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Diesel Price May Hit N1,500/Litre In The Next 2 Weeks – Oil Marketers

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About 75 percent of filling stations across the country cannot purchase the diesel required to power their tankers and transport petrol, to their various outlets, hence they are currently out of business, oil marketers stated on Tuesday.

Marketers also stated that the cost of diesel would keep increasing and might hit N1,500/liter in the next two weeks if nothing drastic was done to curtail the current challenge faced by importers of the deregulated commodity.

Dealers under the aegis of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association told journalists in Abuja that this was also the reason why petrol scarcity had failed to abate in Abuja and neighboring Nasarawa and Niger states, among others.

Speaking on behalf of the marketers, the National President, NOGASA, Bennett Korie, explained that the only solution to the current challenge was for the Federal Government to raise the pump price of petrol a little to reduce the huge foreign exchange used in PMS imports.

This, he said, would eventually free up some forex for diesel imports, a development that would impact positively on the rising cost of diesel, stressing that the product was currently sold at N850/liter.

He said, “If you go round now you will see that about 75 percent of filling stations in Nigeria have gone out of business. There is no diesel to take fuel to their stations. All of them are going down.

“And it is not that the fuel is not there, but the cost of bringing it to the stations is too high. We know that the crisis between Ukraine and Russia has contributed badly, but the government has to do something fast, otherwise, we are going to buy diesel in the next two weeks at N1000 to N1500/liter.”

Asked whether anything was being done to address the challenge, Korie replied, “As far as I am concerned nothing for now. The only way out, if you want to know, is that they (the government) should increase the price of fuel a little to reduce the money spent on PMS subsidies.

“I know Nigerians will not be happy to hear this, but this is the only solution. They should increase the price of fuel a little so that the savings will enable the Central Bank of Nigeria to have enough foreign exchange.

“You and I know that we import everything now in Nigeria. Diesel is an imported product and it is fully deregulated. So the importers are not getting dollars at the official CBN rate to import diesel. Everybody is going to the black market to get dollars to import their products and so you expect the price of diesel to be high.”

Korie states that if the government could bring down the rate at which it spends foreign exchange on PMS imports, this would help other businessmen who import diesel to bring in products at low prices.

“So you need to increase the fuel price a little to ensure that the dollars spent in importing petrol is reduced and there will be enough forex for importers of diesel and this will cut down the price of diesel.”

He also stated that this was the major reason why fuel queues had failed to clear in Abuja, as many filling stations lacked the funds to buy diesel at a high cost to run their trucks, transport petrol to the capital city and would still be made to sell PMS at N165/liter.

He explained that Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and other states closer to these areas had no queues because the three named cities had seaports and large depots for loading and distributing petroleum products.

Korie said, “The reason why you are having scarcity of petroleum products, particularly in Abuja is as a result of the high cost of diesel. The price of diesel today in the market is N850/liter. You will also agree with me that the money being paid as bridging claims to transporters is not enough.

“The price is N850/liter and you are giving your driver 1,200 liters from Lagos to Abuja, if you do the calculation you will find out that the landing cost (for transporting the fuel) is about N40/liter.

“So if you add that to PMS, buying at the depot price and selling here, it is too high. So if your cost of bringing it in is at N40/liter and you bought it at N155/liter, when you add this you will get N195/liter. But you are to sell at N165/liter. So who will do that kind of business? It is already a loss-making business.”

Economic experts and operators in the oil sector had repeatedly called on the Federal Government to stop subsidizing petrol to halt the humungous foreign exchange spent on its imports.

A former President, of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, Dr. Sam Nzekwe, told our correspondent that petrol subsidy was eating deep into the finances of Nigeria.

“Petrol subsidy is eating deep into our national treasury. It is affecting almost every aspect of the economy because so much forex is used for its imports. It has to be stopped, but we must get our refineries working,” Nzekwe said.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr. Muda Yusuf, has told our correspondent that subsidies on petrol should be cautiously and gradually removed based on its depleting effects on both federal and state governments’ revenues.

BIG STORY

NDPC Fines MultiChoice N766m For ‘Violating Privacy Of Subscribers’

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The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has imposed a fine of N766.24 million on MultiChoice Nigeria, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, for “violating the privacy of subscribers and their friends”.

In a statement on Sunday signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, head of legal, enforcement and regulations at NDPC, the commission explained that the sanction followed an investigation launched in the second quarter of 2024.

NDPC said MultiChoice was found to have breached the Nigeria Data Protection (NDP) Act after an inquiry into alleged violations of the privacy rights of its subscribers and the illegal cross-border transfer of personal data belonging to Nigerians.

“NDPC found, among others, that Multichoice violated the data privacy rights of subscribers and their friends who are not necessarily subscribers,” the commission stated.

