Business
World Bank can’t dictate to Nigeria on fuel subsidy removal –Chaudhuri
The Country Director, World Bank, Shubham Chaudhuri, speaks on major issues affecting the Nigerian economy.
Is the country investing enough in infrastructure to realise its potential?
Nigeria has so much potential but it has not been realised. To realise the potential, there must be investments in capital infrastructure and in basic development needs. Right now, Nigeria does not have the revenues to finance it. We have seen in some reports that Nigeria has the lowest level of government revenue to GDP among some major countries, but we have some other countries too. But if you compare them to the rule of thumb on how much the government needs to spend in order to provide the basic functions of law and order-basic services and basic infrastructure-the rule of thumb is usually between 15 per cent and 20 per cent. Nigeria, in the last few years, has been spending about 12 per cent of the GDP. It means if your revenue is seven to eight per cent of the GDP, and you are making an effort to spend about 12 per; you are already encouraging fiscal deficit which means an overall debt. However, that might be worth it if the public spending is in the right places. Nigeria has huge potential and we see this potential in two ways. Nigeria is the largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, and you see the dynamism and the energy of the people. And if things were a bit more conducive to mobilising the energy, the potential is tremendous. I also see in it terms of Nigerians in the Diaspora-Nigerians who grow up in Nigeria and then at an individual level go abroad. In the United States, Nigerians are the most educated. It used to be the Indians but Nigeria has overtaken India in that regard.
What, in your view, is affecting the growth of the country’s per capita income?
In the last 40 years, the real per capita income has been inflation-adjusted, and per capita income in Nigeria has not grown. What it was in 1981, 1982 is what it is now in 2021, 2022. That doesn’t mean there was no time the per capita income has grown up; and most of that is related to oil price movement. But over the long run, in the last four decades, it is like four lost decades. Now the population is much higher, insecurity is much more widespread, and this year and last year, the oil price is going up. Even with what is happening in Ukraine, the oil price is no longer the boom.
How do you expect the Dangote Refinery to impact the country’s revenue when it fully commences?
Refining or the ability to refine petroleum products domestically will be great from an economic perspective – in terms of increasing domestic value-added- and will also have some job creation spillovers. It is not a solution to the physical problem of PMS subsidy, for the simple reason that it is still going to be a choice; that is if the refined products can be sold at the world price. For the refinery not to sell it at the world price, but to sell at the subsidised price, means that the government is still spending a lot. So the fiscal choice will remain and it is a choice for Nigeria to determine whether government revenues are better spent towards subsidising versus reducing the number of out-of-school children, versus reducing the number of children who die before the age of five, which Nigeria is also leading in the world. It would help on the economic front in terms of value-added.
Would subsidy have any impact on local refining of oil?
Do we want the domestic refinery, whether it is private or public, to sell PMS at a subsidised price when they could sell at the world price? The choice for Nigeria is that this state refinery could sell PMS at the world price, bringing all these revenues with them. The government can decide whether it could put that towards subsidising the PMS, or could put it on healthcare, basic education, electricity excess, and better roads. If it is a private refinery, since we have a large one coming on the line, the refinery would certainly or not be willing to sell at a subsidised price without being compensated by the government. So the fiscal choice does not go away. This is one of the things that are seen in the media where domestic refining is seen as a solution to the fiscal problem. It is not the solution to the fiscal problem. It is certainly in terms of domestic value-added, in terms of the economic benefits.
Do you expect the local refinery to bring huge benefits in terms of export?
The dependence on imports is the same thing. The dependence on import means that you are using up assets. The refineries can sell refined petroleum products globally, and by the way, the crude oil that Nigeria produces, if it goes directly to the domestic refineries, that means you are not earning FX from selling the product. So both on the foreign exchange and on the fiscal front, the choice does not go away. It is still a policy choice. If I have a domestic refinery that is producing 20 million litres a day of petroleum (PMS), I can export that at the world price, or I can sell it domestically at the world price, or I can sell it domestically at the subsidised price. If I sell it domestically at the subsidised price, that means that it is a conscious choice that I do not want to earn foreign exchange revenue from exporting, which is fine. But if you say I am going to sell it domestically at the subsidised price, you are also saying that the revenue is better used for subsidising PMS. The domestic refinery can sell at the world price, the federation gets the revenues and could use the revenues for education. So, it all comes to a choice. It is not by having the domestic refineries come online that the choice will be well. Either when it comes to FX availability or in terms of the fiscal cost, the clear benefits from the rest of the refinery are that it has huge benefits in terms of job creation and value-added. That is the reason domestic refinery capacity should be strengthened, but people think that having a domestic refinery would somehow take away the choice. You will still be losing N5tn this year in potential revenue, by abiding with the cost of PMS right now, because of where the crude oil price is. That cost will not go away because of domestic refining.
