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Nigeria Records Stable Oil Production Level of 2.3mbpd

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  • Nigeria Records Stable Oil Production Level of 2.3mbpd

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru yesterday stated that the corporation as at June 2019 recorded 2.3 million barrels per day of crude oil production.

Baru also disclosed that the corporation attracted $3.6 billion and $3 billion in 2017 and 2018, respectively, adding that negotiations were currently ongoing to attract several billions of dollar worth of investments into the oil and gas sector.

He made the disclosure in Abuja while hosting the executive members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its National President, Mr. Chris Isiguzo.

Baru, said: “We have been able to attract FDIs into the oil and gas industry and in 2017 alone we attracted about $3.6 billion; in 2018 we attracted about $3 billion. At the moment we are negotiating sums in the region of $7 billion as FDIs that will come into the oil and gas sector,” Baru said.

The GMD, NNPC, noted that since his coming into office in July 2016, “we are focused on increasing production of oil and gas and condensates. At some point, our national combined production of oil was about a million barrels. I am happy that at the end of 2018 we have moved on, averagely last year about 2.1 million barrels.”

“As I am speaking this morning, I look at our production figures, combine oil and condensates, we are pushing 2.3 million barrels per day. I think this stability and ability to push production has come as a consequence of several factors: our relationship internally, externally and of course with the media.”

“In the gas sector, we have a pushed at a lower level of about 450 million standard cubic feet per day to say that for the domestic alone, we are covering about 1.5billion cubic feet (bcf) that is 1,500 million standard cubic feet per day of gas.

“Internally, we have a flagship company, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). This is 100 per cent NNPC operations; they have pushed their production and equity size from a lower figure of about 65,000 barrels per day in 2016 to over 166,000 per day equity. And overall production for NPDC, we are about to maintain it at close to 300,000 barrels per day. It’s quite a significant boost.”

“For NPDC, it has become the main supplier of gas to the power sector, supplying over 800 million standard cubic feet per day that is required to boost the production of power in this country. Currently the power that we enjoyed, as about 80 per cent input from gas driven tarmac power plant.

“In terms of products supply, which is really true, we knew the crisis we were in when we came in 2016. There’s a challenge; we have to put in a new scheme, which we properly called DSDP (Direct Sales Direct Purchase), essentially to directly sell crude oil and use the cash to directly purchase petroleum products.

While soliciting the firm soliciting the firm support and cooperation of the NUJ, the NNPC boss said the national oil company was working assiduously to meet the goals of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which is government’s policy vehicle to move to the economy to the next level.

“We will work hard to meet the ERGP goals. And we are focused on increasing oil and gas production and condensate.

“On the DSDP, approach to crude sales and products import, Nigeria saved N1.2 billion in one year using that template. Our transparency fetched us $.3.6 billion worth of foreign direct investment in 2017. In 2018, it was $3 billion, while in 2019, we have recorded $7 billion so far.”

While urging the media to help it in the fight against illegal refineries and products diversion, he said, “we have to remind the illegal refiners that they’re doing more harm. The crude is cooked poorly, spills in the waters, kills aqua life, causes acidic rain and impoverishes the people.

“It constitutes grave health hazard. Look at the spot all over Port Harcourt. It’s from the activities of the illegal refineries.

“We also have to warn the crooks involved in product diversion/smuggling to stop it because it’s bleeding our economy. “Some do it with 50-litre jerry cans via motorcycles. Within few shuttles, a truck is drained and these smugglers use the porous borders. Petrol is N390 per litre in Cameroon, in Chad it is N350/litre.”

Speaking further, Baru revealed that in Ghana, a litre of Nigerian oil is sold at N310.

“If 10 million litres is taken outside Nigeria, it is N2 billion that has bled out of our economy.

“These criminals and those colluding with them must be exposed. It’s not our job to secure borders but to ensure energy security, which we shall always do,” Baru stated.

Responding, Isiguzo said the visit was to congratulate Baru on the honour bestowed on him at the World Press Freedom Day Awards.

Isiguzo also urged the NNPC to look into the plight of host communities with a view to guaranteeing uninterrupted crude production.

He further appealed to security agencies and traditional rulers of host communities to protect oil installations in the interest of the country.

