News
Fuel price: Again, FG rejects govs’ N380/litre proposal
Barely three months after the Federal Government turned down the recommendation by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for an increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, the Federal Government again on Friday reiterated its stance, insisting that no decision on the adjustment of petrol price would be reached until the ongoing negotiations with the organised labour were concluded.
The Federal Government had first, on May 21, rejected the governors’ recommendation of shooting petrol price up to between N380 and N408.5 per litre and removing fuel subsidy.
The governors’ advice was based on the report of its committee chaired by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, seeking the full deregulation of the oil sector.
El-Rufai, while presenting the report of his committee to the NGF, explained that the current subsidy regime was unsustainable because smugglers and illegal markets in neighbouring African countries were the beneficiaries.
But the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, in a statement, said the current petrol price of between N162 and N165 per litre would stay.
Sylva said the current price would be retained until the ongoing negotiations with the organised labour were concluded.
He said, “Once again, it has become necessary to assure Nigerians that despite the huge burden of under-recovery, the Federal Government is not in a hurry to increase the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to reflect current market realities.
“The current price of petrol will be retained in the month of June until the ongoing engagement with organised labour is concluded.
“This clarification becomes necessary in the light of recent reports regarding the resolution of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to increase the pump price of petrol.”
Sylva also asked oil marketers not to engage in any activity that could jeopardise the “seamless” supply and distribution system of the commodity.
Despite the Federal Government’s initial stance, oil marketers under the aegis of Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, on Friday, demanded an immediate end to fuel subsidy in line with the state governors’ recommendation of May.
The President of PETROAN, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, insisted that oil marketers’ position that fuel subsidy should be stopped remained.
“When it (fuel subsidy) is stopped, the prices of petroleum products will be determined by market forces and this will create competition and lead to an increase in product availability,” he argued.
Gillis-Harry asked the Federal Government to listen to the governors’ call, especially now that the country was grappling with funding challenges.
However, the Federal Government reiterated its stance of May, stating that no decision on the adjustment of petrol price would be reached until the ongoing negotiations with the organised labour were concluded.
The Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Garba-Deen Muhammad, stated that he would re-echo the position of his boss, Sylva, who had earlier stated the position of the Federal Government on the matter.
Muhammad said people were free to make analyses and recommendations but stressed that the government’s position on petrol price had not changed.
He said, “The truth is that the key component for us to make the decision is basically for us to have a consensus with labour. So regardless of what the governors or anybody else is saying, labour is the key partner in this project.
“The negotiations with labour officials are ongoing. A decision will not be reached until the negotiations are over. So anybody can say what they want.”
He added, “The fact is that the labour represents the Nigerian people and the government is working with the Nigerian people. So it is a cardinal objective that the labour is carried along.”
Asked when the negotiations would possibly be concluded, Muhammad stated that the deadline was not completely dependent on the Federal Government.
“People can make their analyses and arrive at whatever proposals, but at the end of the day, a consensus has to be reached and in that consensus, the labour is a major voice and key partner,” he said.
Sylva had also during a recent briefing stated that the government would not discontinue petrol subsidy until its negotiations with the labour were over.
Although Sylva admitted that the burden of petrol subsidy was humongous, he insisted that negotiations with labour were a cardinal factor, stressing that the parties in the talks would soon resolve the concerns.
He said, “Of course, everybody would have their perspective, but from where I sit, I believe that subsidy removal is the best thing for Nigeria, not just for the industry. Discussions with the stakeholders are still ongoing.
“I’ll also bring to your attention that when the President assents to the Petroleum Industry Bill, subsidy issues will become a matter of law because it is already in the PIB that petroleum products will be sold at market-determined prices.”
The Petroleum Industry Bill was passed by the 9th National Assembly on July 1 after over a decade of legislative rigmarole.
The PIB contains five chapters, including governance and institutions, administration, host communities development, petroleum industry fiscal framework and miscellaneous provisions in 319 clauses and 8 schedules.
The National Assembly had in 2018 passed a harmonised version of the bill, but the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), refused assent to it due to “legal and constitutional reasons.”
As of March 2021, fuel subsidy was costing the government up to N120bn per month based on the average daily consumption of around 60 million litres of petrol, according to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari.
Also, according to an analysis by Reuters in April, subsidy cost around N10tn between 2006-2018 – more than the budget of any of the health, education or defence sector.
When contacted on Friday, the Spokesperson for the NGF, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said, “I cannot comment on any issue that has not been collectively discussed and agreed upon by governors.”