What is the implication of Ukraine/Russian war on the global economy?
It depends on whether it escalates further or continues or is more limited. The clear implication suddenly that we have seen is the rise in the prices of crude oil and gas. And I think that, for many of the advanced economies that inflation was getting ahead with, it would mean the tightening of monetary policies. It could also have some implications for global trade. In general, it could mean that the pace of economic activities globally is likely going to be a bit more moderate as being done before the crisis. My sense is that from everything that we have seen, they are likely to be more moderate than that.
What is the impact of the war on Nigeria?
Coming to Nigeria, you look at two main aspects. What it means for oil prices or energy prices including natural gas, and in terms of the willingness of portfolio investors or others to invest in Nigeria. On the global capital flows, investors’ kind of appetite in terms of investing in an emerging market is going to go down because of rates. It is not only going to be about the global market situation but also the rates in the home economies. For many of these investors, the rates will go up. So the surge for high returns, which has flooded many emerging markets, would come down. For Nigeria, ironically, that is the last of a concern because those flows were not coming in. So, the fact of Ukraine, I don’t see it having clear direct impact in that way.
Do you expect the rising oil price to have a positive effect on Nigeria’s revenue?
On the oil price, historically, in the last five decades, you will see that any time crude oil price goes up, it helps economic activities in Nigeria, just because it becomes a source of free cash flow that people spend on a lot of things. The oil sector by itself is part of a relatively small part of the economy, but the spillover is large. What was also the case in the last five decades was that high oil prices were good for the federation budget, finances, but that is no longer true. In 2021, it was not true and in 2022 it is not likely. We could be wrong, and we will be very happy to be wrong. Nigeria is having trouble on crude oil production, it is already below the OPEC quota, unable to produce the extent to which it should.
Then the fact that the price of what you are producing has gone up is not helping you that much. The larger reason is that the cost of the PMS subsidy is going up. So at $85 per barrel, NNPC was projecting that the cost of the PMS subsidy will be around N180bn to N200bn per month. In January, when the crude oil prices had already gone up to $90/barrel, $93/barrel, it has still gone up to N250bn per month. Now, you just mentioned it is about $100 per barrel, our guess right now is that we are looking at N4tn or even more a year in 2022 as the cost of PMS subsidy to the Nigerian government.
The Federal Government has postponed its plan to remove subsidy on PMS. Do you see this as the best decision now?
Two things, first, I want to emphasise that this is Nigeria’s choice. I think there needs to be a consensus among the political elite and that is to be communicated and accepted by the public. So, if there wasn’t a consensus earlier, I hope this could be a time for that, around what should be the choice for Nigeria and it has to be a consensus.
Number two, this is Nigeria’s choice. Our role is certainly not to dictate, we have no ability to dictate. With economies really, you are not meant to make a political decision. What you are meant to do is to lay out what are the cons and consequences of different decisions. So, that is what we are doing. We are just being very clear that this would come with a fiscal cost and the fiscal cost is the number, perhaps N4tn this year, and for the states, our projections suggest that the transfers they will receive from the federation may actually go down by as much as 10 per cent. This is because there won’t be enough coming into the federation account. We hope that there is a solution to this. We are working very closely with the Honourable Minister of Finance on mobilising non-oil revenue. If there isn’t a consensus about safeguarding oil revenue, at least, there are opportunities for mobilising non-oil revenues in terms of the budget support facilities.
Nigeria has continued to borrow despite its revenue challenges. What impact do you envisage from this?