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

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MEND Tackles Ex-Agitators For Threatening To Bomb Oil Installations In Rivers 

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A war of words has ensued between a militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and a coalition of ex-agitators over alleged plan to attack oil installations in the region by the latter group.

Following the political crisis rocking Rivers State, a coalition of ex-agitators and fighters in the region under the aegis of Niger Delta Development Force had last week threatened to blow-up oil facilities in the region over what it termed a plot to seize financial allocations meant for local government areas in Rivers State through the courts.

The former warlords dared the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria, saying if they proceeded in withholding the funds for the state, it would have grave consequences.

Kicking against the threat, MEND’s spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, in a statement on Friday, said it will support security operatives in safeguarding crude oil installations from any attack.

Gbomo also said MEND is not in support of the violence that Rivers State has been experiencing due to the lingering feud between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his successor and estranged political godson, Siminalayi Fubara.

Describing the attack plan as threat to the economy of the country, Gbomo said it would be most unfortunate for a political dispute between two politicians to cost the state and Nigeria assets that are pivotal to nation’s survival.

Noting that the both feuding political gladiators are sons of the Niger Delta, the spokesman asked those making the threats not to allow themselves be tricked using the present circumstance into carrying arms against the Nigerian state on behalf of any of them, not even for any price.

He said as an Ijaw son, he knows the gains of having an Ijaw man as governor in Rivers, adding that it is an achievement which would not have been possible but for the collaboration of other ethnic groups.

According to him, the current healthy collaboration from the various ethnic groups which produced an Ijaw son as governor was spearheaded by the FCT Minister.

The statement said not only would MEND back the Federal Government in protecting oil facilities, but it would also ensure that the masterminds of the threats to attack oil installations are fished out and meant to face justice.

The MEND spokesman, however, urged the elders and traditional institutions in the region to intervene in the face-off between Governor Fubara and the FCT Minister.

He also urged parties in the festering political crisis to seek judicial redress if peaceful dialogue fails.

 

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Northern Governors Oppose New VAT Model as FG Defends Tax Reform Bills

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The Federal Government has addressed concerns raised by the Northern Governors’ Forum regarding the proposed tax reform bills before the National Assembly.

Investors King gathered that Governors of 19 Northern States of Nigeria, under the platform of the Northern Governors’ Forum met with the traditional rulers from the region to agree to disagree with the Federal Government’s new value-added tax model.

In a communiqué read by the chairman of the forum, Governor Muhammed Yahaya of Gombe State, the governors strongly opposed the new derivation-based model for Value-Added Tax (VAT) distribution in the new tax reform bills proposed by President Tinubu’s government.

Addressing the governors’ concern, the FG in a statement on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga stated that the proposed bills will streamline Nigeria’s tax administration processes, enhance efficiency and eliminate redundancies across the country’s tax operations.

According to Onanuga, the bills which is currently before the National Assembly for consideration emerged after extensive review of existing tax laws.

The statement reads, “While we commend the Governors and traditional rulers for supporting President Bola Tinubu over the success recorded in addressing the country’s security challenges, we consider it necessary to address the misunderstandings and misgivings around the tax reform already embarked upon by the administration.

“President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council recently endorsed new policy initiatives aimed at streamlining Nigeria’s tax administration processes, enhancing efficiency and eliminating redundancies across the nation’s tax operations.

“These reforms emerged after an extensive review of existing tax laws. The National Assembly is considering four executive bills designed to transform and modernise Nigeria’s tax landscape.

“First is the Nigeria Tax Bill, which aims to eliminate unintended multiple taxation and make Nigeria’s economy more competitive by simplifying tax obligations for businesses and individuals nationwide.

“Second, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill (NTAB) proposes new rules governing the administration of all taxes in the country. Its objective is to harmonise tax administrative processes across federal, state and local jurisdictions for ease of compliance for taxpayers in all parts of the country.

“Third, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill seeks to rename the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to better reflect the mandate of the Service as the revenue agency for the entire federation, not just the Federal Government.

“Fourth, the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill proposes the creation of a Joint Revenue Board to replace the Joint Tax Board, covering federal and all states’ tax authorities.

“The fourth bill also suggests establishing the Office of Tax Ombudsman under the Joint Revenue Board, which would serve as a complaint resolution body for taxpayers.