Meanwhile, oil marketers including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria on Friday backed the governors by calling for the complete removal of fuel subsidy.
The oil marketers stated that the rise in the landing cost of petrol had further highlighted the need to put a stop to petrol subsidy.
On Monday, The PUNCH reported that the landing cost of petrol imported into Nigeria had increased to a new high of N249.42 per litre on the back of high global crude oil prices.
The further rise in the landing cost of petrol means increased subsidy as the pump price of the product remains between N162 and N165 per litre.
Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the National Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, insisted that petrol price should be determined by market forces.
He said, “In a deregulated sector where subsidy is completely removed, the forces of demand and supply drive the market. There are no institutions that determine the prices of petroleum products in such a deregulated sector or fix the price of the products.
“It is important that the forces of demand and supply should drive the prices of petroleum products in the country, whereby you can be able to buy products from your local refinery and go to your local filling station and sell it.”
Ukadike, however, said the subsidy should be removed in a way that it would not inflict hardship on the consumers.
“IPMAN supports the removal of subsidy, but this should be based on the provisions of the PIB so that marketers and consumers will not suffer hardship,” he said.
“Also, in doing this, we should ensure indigenous production of refined products,” Ukadike added.
The Group Managing Director, Rainoil Limited, Dr Gabriel Ogbechie, had also recently said the country might end up spending N2tn on petrol subsidy this year.
Ogbechie, who spoke at the Nigeria History Series of the Centre for Values in Leadership, lamented the lack of deregulation in the downstream sector.
He said, “The biggest elephant in the room today as far as the downstream is concerned is the failure, so to speak, of the government to deregulate the downstream. Fixing the prices at which petroleum products are sold, I believe, is very seriously harmful to this economy.
“Petrol is being sold for between N162 and N165 per litre. I believe that petrol is being subsidised with at least N100 per litre. If you look at the national consumption of anything between 60 and 80 million litres per day, we are spending about N8bn every day just to subsidise one product.”
Petrol subsidy, which was removed in March 2020, resurfaced earlier this year as the government has left the pump price of the product unchanged since last December despite the increase in global oil prices.
Just as the oil marketers, the state-owned oil company, NNPC, had repeatedly kicked against the continuation of subsidy, but stated that it was awaiting the outcome of negotiations between the government and labour.
FG must divest from refineries after rehabilitation, PENGASSAN insists
Meanwhile, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has said it will not support the sale of the nation’s refineries.
But the union added that it would insist that the Federal Government divested its interests and allows the private sector to run them after their rehabilitation.
Speaking at a security awareness programme organised by the union in Abuja on Friday, the PENGASSAN National President, Festus Osifo, stated that his association would carry out advocacy for private sector management of the refineries.
He stated that the government could also adopt the public-private model adopted for the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas Ltd, in which the Federal Government holds minority 49 per cent shares against the 51 per cent by the private sector.
Osifo said, “PENGASSAN has never advocated that refineries be sold. What we have always advocated is that there should be a public-private partnership in such a way that the government will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the refineries.
“Why is the Federal Government not exploring the possibility of adopting the LNG model where the government holds minority 49 per cent while the private sector will take 51 per cent? That model has worked very well.”
Speaking on the ongoing rehabilitation of the refineries, he stated, “PENGASSAN welcomes the rehabilitation of the refineries. Our advocacy, once the rehabilitation work is complete, will be to call on the government to divest from the refineries and allow the private sector to run all of them.
“If we were to sell the refineries the way they are, they will be sold as scraps. If the government fixes the refineries and then divests, the money that government will get will be reasonable.”
He disclosed that while PENGASSAN had never opposed deregulation, it would not support a deregulation policy hinged on importation.
“That is why our position to support the rehabilitation of the refineries is justified. Nigeria will be ripe for full deregulation when the three refineries in the country are fully rehabilitated and are functioning under the efficient private sector.
“With the refineries coming on stream in the next few months and with the Dangote refinery coming on board as well, Nigeria will soon be self-sufficient in refined petroleum products,” Osifo said.
Osifo, a staff member of Total Nigeria Plc, argued that the Petroleum Industry Bill could be amended to reflect the five per cent demanded by the oil-producing communities.
He added, “For us in PENGASSAN, three per cent of operating expenditure is a good place to start. Let the bill be signed to end the uncertainty that shrouded the petroleum industry. The host communities can then seek an amendment.
“In my rough estimation gotten from the expenditure of the oil companies in the last one year, three per cent translates to about $45m (N18.5bn). The most important thing is how the fund will be administered.”
