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Reps Raise Alarm Over Plot To Sink Nigeria Through Fuel Subsidy

Published

4 years ago

September 20, 2022

… says Nigeria subsidising for neighbouring countries

NNPC extends DSDP to avert fuel scarcity during Christmas.

THE House of Representatives on Monday raised the alarm over alleged plans to sink the country through the controversies trailing the fuel subsidy regime.

Chairman, House ad hoc committee investigating the subsidy regime between 2013 and 2021, Honourable Ibrahim Mustapha, disclosed this while responding to the submission of the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, who averred that Nigeria is subsiding West African countries.

While responding to a question on the huge allocation of petrol to states near border towns, the NNPC helmsman lamented that previous efforts made by the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to install Acquila facility with a view to forestalling illegal transportation of PMS across illegal border failed.

He, however, said: “If you have N5 million, you can cross the borders with trucks laden with PMS and that is the bitter truth: we have porous borders; yes, we have the Customs service but I do not know.

“PMS crosses anywhere to Cameroon through the North-East, Nigerian petrol gets to Upper Volta, Mali; our neighbouring countries hardly import petrol; in fact, some of them do not have the LC cover to back up imports.

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“Cameroon refinery got burnt sometime last year or so, since that time, they have not imported petrol and then, still using the product. If you go to Niger, you find that petrol is sold in bottles just like Coca-Cola because, to them, it is a cheaper source why waste their foreign exchange? So, we are subsidising for our neighbours, that is the simple truth.”

In a swift response, Honourable Mustapha said: “There is a committee set up by the seventh Assembly that investigated subsidy. And, in the report of that committee, it was established that 31.5 million litres of PMS were being consumed daily as of that time; that was in 2012.

“Now, in comparison with the figure we are having before us here, 66 million plus litres, one will wonder what increase of consumption is it that within 10 years, we have over 100 per cent increment. How can we justify it?

“For a layman like me, if I say 1,500 trucks were discharged from various depots into the country, it will at least take those trucks five to 12 hours to arrive at their final discharge point and then, it will take more hours to discharge.

“So, how come that these trucks will discharge and return same day and also be able to load to maintain the 64 or 66 million consumption daily?

“And the second issue, if you look at this your table, gasoline price across West African countries per naira per litre. Maybe you will help a layman like me that probably we are simply subsidising for the West African region. Even in Niger Republic, it is sold for N536; in Mali, N577; in neighbouring Benin, N389; in Ghana, N589 and in Togo, N470. In Chad, N362 and in Cameron, N423, whereas the landing cost plus incidentals, profit and whatever as you projected here is N462 in Nigeria and we subsidise it to N162 or N165 or thereabout.

“Don’t you think we deliberately choose to sink the country for the benefits of others? What justification can we say we have to justify this to Nigerians? These are some of the key issues we will like to hear from the horse’s mouth.”

Speaking earlier, the NNPC helmsman, who painted a gory picture of how oil theft and pipeline vandalisation plagued the industry, disclosed that the country, which produced 2.3 million barrel per day before COVID-19, currently produces between 1.2 million and 1.6 million barrel per day, against 1.8 million barrels per day approved by OPEC.

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Noting that the joint venture partners are entitled to about half of the total production, some of the partners, he said, have declared force majeure, with ExxonMobil shut-in, while Shell has also signified plans to follow suit.

Kyari, who was represented by the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr Umar Ajia, said: “We have about 1.6 billion litres incoming, land and marine. This is what is the minimum level we have to maintain, especially as we approach winter. Most of the refineries that we procure are actually shutting down their operations because of the clamour for green energy and COP26 compliance.

“Even gas that is transition fuel for us is being given eight years. Of course, we do not agree. When you look at PMS outlook, we want be closing each and every month with a two billion closing stock. That is the only way you can sustain petroleum so that a marketer do not see some slack and take advantage by begin to hoard product that create, artificial scarcity which can lead to queue.

“There is a huge arbitrage for anybody to move product to outside. We are not saying that the bulk of the product is smuggled. The reality is that there is no study to validate the actual consumption. What we are reporting daily is what the authority, which is the regulator, publishes. They are represented at every depot in Nigeria.

“Exchange rate has been moving steadily from N195.5 to now N390.6 to a dollar, on average. The subsidy scheme is two ways, the fx subsidy and price.

“The shipping cost has doubled, therefore the landing cost of PMS has moved from N87 per litre in 2015 to about N327.68 per litre today. When you compare it to what we sell, you have a N209 on every litre. When you multiply the N209 per litre with an average of 66.7 million litre, you are talking about N3.4 trillion subsidy for the year.