I think the Minister of Finance is in a very difficult position in finance now. When you see some pressing financial needs now, you know that raising revenues will take some time. So, you feel that if you can borrow to meet those pressing needs now, it really helps to strengthen our ability to repay in the future. When we look at it, debt is not necessarily a bad thing. Look at the example I was giving, suppose the main income earner of a household falls sick, such that the income is no longer coming in. Will it make sense for that family to borrow so that they can keep their daughter in college? I will say yes, because they are investing in their daughter and the ability to repay the debt when she gets a job. Of course, it does not make sense to borrow so that the uncle can go out for good time. So it is all about the uses of debt. So, all about debt sustainability is looking at not just the volume of debt but what it is being used for. From that perspective and what we have seen, Nigeria is trying at least at the federal level to really make sure that the debt is used for the right things and a big part of that is being very transparent. So, we work very closely with the government. Not just the government but the public at large can decide whether this is something that works.
PUNCH
The new pricing template, which took effect on July 13, 2026, also pegs Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) at $1.087 per litre and Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) at $0.942 per litre, while coastal deliveries of PMS have been fixed at $1,044.62 per metric tonne.
The development marks the end of naira payments for refined petroleum products, a policy introduced after the commencement of the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude initiative on October 1, 2024.
In a notice issued to petroleum marketers and customers, the refinery announced that all previously issued naira-denominated Proforma Invoices and Deal Recaps for both gantry and coastal transactions had become invalid.
The notice, signed by the refinery’s Group Commercial Operations, directed customers not to make payments against the cancelled invoices, stating that all transactions would now be conducted in United States dollars.
Under the revised pricing schedule, petrol supplied through the gantry will sell for $0.779 per litre, diesel for $1.087 per litre, aviation fuel for $0.942 per litre, while coastal PMS supplies will cost $1,044.62 per metric tonne.
The refinery, however, clarified that the transition does not affect Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which will continue under its existing payment arrangement.
Industry sources said the decision followed a growing imbalance between the currency used to procure crude oil and that used to sell refined products.
According to the sources, the refinery now receives a larger share of its crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under dollar-denominated supply arrangements, while a significant volume of its refined products had continued to be sold locally in naira.
The resulting mismatch, coupled with exchange-rate volatility and fluctuations in global crude oil prices, reportedly increased the refinery’s foreign exchange exposure and prompted the adoption of a uniform dollar-based pricing framework.
A source familiar with the development explained that the shift became necessary as the volume of naira-denominated crude supplies declined relative to dollar-based crude cargoes.
“The refinery is receiving fewer naira-denominated crude cargoes while a larger proportion of its refined products has continued to be sold in naira. That imbalance, combined with foreign exchange volatility, made the transition to dollar pricing inevitable,” the source said.
The decision is expected to have significant implications for petroleum marketers who source products directly from the refinery for nationwide distribution. It could also influence retail pump prices, depending on movements in the exchange rate, international crude oil prices, logistics costs and marketers’ operating expenses.
The Federal Government had introduced the naira-for-crude policy to encourage domestic refining, reduce pressure on foreign exchange demand and stabilise fuel prices. However, industry stakeholders have recently reported implementation challenges, noting that a growing proportion of crude supplies to local refiners has reverted to dollar-based transactions.
Analysts believe the latest development underscores the continued foreign exchange challenges facing Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector despite efforts to deepen local refining and reduce dependence on imported fuel.
Independent petroleum marketers on Monday pushed for the restoration of importation rights and projected that the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, could fall below N800 per litre as the Federal Government intensified efforts to force down the cost of petrol.
The development came as the Federal Government met with major operators in the downstream petroleum sector, including representatives of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, over what it described as the disconnect between falling global crude oil prices and the relatively high pump prices of petrol in the domestic market.
The stakeholders’ meeting on cost-reflective pricing of PMS, held at the headquarters of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in Abuja, brought together the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, the Depot and Petroleum Products Retailers Association of Nigeria, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, and other major operators in the sector.
Also in attendance were chief executives and representatives of TotalEnergies, Eterna Plc, Matrix Energy Group, officials of the NMDPRA, and delegates from the Dangote refinery.
Petrol prices have remained a major source of hardship for households and businesses in Nigeria, with pump prices surging following the spike in global crude oil prices triggered by tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and the United States.
Although crude prices have moderated after diplomatic efforts eased the tensions, the reduction has yet to be fully reflected in domestic petrol prices, prompting the Federal Government to convene a stakeholders’ meeting aimed at driving a fair reduction in pump prices.