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has suspended renowned lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, from the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against him.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court and Secretary of the LPPC, Hajo Sarki-Bello, following the committee’s 173rd General Meeting held on June 23, 2026.
According to the statement, the suspension was approved pursuant to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and all matters relating to the rank.
The committee explained that the suspension would remain in effect pending the determination of disciplinary proceedings before the LPPC’s Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee, as well as the conclusion of other related proceedings.
While the committee did not disclose details of the allegations against the senior lawyer, it noted that the action was taken in line with its regulatory powers over holders of the prestigious SAN title.
The rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria is the highest distinction in the legal profession and is conferred on lawyers who have demonstrated exceptional professional excellence and integrity.
The Senate on Wednesday passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking the establishment of state police across the country, marking a major step in ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s security architecture.
The approval followed extensive consideration of the proposal by lawmakers during plenary.
Before the vote, senators abandoned plans to use the electronic voting system after the device developed technical issues, raising concerns about the possibility of some lawmakers being excluded from the exercise.
To ensure full participation, the Senate resolved to adopt a manual voting process in which senators openly declared their positions on the bill.
The motion for the adoption of manual voting was moved by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and received the support of the chamber.
The passage of the bill represents one of the most significant constitutional reforms considered by the National Assembly in recent years, as advocates argue that state policing will enhance local security and improve responses to criminal activities.
The constitutional amendment will, however, require further legislative processes before it becomes fully operational.
The trial of six men accused of plotting to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu took a dramatic turn on Tuesday after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the alleged leakage of sensitive court evidence to social media.
During proceedings, prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), informed the court that video recordings already tendered as evidence had surfaced online. He alleged that the materials were published by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, and noted that the activist was present in court during the hearing.
Oyedepo urged the court to investigate how the videos were obtained and made public.
In response, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik directed the DSS to immediately probe the alleged leak. The judge ordered security operatives to determine whether any protected court materials were released in breach of existing witness-protection orders and to identify those responsible.
Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the investigation should proceed alongside the ongoing criminal trial, stressing that neither the defendants nor their legal representatives had admitted involvement in the alleged publication.
Counsel to the six defendants denied any connection to the leaked materials. Some members of the defence team argued that the prosecution should file a formal application supported by an affidavit if it wished to pursue the matter before the court.
The hearing also featured testimony from the prosecution’s fourth witness, identified only as “DDD,” who maintained that the defendants voluntarily made their statements and were neither tortured nor coerced during interrogation.
The witness dismissed claims that the accused were chained while giving statements, stating that they walked into the interview room unassisted. He further told the court that none of the defendants requested the presence of lawyers, family members, Legal Aid Council officials, or a Justice of the Peace before making their statements.
Following the testimony, the prosecution closed its case in the trial-within-trial after calling four witnesses.
The court adjourned proceedings to June 25 and June 30 for the first three defendants to open their defence, while the remaining defendants are scheduled to present theirs on July 1 and July 2.
Justice Abdulmalik also fixed July 20 for a ruling on the defendants’ bail applications.
The six men remain on trial over allegations of participating in a plot to topple the Tinubu administration—claims they have denied and which the court has yet to determine.
News
Good Governance: Nwoye Harps on Prudent Management of Public Funds, Engagement of Competent Hands
A Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Peace, Conflict and Development Studies (IPCDS), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Dr. Ben Nwoye, has emphasized the need for managers of public institutions, especially government-owned establishments, to prioritize prudent management of resources and the engagement of competent personnel.
Nwoye also stressed that placing qualified and capable individuals in positions of responsibility remains one of the surest ways to achieve good governance and sustainable development in any society.
The former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State and current Deputy National Chairman (South) of the party made the remarks on Monday during a good governance facility tour to the remodeled Government Technical College (GTC), Enugu, alongside PhD students of IPCDS.
He commended Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, for the transformation of GTC Enugu under the leadership of Dr. Amaka Ngene, Chairman of the Science, Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board (STVSMB), noting that the institution has been transformed from a dilapidated facility into a modern learning centre.
According to Nwoye, the visit was aimed at assessing the progress made since a similar tour of the school in 2025.
He described education as the bedrock of national development and stressed the need for governments to continue investing heavily in the sector.
“The massive transformation that has taken place at GTC Enugu would not have been possible without prudent management of resources and the appointment of capable leadership,” he said.
