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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 lingering leadership crisis rocking the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) took a dramatic turn on Tuesday as more than 80 party aspirants under the umbrella of the Enugu G80 formally declared their total support for the State Working Committee led by the Chairman, Dr. Johnpaul Anih.
The endorsement followed an extraordinary virtual meeting of the coalition held on Monday, August 3, 2026, where members unanimously resolved to recognize the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led executive as the authentic leadership of the party in Enugu State.
The G80, described as a coalition of over 80 aspirants drawn from different political blocs within the party, said its decision was reached after a careful review of the circumstances surrounding the leadership dispute and extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders.
According to the communique adopted at the meeting, the coalition concluded that the executive led by Dr. Johnpaul Anih remains the only leadership produced through a valid state congress conducted on May 4, 2026, in compliance with the party’s constitution and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The group maintained that the legitimacy of that congress cannot be displaced by any parallel arrangement or externally imposed structure.
The forum further announced the unconditional endorsement of the Anih-led executive, describing the decision as one driven by justice, equity, constitutional order and respect for internal democracy.
As part of the resolutions, members agreed to dissolve their individual political structures into the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led leadership in order to build a united and formidable platform capable of strengthening the party across the 17 local government areas of Enugu State.
The aspirants also pledged financial, moral and political support to the State Executive in its ongoing efforts to consolidate the party and defend what they described as the democratic mandate freely given by party members during the state congress.
Addressing the forum, Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, who briefed members on the outcome of recent engagements with Dr. Johnpaul Anih and other stakeholders, urged party faithful to remain united in the interest of the party and the advancement of democratic values.
The coalition disclosed that it would immediately forward an official letter to the National Leader of the party, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, formally communicating its endorsement while urging the national leadership to respect the outcome of the validly conducted congress and restore constitutional order within the Enugu State chapter.
In the letter signed by the group’s coordinator, Dr. SKC Ogbonnia, NDC Senatorial aspirant for Enugu West Zone, and Chief Charles Solomon Ako, NDC House of Reps aspirant for Igboetiti/Uzouwani federal constituency, the G80 appealed to the national leadership to reaffirm the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led State Working Committee as the legitimate leadership of the party in Enugu State, reject attempts to create or sustain parallel executive structures and ensure that all party organs recognize the executive produced through the congress.
The coalition also called for the harmonisation of candidates produced by the two factions in line with the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution, insisting that any harmonisation process must be anchored on the executive that emerged from the validly conducted congress.
In a strongly worded warning, the G80 cautioned individuals and groups against actions capable of undermining the unity and stability of the party in Enugu State.
The coalition declared that it would resist every attempt to impose parallel leadership structures, insisting that only executives produced through constitutional processes possess the legal and moral authority to administer the affairs of the party.
The group further maintained that respect for internal democracy remains indispensable to the survival of the NDC, arguing that allowing unelected structures to supersede validly elected executives would erode members’ confidence and weaken the party ahead of future elections.
The latest endorsement adds to growing support for the Dr. Johnpaul Anih-led State Executive, coming barely weeks after party stakeholders, State Working Committee members and local government chairmen unanimously passed a vote of confidence on the leadership, citing its grassroots mobilisation efforts and commitment to strengthening the party in Enugu State.
…2027, The Last Chance To Unite Nigeria, Peter Obi
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress ( NDC), Mr Peter Obi has warned that the 2027 general elections is the last time and opportunity to unite Nigeria noting that all hands must be on deck to change what he called the sad narrative of the Nation.
This is coming as the member representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency Prof Lilian Orogbu raises fresh alarm over an alleged plot to use fake security operatives to manipulate the coming elections stating that it would be resisted .
Peter Obi who was at the empowerment scheme convened by Orogbu in Awka Anambra state Capital lamented that NIgeria paints the picture of a meal spoilt by too much salt adding that he has been going about asking for the vote of Nigerians to guarantee the unity of the Country.
“Nigeria is like a meal spoilt by too much salt and a lot has collapsed in this country and wherever you go they tell you to be careful and don’t go there and when people get sick they have no hospitals to obtain treatment rather they go to church to pray because death is by the corner”
“We need leaders who are responsible, who have integrity and I challenge any of my contestants to come up for accessment and I can tell you that non of them is better than me”
“And that is why I have been going about the country asking for the support of Nigerians so that we can restore our country and this is the last chance to unite Nigeria and I want to unite Nigeria and that is why I am in the race for Presidency.