“It is instructive to note that these proposed laws will not increase the number of taxes currently in operation. Instead, they are designed to optimise and simplify existing tax frameworks.

“The tax rates or percentages will remain the same under these reforms, as they focus on ensuring a more equitable distribution of tax obligations without adding to the burden on Nigerians.

“The reforms will not lead to job losses. On the contrary, they are structured to stimulate new avenues for job creation by supporting a dynamic, growth-oriented economy.

“Importantly, these laws will not absorb or eliminate the duties of any existing department, agency, or ministry. Instead, they aim to harmonise revenue collection and administration across the federation to ensure efficiency and cooperation.

“At the moment, tax administration lacks coordination among federal, state, and local tax authorities, often resulting in overlapping responsibilities, confusion, and inefficiency. Without reform, this inefficiency will persist.

“The proposed laws aim to coordinate efforts between different tiers of government, resulting in better tax resource management and greater clarity for taxpayers.

“Under existing laws, taxes like Company Income Tax (CIT), Personal Income Tax (PIT), Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT), Tertiary Education Tax (TET), Value-Added Tax (VAT), and other taxing provisions in numerous laws are administered separately, with individual legislative frameworks.

“The proposed reforms seek to consolidate these multiple taxes, integrating CIT, PIT, CGT, VAT, PPT, and excise duties into a unified structure to reduce administrative fragmentation.

“On the proposed derivation-based VAT distribution model, which the Northern Governors oppose, it must be stressed that the new proposal, as enunciated in the Bill, is designed to create a fairer system.

“The current model for distributing VAT is based on where the tax is remitted rather than where goods and services are supplied or consumed. The ongoing tax reform seeks to correct the inherent inequity in the current derivation model as a basis for distributing VAT revenue.

“The new proposal before the National Assembly outlines a different form of derivation which considers the place of supply or consumption for relevant goods and services. This means that states in the Northern region that produce the food we eat should not lose out just because their products are VAT-exempt or consumed in other states.

“These reforms are critical to improving the lives of Nigerians and were not put forward by President Tinubu to undermine any part of the country. There is no better time than now for the National Assembly to give due consideration to these bills that will overhaul our tax systems and create the revenue all the tiers of government require to fund the development our country and people urgently need.”

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Solid Minerals Sector Adds Over N1 Trillion to Nigerian Treasury in 16 Years – NEITI

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The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) said the solid minerals sector has contributed around N1.137 trillion in direct payments to various government levels over 16 years.

This was disclosed in the 2023 Solid Minerals Audit Report, the 16th audit cycle, which provided a comprehensive overview of the sector’s contributions from 2007 to 2023 published on Wednesday.

The report was conducted by indigenous firm Haruna Yahaya and Co., and covered the solid minerals industry’s economic contributions, revenue streams, and exports, providing recommendations for sector reforms.

The report showed a substantial increase in government receipts from N7.59 billion in 2007 to N341.27 billion in 2022, a 44-fold rise, indicating solid sector growth.

The 2023 report underscored the sector’s evolution into a vital revenue contributor for Nigeria, with cumulative contributions now exceeding N1 trillion. It disclosed that in 2022, the sector generated N345.41 billion, with a reconciled final revenue of N329.92 billion.

Meanwhile, the report also identified the solid minerals sector’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution at 0.83 percent in 2022, with incremental growth to 0.75 per cent in 2023, underscoring untapped potential.

The initiative reiterated the policy measures and reforms needed to unlock the sector’s capacity to significantly contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification

“Company payments analysis indicated that total government revenue, including reconciled and unilaterally disclosed figures, reached N401.87 billion in 2023.

“Key revenue streams included VAT (N128.32 billion), FIRS taxes (N370.09 billion), Education Tax (38.64 percent), Company Income Tax (10.64 percent), and royalties (N9.06 billion).

The report also showed that discrepancies initially amounted to N301.6 billion but were reconciled down to N100 million, demonstrating NEITI’s transparency commitment.

The production and export data showed 95.07 million tonnes of minerals produced in 2023, with a significant export volume of 4.32 million metric tonnes, valued at N117.29 billion.

The report highlighted top mineral-producing states, including Ogun, Kogi, and Rivers, with Ogun leading production. Revenue contributions were led by Osun, Ogun, and Kogi states

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