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“The reality today is that if one were to take statistics of the number of vehicles in Nigeria, how many Keke NAPEP do we have? How many pumping machines do we have? On a routine visit, I saw nothing less than a million keke. Take an average that each one uses four litres every day, that is four million litres, one city.

“We have not done a study to validate; people are saying that we are evacuating 66 million a day. That is the reality. Some days, what is evacuated can go as much as 100 million a day, while some weekends, we do zero. The marketers are watching.

“States like Oyo and Ogun states even consume more than Lagos State, so you wonder. Is it that they have more vehicles than Lagos? This explains that these are states with porous borders and that will explain why this bulk evacuation is going out of Oyo and Ogun states, probably neighbouring countries.”

He also informed the lawmakers that the company resolved to extend the Direct Sales Direct Purchase (DSDP) contract, which was billed to end in August 2022, in order to avert fuel scarcity in December and during the 2023 general election.

“It is a very dangerous period to begin to re-tender for that because we are facing the winter. These are the difficult ‘embers months’ that we normally avoid fuel scarcity,” he said.

Before resorting to a closed-door session, Mustapha had directed some subsidiaries, including Duke Oil and NNPC Retail Limited, to appear on Thursday with relevant documents.
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Despite Tegbe’s 72-Hour Promise, Nigerians Still Battle Power Outages

Published

23 hours ago

November 10, 2026

Trends Admin

Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe

Despite Tegbe’s 72-Hour Promise, Nigerians Still Battle Power Outages

Nigeria’s electricity generation has risen to 4,020.41 megawatts (MW), up from about 3,500MW, but the improvement has yet to translate into reliable power supply for households and businesses across the country.

The development comes amid growing frustration over prolonged power outages, particularly in Lagos and other states, despite assurances by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, that electricity supply would improve within 48 to 72 hours.

Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that generation increased on Monday, November 9, 2026, following disruptions linked to maintenance at the Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints and damage to critical transmission infrastructure.

The increase followed the Federal Government’s intervention to restore damaged transmission infrastructure and return affected generating units to operation. However, electricity consumers continued to report inadequate supply, highlighting the gap between improved generation figures and the actual amount of electricity reaching homes and businesses.

According to the reported figures, electricity generation reached a peak of 4,253.6MW on Sunday before standing at 4,020.41MW on Monday. The Afam VI power plant contributed the largest share at 519MW, followed by the Shiroro hydroelectric plant with 445MW and the Azura-Edo plant with 438MW.

However, the Egbin Power Station, which has an installed capacity of 1,320MW, was generating only 108MW at the time of the reported assessment.

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The combined electricity allocation to the 11 distribution companies (DisCos) stood at approximately 3,195MW by late Monday afternoon, with Abuja DisCo receiving 581MW, Ikeja Electric 467MW and Eko Electricity Distribution Company 458MW.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, had earlier attributed the worsening electricity situation to planned maintenance at the Egbin Power Station, inadequate gas supply to some thermal power plants and the vandalism of critical transmission infrastructure.

In an update issued on Friday, November 6, Tegbe explained that maintenance activities and gas supply constraints had reduced the volume of electricity available on the national grid, forcing operators to introduce load shedding in some areas.

He also disclosed that the vandalism of key transmission lines had restricted alternative routes for delivering electricity, particularly to Lagos.

The minister subsequently apologised to Nigerians over the disruptions, acknowledging the difficulties experienced by households, businesses and public institutions.

He said the government was working with generating companies, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NISO and electricity distribution companies to restore affected facilities and improve supply.

Tegbe had promised that the first affected generating units would return to operation within 48 to 72 hours, while repairs to damaged transmission infrastructure would be accelerated.

In a further update on Monday, the minister announced that the vandalised Benin-Egbin 330-kilovolt transmission line had been repaired and returned to service.

According to him, the restoration increased electricity supply to the Lagos electricity complex to more than 1,000MW, bringing it back to the level recorded before the disruption.

Tegbe said electricity had been restored to several previously affected areas in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory, although some locations were still awaiting full restoration.

He also disclosed that the government was working to repair another important transmission route, the Osogbo-Ikeja West 330kV line, which has reportedly remained out of service for about 18 months.

The line could deliver an additional 400MW to Lagos when restored. However, about six transmission towers along the route have been vandalised, making repairs difficult because of the swampy terrain.

The minister said the government expected the restoration work to be completed by the end of November.

Despite the recent disruptions, Tegbe has expressed confidence that Nigeria could achieve more stable electricity supply within the next three to five years.

He said the Federal Government was considering a proposed $2 billion east-west super grid designed to strengthen the country’s transmission infrastructure and increase its capacity to 19,000MW.