The National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, urged the government to permit independent marketers to import petroleum products directly, saying greater competition would ultimately reduce prices.
Maigandi also called for support for local refineries, particularly the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, while stressing the need to allow marketers to import products whenever necessary.
“Our major concern is that if products are to be distributed, let IPMAN buy products directly from the Dangote refinery and then, if we request importation, let IPMAN import by themselves. What we are trying to encourage is our local refinery. Let the government allow the local refinery to function properly and assist those who intend to refine products too,” he said.
The IPMAN president assured Nigerians that independent marketers were prepared to slash petrol prices significantly and projected that pump prices could fall below N800 per litre under the right market conditions.
“The price of the product is coming down bit by bit. Even when the price was increased, it was not increased at the same time. Likewise, now, as the price is coming down, we too are bringing the price down. If you check prices all over the country, you will see that independent petroleum marketers are reducing their prices gradually. Presently, we have reduced by N125 per litre nationwide,” he stated.
Miagandi added, “At any time when there is a reduction in price, we are ready to reduce the price to even below N800 per litre, not even N900. It depends on the way we buy the product from the private depot owners and the Dangote refinery.
“I thank God that the Dangote refinery has accepted independent petroleum marketers to start purchasing products directly. It is a plus, and very soon the populace will see the change in terms of price.”
The renewed push for importation comes amid an intense pricing battle in the downstream sector following the commencement of large-scale production at the Dangote refinery and the deregulation of the petrol market.
Speaking to journalists after a closed-door session with the stakeholders, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said the government remained concerned that current petrol prices were not reflective of prevailing crude oil prices in the international market.
According to him, the government had engaged marketers in frank discussions aimed at ensuring that the reduction in global crude prices translates into lower pump prices for Nigerians.
Lokpobiri said, “The engagements are ongoing. We had very fruitful and frank discussions with the marketers and the leaders of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry with a view to driving down the price of PMS.
“My own opinion is that the petrol prices are not cost-reflective; they are not reflective of the cost of crude oil. But the marketers are also saying that crude oil prices are still high.
“In fact, somebody told us right there that the crude oil price for a month is still over $90 per barrel. But we are saying that when Brent crude was over $118 per barrel, the price was rapidly going up. Now that the price has come down drastically, why has petrol not come down correspondingly? That is a worry.”
The minister said the government had communicated the concerns of consumers to operators and directed them to return with practical measures that would lead to lower petrol prices.
“We have said that these are the issues of concern to the government. They have also said they will go back and think about what they can put together with a view to addressing the issue of the high cost of PMS that is not reflective of the price of crude in the market.
“We told them the concern of the Nigerian consumer, and they have also said they will go back and think of what concrete steps can be taken with a view to ensuring that the price drops,” he stated.
On when Nigerians should expect a reduction in petrol prices, Lokpobiri said discussions were still ongoing and declined to give a deadline. “As we called you today, we will call you as soon as possible. But the important thing is that discussions are ongoing,” he added.
Before the closed-door meeting, Lokpobiri warned petroleum marketers against using profits from previously acquired expensive fuel inventories as justification for maintaining high petrol prices, insisting that the benefits of lower replacement costs must be passed on to consumers.
The government said the continued disconnect between falling international crude oil prices and domestic petrol prices had become a source of concern, warning petroleum marketers against sustaining high pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit despite declining global crude prices and insisting that Nigerians should enjoy the benefits of lower replacement costs in a deregulated market.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery exported about 466,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel to Europe in June, valued at an estimated ₦757 billion, surpassing shipments from the United States and becoming Europe’s largest supplier during the month.
According to an S&P Global Commodity Insights market report, Nigeria’s jet fuel exports to Europe rose sharply from 232,000 metric tonnes in May to 466,000 metric tonnes in June—the highest monthly volume since the country became a net exporter of aviation fuel in 2024 following the commencement of production at the Dangote refinery.
The June shipment is equivalent to about 582.5 million litres of aviation fuel. At an estimated domestic value of ₦1,300 per litre, the exports are worth approximately ₦757.25 billion.
