grid infrastructure,” it added.

“In conjunction with these generators, XGT specializes in automation systems that optimize energy management to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and streamline operations.

“Automated controls enable businesses to remotely monitor and adjust energy usage, ensuring that energy is utilized intelligently and cost-effectively.”

As part of its services, it disclosed that the company offers rental and lease services for compressed natural gas (CNG) tube skids to interested industries in recognition of the increasing demand for CNG as a cleaner alternative to traditional fuels.

Business

Naira: Confidence in Nigeria’s economy drops, says CBN report

Published

21 hours ago

November 13, 2024

Trends Admin

Naira: Confidence in Nigeria’s economy drops, says CBN report

Following continued depreciation in the value of naira, many businesses and their operators have lost confidence in the Nigeria’s economy.
Indeed, a survey by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed the Overall Confidence Index falling by 3.2 index points to 14.5 from 17.7 index points.

This was the highlight of the Business Expectation Survey, BES of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for October which also showed decline in the Overall Confidence Index, OCI, for the current month, next month and the next six months.

According to the CBN the OCI for the current month, next month and the next six months fell to 1.4, 4.8, and 21.8 index points in the October BES from 3.2, 6.2 and 29 index points in the September BES.

The survey also indicates that the decline in confidence in the economy is being driven by firms’ expectation of further depreciation of the naira before the end of the year.

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The CBN said: “The overall confidence index (CI) on the macroeconomy indicates that businesses were optimistic in October 2024.

“Respondent firms expect the naira to depreciate in the current month, next month and next 3 months. However, they expect appreciation in the next 6 months.

“Top six business constraints high interest rate, insecurity, high/multiple taxes, inadequate power supply, unfavorable economic climate, financial problems.

“The optimism on business outlook in the current month is driven by the opinion of respondents from all the Sectors except the Industry Sector.

“Most Sectors expressed optimism on their own operation in the review month. The outlook of respondents on the Volume of Business Activities, the Volume of Total Order, Financial Conditions, and Access to Credit were all positive in the review month.