The proposed project is expected to connect several locations, including Funtua, Gwagwalada, Ikot Ekpene, Benin, Epe and Ilorin.

Tegbe said the government had commenced the procurement process and expected the project to improve the resilience of the national electricity network.

He also stressed the need to address longstanding infrastructure problems, noting that some electricity equipment was between 40 and 50 years old.

Meanwhile, he maintained that the government was working to improve electricity supply through better coordination among generation, transmission and distribution operators.

The latest development highlights the continuing challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector, where improvements in generation do not automatically guarantee adequate supply to consumers because of limitations in transmission and distribution infrastructure.

For millions of Nigerians, the major concern remains whether the increased generation figures and government interventions will translate into more consistent electricity supply.

Despite Tegbe’s 72-Hour Promise, Nigerians Still Battle Power Outages

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Edo APC Chieftain Hacked to Death by Son Over Alleged Prophecy

Published

23 hours ago

November 10, 2026

Trends Admin

Julius Bello, popularly known as De Lord Ogata

Edo APC Chieftain Hacked to Death by Son Over Alleged Prophecy

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Julius Bello, popularly known as De Lord Ogata, has reportedly been hacked to death by his son following claims that a prophet blamed him for the younger man’s financial struggles.

Bello, who was the APC Ward Three Chairman in Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area, was allegedly attacked with a sledgehammer by his son, identified as Irobudo, on Sunday, November 8, 2026.

The incident reportedly occurred shortly after the suspect returned from Lagos over the weekend.

According to reports, the suspect struck his father on the head with the weapon, inflicting fatal injuries.

Family sources linked the attack to an alleged prophecy that reportedly portrayed Bello as being spiritually responsible for his son’s prolonged poverty and inability to make financial progress.

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The claims were said to have fuelled resentment against the deceased before the fatal attack. However, the alleged prophecy and its connection to the killing have not been independently verified, and the police have not established it as the motive.

The Edo State Police Command confirmed the killing and said an investigation had commenced.

The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed that the suspect was still at large as of Monday, November 9, while police operatives were working to apprehend him.

According to the police, investigations would establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and the events that preceded the attack.

The incident has thrown Bello’s family and residents of Fugar into mourning, particularly because the suspected attacker is his own son.

The killing has also raised concerns about the potential consequences of unverified spiritual accusations when they fuel suspicion, hostility and violence within families.

The police investigation is expected to establish the full circumstances of the incident, determine the motive and bring the suspect to justice.

Edo APC Chieftain Hacked to Death by Son Over Alleged Prophecy

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INEC Flags 268 Voter Records Over AI-Generated Photos, Begins Cleanup Ahead of 2027 Elections

Published

1 day ago

November 9, 2026

Trends Admin

2027 Elections: INEC Reveals Why Pantami, Adebutu, Others Were Excluded

INEC Flags 268 Voter Records Over AI-Generated Photos, Begins Cleanup Ahead of 2027 Elections

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the removal of questionable records from Nigeria’s preliminary Register of Voters after its biometric verification system flagged 268 entries over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities.

The development comes amid growing public concerns over the credibility of the voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the discovery of suspicious photographs, duplicate registrations and names of deceased persons in the preliminary database.

INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, disclosed the development during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, explaining that the commission’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) had identified 268 records requiring further examination.

Bayode said the commission had begun reviewing the affected entries and removing those confirmed to be irregular.

He also explained that some registration officers allegedly exploited their authorised access to introduce questionable records into the database.

According to him, some of the irregularities involved the misuse of a special registration option designed for persons with disabilities who have incomplete or missing fingers.

However, the INEC official clarified that not every photograph enhanced with artificial intelligence would lead to the exclusion of the affected voter.

He distinguished between genuine photographs improved with AI-powered applications on mobile phones and images generated entirely by artificial intelligence, stressing that only confirmed fraudulent images would be removed.

The controversy followed INEC’s publication of its preliminary Register of Voters online on October 26, which triggered public outrage after screenshots showing suspicious photographs and other questionable entries circulated on social media.

Some of the disputed records reportedly included entries from parts of Edo State, prompting questions about the commission’s registration and verification procedures.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, subsequently confirmed that the commission was examining the questionable records and would take corrective action based on verified findings.

The commission has maintained that the preliminary register is not the final certified document, explaining that the verification and public scrutiny exercises are intended to identify inaccuracies and irregularities before certification.

INEC has scheduled December 15, 2026, for the certification of the final Register of Voters after completing the necessary verification, adjudication and data-cleanup processes.

The commission has also encouraged Nigerians to participate in scrutinising the register and report suspicious entries to help safeguard the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.