Speaking also Hon Liliana Oby Orogbu warned that the masses would not tolerate any act by some desperate politicians to use thugs dressed in security uniform to manipulate the electoral process adding that the masses would resist such plots .
“We are aware of the plans of some people to manipulate the coming election and we learnt that they are going to use thugs dressed in security uniforms to rig the election but our people have become wiser and it would be resisted .
Also speaking Sen Victor Umeh carpeted those according to him who have been going about campaigning that people should not vote for Peter Obi contending that such persons are not in their right senses .
“When the campaign proper begins we shall come down to Anambra state and the South East to campaign and we shall engage them and let us see why we should not support Peter Obi in the coming election ” he said.
State Chairman of the Nigeria Democratic Congress ( NDC) Hon Ikem Uzoezie described the trio of Obi , Umeh and Orogbu as most qualified for the positions that they are contesting for urging the Anambra electorates to vote massively for them .
The highlight of the occasion was the distribution of refrigerators , power generators , sewing and grinding machines , motorcycles , buses and cars to members of Awka North and South Federal Constituency.
Anthony Adeniyi (Niyi) Adeosun, husband of former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has died at the age of 62.
He passed away on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, in Lagos State, according to a statement issued by the Adeosun family on Thursday.
The statement, titled “Announcement of the Passing of Mr Anthony Adeniyi (Niyi) Adeosun,” was signed by Rev. C. A. Adeosun on behalf of the family.
Describing the late Adeosun as a distinguished businessman and devoted Christian, the family said he lived a life marked by integrity, generosity, hard work, and unwavering commitment to God, his family, and his community.
“It is with profound sorrow, yet in total submission to the will of Almighty God, that the Adeosun family announces the passing of our beloved husband, father, and brother, Mr Anthony Adeniyi (Niyi) Adeosun, who was called home to glory on Wednesday, 5th August 2026, in Lagos,” the statement read.
The family said they were drawing strength from their Christian faith during the difficult period and requested prayers as they mourn their “irreplaceable loss.”
Funeral and burial arrangements will be announced at a later date.
Anthony Adeosun is survived by his wife, former Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, his children, and his siblings, including Kuramo Capital founder Adewale Adeosun.
The family also expressed gratitude to everyone who has offered prayers, condolences, and support, praying that his soul rests in perfect peace.
The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mamman Giwa, has condoled wife, children and family members of late Insp. Ikechukwu Obodo, who died after being knocked down in a hit-and-run motor-pedestrian accident.
Obodo was knocked down in a hit-and-run motor-pedestrian accident along Bissala Road in Enugu on July 5.
Giwa gave the condolence on Wednesday during a visit to the wife of the deceased officer through a delegation led by ACP Oliver Odimega, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations.
The commissioner described the death of the officer, who is a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree holder, as a deeply tragic loss to the Nigeria Police Force, his family, friends and colcolleagues.
He prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul and for God to grant his loved ones the strength to bear the irreparable loss.
The state police boss assured the bereaved family that the command remained committed to ensuring the arrest and prosecution of the fleeing driver.
Giwa noted that the police share in their grief over the painful and untimely loss of the Inspector, whose life was cut short under such unfortunate and avoidable circumstances.
Police preliminary report released by the Spokesman of Enugu State Police Command, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said: “Preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased was travelling to his duty post at about 7p.m.
“The commercial bus conveying him failed to stop at his designated bus stop near Pascan Jake Bus Stop on Bisala Road, dropping him a few metres ahead instead.
“This led to an altercation between him and the bus driver after they alighted and in the process, an unidentified speeding vehicle struck the officer and fled the scene, while the bus driver also drove away immediately.
“Passers-by alerted operatives of the New Haven Police Division, who promptly evacuated the victim to Parklane Hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
“His remains were thereafter deposited in the hospital mortuary for preservation and post-mortem examination.”
He said that contrary to circulating rumours, investigations have not established that the late officer was struck by a government or security convoy vehicle.
Ndukwe, however, said that efforts to identify and arrest the fleeing driver remain firmly on course.