In contrast, US jet fuel exports to Europe declined significantly, dropping from a record 818,000 metric tonnes in April to 560,000 metric tonnes in May, before falling further to 399,000 metric tonnes in June, leaving Nigeria as the continent’s biggest supplier during the period.
A trader attributed the oversupply in the European market to increased shipments from both Dangote and the US.
“Jet fuel is oversupplied because of high local refinery production. Refineries delayed maintenance to benefit from high prices. The US and Dangote also shipped large volumes. Some flows are also resuming through the Suez Canal from the UAE,” the trader said.
The report noted that the European jet fuel market turned increasingly bearish after prices retreated sharply from the highs recorded during the recent Middle East conflict.
According to Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, the Northwest Europe jet CIF cargo assessment for July fell to $981.75 per metric tonne on June 30, down from a record $1,694.25 per metric tonne recorded on March 30. The August contract also declined from $1,507.50 to $968.25 per metric tonne over the same period.
Analysts said Europe could receive even more jet fuel supplies in the coming months as the East-West arbitrage remains favourable, encouraging exporters in the Middle East and India to ship cargoes westward.
Although no jet fuel shipments arrived from the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait in June, exports from Saudi Arabia increased to about 106,000 metric tonnes, up from 7,000 metric tonnes in May. Exports from India also rose from 129,000 metric tonnes to 197,000 metric tonnes.
Despite the current oversupply, traders told Platts that market conditions would largely depend on developments in the Strait of Hormuz, the recovery of Middle Eastern refineries affected by recent conflicts, stronger summer travel demand, and refiners’ decisions to prioritise diesel production over jet fuel.
Meanwhile, data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) showed that the Dangote refinery exported about 1.66 billion litres of refined petroleum products in April 2026.
The exports included 513 million litres of petrol, 534 million litres of diesel, and 615 million litres of aviation fuel, highlighting the refinery’s growing role in supplying both domestic and international markets.
Dangote Refinery remains Nigeria’s only major refinery currently producing refined petroleum products at volumes sufficient for local consumption and export. Rising output has also made Nigeria a net exporter of petrol for the first time in decades, reinforcing the country’s emergence as a major refining and petroleum export hub in Africa.
Findings by our correspondent showed that some filling stations now sell petrol below N860 per litre, while Dangote partners, such as MRS, Heyden, and others, sell at N865 or N875 in Lagos and Ogun States.
A filling station named SGR in Ogun State reduced its price to N847 per litre as of Tuesday. Marketers confirmed to The PUNCH that most importers have reduced their ex-depot petrol prices below that of the Dangote refinery.
As of Tuesday, it was learnt that Dangote refinery was selling petrol at N820 per litre while some depots sold the product at N815 per litre. According to Petroleumprice.ng, Aiteo, Menj and others put their prices at N815/litre as of Tuesday.
Our correspondent learnt that the importers were making efforts to remain in business through competitive pricing. Many had previously complained of recording losses when the 650,000-barrels-per-day capacity Dangote refinery began implementing constant price cuts earlier this year.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, confirmed the ongoing downward price review by the importers.
“Depot owners are dropping their petrol prices. Some of them are selling N815, some are selling N817, while Dangote is selling N820. NNPC is still selling at N825; it has not dropped its prices yet,” Ukadike disclosed.
He described this as the beauty of market liberalisation, saying President Bola Tinubu should not heed calls to ban fuel importation.
“This is the beauty of the liberalisation of the market. That is why we opined that the President should not ban anybody from importing petroleum products. Nobody should be stopped from bringing in petroleum products. That is the beauty of opening up the market. Implementation and local refining will checkmate unfair pricing. As an indigenous country, you must refine to ensure that you have the best price,” Ukadike said.
On claims that toxic and substandard fuels are being imported into the country, the IPMAN spokesman said the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority is in place to check substandard fuels.
To remain viable, he urged governments across Africa to take deliberate steps as the United States, Canada, and the European Union have done to protect domestic producers from what he called unfair competition.
Dangote did not mince words when he said that the Nigeria First policy announced by Tinubu should apply to the petroleum products sector. “The Nigeria First policy announced by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, should apply to the petroleum product sector and all other sectors,” he stated.
This request by Dangote seeks to place a ban on the importation of petrol, diesel, and other products being produced locally. He argued that local refiners were finding it difficult to sell their products because of what he called dumping. The billionaire businessman alleged that importers were dumping toxic fuel that would never be allowed in Europe.