“The Commission also found that Multichoice carries out illegal cross-border transfer of personal data relating to data subjects in Nigeria.

“The depth of data processing by Multichoice is patently intrusive, unfair, unnecessary and disproportionate. This is a grave affront to fundamental right to privacy as enshrined in section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Nigeria is entitled to protect her citizens, and data sovereignty under both international and extant municipal laws – as these have far-reaching implication for rule of law, national security and economic growth.

“In line with its standard remediation procedure, the Commission directed Multichoice to carry out appropriate remedial measures. However, the Commission found the measures undertaken by Multichoice in this regard unsatisfactory.

“For want of cooperation, the Commission has directed Multichoice to pay N766,242,500 for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act.”

NDPC also stated that Vincent Olatunji, the national commissioner of the agency, has directed that every outlet through which MultiChoice collects Nigerians’ personal data be investigated for possible non-compliance.

Olatunji emphasized that any outlet processing personal data in violation of the NDP Act would be subject to a penalty as stipulated by the Act.

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BIG STORY

US Court Jails Nigerian Pastor Over $4.2million COVID-19 Fraud As Monarch Forfeits Properties

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They appeared before Justice Christopher Boyko at the US District Court of Ohio.

A Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, has been sentenced by a United States District Court to 27 months in prison for defrauding the COVID-19 relief fund.

His associate, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, forfeited his property to the US government while awaiting a court ruling set for August 1.

Oluwasanmi and Oba Oloyede were arrested in early 2024 for fraudulently obtaining $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

They were charged with 13 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminal proceeds.

They were brought before Justice Christopher Boyko at the US District Court of Ohio.

Reports indicated both men pleaded guilty to some of the charges under a plea agreement.

According to court documents, Judge Boyko sentenced Oluwasanmi on Wednesday, July 2, to 27 months on counts one, 11, and 12 of the indictment.

The sentences will run concurrently.

The court also ordered Oluwasanmi to pay a $15,000 fine and report to the U.S. Marshal Service.

The court stated, “Supervised release three years on each of counts 1 and 11-12, all such terms to run concurrently, with standard and special conditions.”

It also declared, “As a result of the foregoing offenses, defendants Joseph Oloyede and Edward Oluwasanmi shall forfeit to the United States: all property, real and personal, which constitutes – or is derived from – proceeds traceable to the commission of the wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy offenses; all property constituting, or derived from, proceeds the defendants obtained, directly or indirectly, as the result of the wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy offenses and any and all property, real and personal involved in the money laundering offenses, and any property traceable to such property.”

Oluwasanmi will forfeit a commercial property located at 422 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio. Meanwhile, the court scheduled Friday, August 1, for the sentencing of Oloyede after the monarch pleaded guilty to counts one and 13 of his indictment.

On Monday, April 21, Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information systems professional crowned Apetu in July 2019, entered his guilty plea before the court.

Oba Oloyede and Oluwasanmi were accused of submitting fake applications for the Paycheck Protection Programme and Economic Injury Disaster Loans under the US Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act between April 2020 and February 2022.

They allegedly used falsified tax and wage documents to obtain funds intended to help struggling businesses during the pandemic.

The Act was meant to offer emergency financial relief to Americans facing the economic consequences of COVID-19 by providing loans to small businesses and nonprofits.

Oba Oloyede was alleged to have used some of his companies, including Available Tax Services Incorporated, Available Financial Corporation, and Available Transportation Company, to commit the fraud.

Following the monarch’s disappearance, the Osun State Government said it would wait for the conclusion of his trial before deciding on any action.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said, “A person is innocent until a court convicts them. So, we don’t want to jump the gun; let us wait for the court’s pronouncement on the matter.”

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BIG STORY

UK Grants Duty-free Access To 3,000 Nigerian Products Under New Trade Scheme

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The United Kingdom has revealed that more than 3,000 Nigerian products, such as cocoa and cashew, are now eligible to enter the UK market either duty-free or at reduced tariffs. The Country Director for the UK Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, announced this development as part of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) in a recent video released by the UK in Nigeria.

“Up to 3,000 products from Nigeria qualify for low tariff or no tariff access to the UK through the Developing Countries Scheme, one of the most generous trading schemes in the world,” Smithson stated.

He added that the UK has streamlined the process for Nigerian exporters, making it simpler to trade a wide range of goods, including cocoa and textiles.

Smithson urged Nigerian exporters to take advantage of this opportunity.

“The UK is open and looking to do business with Nigeria. So why don’t you go to the website and find out more about the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and begin to trade with us?”

The DCTS, launched in 2023, replaced the UK’s former Generalised Scheme of Preferences. It aims to lower tariffs and simplify trading regulations for over 60 developing countries, Nigeria included.

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