Enugu State Government-owned airline, Enugu Air, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, signed a strategic partnership agreement with Jands Travel Business School (JTBS), an Enugu-based private travel, leisure and hospitality training institution, to promote Enugu State as a destination for leisure, business, investment and innovation.
The agreement was signed at Ifennia Court, Independence Layout, Enugu, ahead of the 2026 edition of the Domestic Tourism Festival (DTF), organised by Jands Travel Business School.
The three-day festival is scheduled to hold at Amadeo Event Centre, Enugu, from September 4 to 6, 2026, with the theme, “Innovation and Technology for Peaceful Domestic Tourism.”
The event is expected to attract about 2,000 delegates, including more than 300 travel agencies from across Nigeria, tourism boards, airlines, hospitality operators, investors and international guests.
Activities at the festival will include tourism exhibitions, business networking, cultural displays and performances, among others.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, which was attended by representatives of Enugu Air led by its Chief Operating Officer, Ugonna Agubuokwu, and members of the Jands Travel Business School Board of Trustees led by its Chairman, Chief Ben Etiaba, Etiaba described the partnership as an honour and an opportunity to promote tourism and aviation in Enugu State.
He said the agreement went beyond a Memorandum of Understanding, describing it as a shared vision aimed at building bridges between education and industry, tourism and aviation, as well as aspiration and opportunity.
“Tourism has become one of the world’s fastest-growing economic sectors. It creates jobs, stimulates entrepreneurship, preserves culture, strengthens national identity, and contributes significantly to economic growth.
“Yet, for tourism to thrive, it requires reliable transportation, skilled professionals, innovative partnerships and visionary leadership,” Etiaba said.
He said the forthcoming Domestic Tourism Festival would provide an opportunity to celebrate Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage while showcasing Enugu as a destination for leisure, business, investment and innovation.
Etiaba added that the partnership between Enugu Air and Jands Travel Business School demonstrated what could be achieved when government initiatives and private-sector institutions worked together.
He said the collaboration aligned with the vision of transforming Enugu into a leading destination for commerce, tourism, investment and ease of doing business.
According to him, improvements in infrastructure, security and connectivity across the state had created a solid foundation for partnerships that could drive tourism and economic growth.
He also commended Enugu Air for embracing the partnership at an early stage of the airline’s operations, saying its support for tourism and human capital development demonstrated its commitment to the development of Enugu State and Nigeria.
“I am confident that this partnership will become a model of successful collaboration and will contribute meaningfully to the growth of tourism, aviation and economic development in our state and our nation,” he said.
On her part, the Director of Jands Travel Business School, Mrs Chioma Obi, expressed appreciation for the partnership, saying it would help drive the development of tourism, aviation and hospitality in the state.
She said the collaboration reflected the shared commitment of both organisations to promoting tourism, improving connectivity and positioning Enugu as a preferred destination for tourism, business and investment.
Obi noted that the Domestic Tourism Festival, now in its third edition, had become a growing national platform for tourism development, bringing together government agencies, private-sector organisations, travel professionals, investors, academia and development partners.
She said last year’s edition attracted 1,287 participants, while the 2026 edition was expected to draw more than 2,000 delegates, including over 300 travel agencies from across Nigeria, tourism boards, airlines, hospitality operators, investors, media organisations and international guests.
“Enugu Air is more than an airline—it is a gateway to our destination. By becoming the Official Destination Airline Partner of DTF 2026, Enugu Air will help make travel to Enugu easier while connecting directly with hundreds of travel professionals, tourism stakeholders, corporate organisations and decision-makers from across the country,” she said.
Obi added that the partnership would strengthen Jands Travel Business School’s mission of showcasing Enugu’s tourism potential, attracting investment and creating new opportunities for businesses within the tourism value chain.
Also speaking, the Chief Operating Officer of Enugu Air, Ugonna Agubuokwu, expressed delight over the partnership and commended Jands Travel Business School for its efforts to promote tourism.
He assured the organisers that Enugu Air would work to ensure the success of the September festival.
“As an airline, we are honoured to be at this event. We all know what tourism brings to our economy. It promotes growth and development, tells the story of who we are and, above all, generates revenue.
“On the strength of this event, we shall use it as a gateway to showcase our routes and domestic destinations. That is why we are happy to be part of this great event,” Agubuokwu said.
He promised that the September 4–6 festival would be a major success for both Jands Travel Business School and Enugu Air.
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