“And to make matters worse, we are now facing increased dumping of cheap, often toxic petroleum products, some of which are blended to substandard levels that would never be allowed in Europe or North America,” he said.
Dangote mentioned that some importers bring subsidised fuel or crude oil from Russia into Nigeria. This, he said, affects local pricing, forcing refiners to lower their prices below production cost.
“Due to the price caps on the Russian petroleum products, discounted petroleum products produced in Russia or with discounted Russian crude find their way to Africa, severely undercutting our local production, which is based on full crude pricing. This has created an unlevel playing field in most African countries. Petrol and diesel are sold for about a dollar net of taxes.
“In Nigeria, due to this unfair competition, this price is just about 60 cents, even cheaper than Saudi Arabia, which produces and refines its own oil. This is due to the fact that we are having too much dumping. To remain viable, we urge the governments across Africa to take deliberate steps as the United States, Canada, and the European Union have done to protect domestic producers from unfair competition,” he stated at a recent event organised by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in Abuja.
However, marketers disagreed with Dangote, urging the Federal Government not to consider adding petroleum products to the list of items banned from importation under the ‘Nigeria First’ policy.
… Govt set to develop tourist sites
… Work starts on Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Awgu Games Village in earnest
The Enugu Air, CNG Mass Transit Programme, and the ultramodern transport terminals all built from scratch by the Governor Peter Administration are to be launched for operation before the second anniversary of the government.
The government has also approved the development of the state’s tourism industry, while total transformation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and Awgu Games Village will start in June to get them ready for the National Sports Festival to be hosted by the state in 2026.
These were made known by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Obi Ozor; Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dame Ugochi Madueke; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji; and Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu after the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Enugu, at the weekend.
Briefing Government House Correspondents, Ozor said, “We are starting off with the initial three aircraft and two of the aircraft are already on ground. The third one will be on ground by the end of this month. We are hoping to start the commercial operations before the second year anniversary of this administration.
“You have also seen buses for the mass transit programme across the state. 50 of them are already parked at Okpara Square, and an additional 50 will be joining that fleet in the next few weeks. The 100 of them will be going into commercial operations before the end of this month, which is the second year anniversary.
“Also, the bus terminals, two at Holy Ghost, one each at Gariki, Abakpa and Nsukka, will also be commissioned and go into commercial operations before the 29th of May, this year.”
He added that the government planned to bring in the electric and CNG automotive manufacturing plant into Enugu as well as launch in the next 150 days the Enugu Smart Transport Programme, which would see to the injection of over 2,000 electric vehicles.
Also briefing newsmen, Dame Madueke said funds would be invested in the tourism industry in phases.
“We are going to have it in phases. For the first phase, we are having Awhum Waterfall, Nsude Pyramid where we are going to have the first canopy walkway in the South East. It measures about 600 metres, which will actually be the longest in Nigeria.
“We also have Ngwo Pine Forest where we are having the first zipline in Nigeria. The zipline will measure about 300 metres. In the same Ngwo, we will have a big rotunda and a smaller rotunda. We have the Cross of Hope to be located at Okpatu. The Cross of Hope will be sitting 580 metres above sea level and the cross itself will measure about 50 metres, making it a total of about 630 metres above sea level. The cross will have about 15 floors with a lift.
“At Awhum Waterfalls, we are going to have another canopy walkway and a boardwalk to preserve the ecosystem.
“We equally have the Akwuke/Atakkwu Waterpark and Ovu Lake Golf and Resort at Akpawfu,” she stated.
She explained that all the tourist sites would have experience centres, food courts and renewable energy, adding that tour buses would soon arrive to ensure ease of movement of tourists.
Ahead of the 23rd edition of the National Sports Festival, Enugu 2026, Barr. Ekweremadu said the State Executive Council had equally directed the commencement of work both at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and Awgu Games Village not later than June.
“We also briefed the council on the progress made in establishing a Lab for Animation for young people in Enugu State, which His Excellency will be commissioning soon. The lab is ready.
“We are similarly working towards empowering over 2,100 young people across the state, who were trained around December last year. This empowerment will be coming up on the 12th of August, being the International Youth Day’” Ekweremadu concluded.
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