“When we first visited, what we saw were merely buildings and classrooms without teachers or students. We were also shown videos and photographs depicting the terrible state of the institution before the intervention of the Enugu State Government.
“Today, barely a year later, we have returned to see whether the state-of-the-art facilities have become functional, and we are impressed by what we have seen. There are teachers, students, and fully operational departments.
“This success is largely due to the quality of leadership driving the school board. The desired transformation has truly taken place, and this goes beyond politics. It is about commitment, competence, and prudent management of public funds.”
Nwoye noted that the beneficiaries of the reforms are young people whose lives are being positively impacted through quality education and vocational training.
“We must commend Governor Peter Mbah for providing the enabling environment and resources needed to achieve this. More importantly, we must acknowledge the efforts of the Board Chairman, Dr. Amaka Ngene, who has driven the entire process.”
He added that practical examples such as GTC Enugu provide valuable learning opportunities for students studying governance and leadership.
“The challenge in our country is not the absence of laws but our failure to implement them. Previous boards allowed this institution to remain in a deplorable condition. What we are seeing today demonstrates what is possible when competent individuals are entrusted with leadership responsibilities.”
Nwoye expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the tour, stating that his students were impressed by the level of transformation witnessed across the institution.
“It is gratifying because when we teach governance principles in the classroom, we can now point to practical examples where those principles are being applied successfully. Sustainable development can only be achieved when education is treated as a priority,” he said.
Speaking during the tour, Dr. Ngene attributed the board’s achievements to a fortified database system, zero tolerance for corruption, truancy, and absenteeism, as well as a commitment to accountability and efficiency.
She also praised Governor Mbah for his commitment to education, describing the ongoing reforms as an education revolution in Enugu State.
According to her, the state’s investment in education has surpassed the UNESCO recommendation of 15 to 20 per cent budgetary allocation to the sector.
“Over the last three years, Enugu State has consistently allocated an average of 23 per cent of its budget to education, reflecting the governor’s commitment to human capital development,” she disclosed.
During the facility tour, the visiting students inspected several functional departments, including the automobile repair workshop, welding and fabrication unit, computer laboratory, garment-making section, and hospitality and catering department.
The facilities provide practical vocational training for senior students, equipping them with employable skills and entrepreneurial opportunities for the future.
Dr. Ngene maintained that Governor Mbah’s administration has demonstrated the impact of good governance through strategic investments in education and human capital development, adding that the results are already evident across the state.
With the successful conclusion of the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA) has announced plans to commence a statewide enforcement exercise against unauthorized outdoor advertisements across the state.
The Agency said the operation would target illegally displayed posters, billboards, political campaign materials, banners, and other outdoor advertisements erected without the approval and requisite permits of ENSSAA.
In a statement issued on Monday by the General Manager of the Agency, Mr. Francis Aninwike, ENSSAA said the enforcement exercise would be carried out across Enugu metropolis and all the local government areas of the state in accordance with the provisions of the ENSSAA Law 2016, which regulates outdoor advertising and signage in Enugu State.
Aninwike explained that the Agency deliberately suspended the enforcement exercise in recent weeks to allow the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election to be concluded and to avoid giving political coloration to what is essentially a long-overdue regulatory exercise aimed at restoring order, sanity, and environmental aesthetics within the state’s outdoor advertising space.
He stressed that no individual, political party, candidate, organization, or business is permitted to erect, display, or paste advertisements, including political campaign materials, without first obtaining the approval of the Agency.
According to him, political parties, candidates, and other stakeholders are advised to immediately regularize their advertisements and obtain the necessary permits before displaying campaign materials or other outdoor advertisements in any part of the state.
The General Manager noted that the proliferation of unauthorized advertisements constitutes a violation of the law, contributes to visual pollution, defaces public infrastructure, and undermines the beauty of the environment.
He emphasized that the enforcement exercise is neither targeted at any individual nor directed against any political group.
“This enforcement exercise is not targeted at any individual or political group. It is a routine regulatory action aimed at ensuring compliance with the law and maintaining a clean, orderly, and aesthetically pleasing environment across the state,” Aninwike stated.
To ensure a smooth and peaceful operation, ENSSAA said it has secured armed police escorts for its enforcement teams. The exercise will be conducted daily between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
The Agency urged members of the public to comply with extant regulations and refrain from obstructing officials carrying out their lawful duties.
Aninwike reiterated ENSSAA’s commitment to sanitizing the outdoor advertising sector, enforcing compliance with relevant laws, and ensuring that outdoor advertisements across Enugu State conform to approved standards.
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