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Fuel Subsidy Hits N1.7bn/pd, as Oil Price Hovers at $63.1 Per Barrel

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Crude Oil - Investors King

Fuel Subsidy Hits N1.7bn/pd, as Oil Price Hovers at $63.1 Per Barrel

There are indications that despite the implementation of the no subsidy policy by the Federal Government, subsidy obligations of the government may have started mounting with last week’s closing daily figure at about N1.7 billion, or N12 billion during the week.

This follows the huge leap in the international oil price, the benchmark for local petrol price determination. The crude prices closed last week at about $63.14 per barrel in the global market.

On February 5, 2021, when the oil price was nearing $60 per barrel, the expected open market price of petrol rose from N160 to N190 per litre, based on the petrol pricing template of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA.

Since then, the PPPRA, which listed some items, including Administrative charges and Retailers margin at N1.23, and N6.19 respectively, has not released a comprehensive template, capable of guiding stakeholders in the sector.

But a visit to the private depots in Lagos, and its environs, weekend, showed that the landing cost of the product stood at N180 per litre, meaning that the pump price would certainly be in excess of N192 per litre.

However, the product is currently being sold at N162 at many filling stations in Lagos, Abuja, and other cities, although some Independent marketers in the outskirts sold at higher prices across the country.

Based on an expected open market price of N192 per litre of petrol and an average current pump price of N162 per litre, the nation’s petrol subsidy hovers at about N30 per litre.

Nevertheless, with a daily petrol consumption of about 57 million litres, and a subsidy of N30 per litre, the subsidy currently hovers at N1.7 billion daily, and N12 billion weekly.

No price increase — NNPC

However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, apparently the nation’s sole importer, said in spite of the rise in the price of crude, it would not increase the ex-depot price of petrol in February 2021.

In a statement signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, the Corporation, stated that the decision was to allow ongoing engagements with organized labour and other stakeholders on an acceptable framework that will not expose the ordinary Nigerian to any hardship, to be concluded.

NNPC urged petroleum products, marketers, not to engage in the hoarding of the product in order not to create artificial scarcity and unnecessary hardship for Nigerians while giving assurance that it has enough stock of petrol to keep the nation well supplied for about 40 days.

Regular monitoring

It further called on relevant regulatory authorities, especially the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to step up monitoring of the activities of marketers with a view to sanctioning those involved in product hoarding or arbitrary increase of pump price.

It would be recalled that the nation’s downstream sector was deregulated in March 2020 with the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, stating that the prices of petroleum products would be determined by prevailing market forces.

Painful times — Minister of State

Specifically, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, had said: “So we want to take the pleasure and we should as a country be ready to take the pain. Today, the NNPC is taking a big hit from this. We all know that there is no provision in the budget for subsidy. So, somewhere down the line, I believe that the NNPC cannot continue to take this blow.

There is no way because there is no provision for it. As a country, let us take the benefits of the higher crude oil prices and I hope we will also be ready to take a little pain on the side of higher product prices.”

MOMAN harps on full deregulation

Nevertheless, speaking virtually on, ‘After Deregulation, What Next?’ in Lagos, February 11, 2021, Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, Chairman, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, had said: “With a fully deregulated downstream industry, the natural fear and anticipation of Nigerians is the increase in the price of transportation, food items, and the attendant economic hardships. Solutions to these challenges can only emanate from a collective resolve by all stakeholders to face up these challenges together. We must as a national debate and share pragmatic and realistic initiatives to mitigate the impact of a pump price increase that could follow a fully deregulated downstream.

“We stand with Nigeria and Nigerians through this difficult time and support the Federal Government’s promise to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB this year and fully deregulate the petroleum downstream sector. The benefit of a liberalized downstream is the most visible means of growing the economy in the medium to long term.

“Nigeria can become the refining hub of West and Central Africa and eventually the whole of Africa if we stick to this path of investing in new refineries, adopting a cost optimization initiative, building an environment that promotes competition, and creates a sustainable petroleum sector. These actions would lead to increased employment, reduced poverty, and reduced social inequity. We must take advantage of the opportunities brought by the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement (AfCFTA) and fully benefit from our barrels of crude, getting the maximum value it can bring Nigeria.

“MOMAN is calling for a national discourse among all stakeholders including Government, Labour, Civil Society Organizations, the Organized Private Sector, and Operators, not on the merits or demerits of petrol subsidy removal, but on the initiatives that can be taken to ease the impact of the subsidy removal on the most vulnerable in our society.”

He had also said: “The public, which includes the downstream operators, are key stakeholders in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. We believe that as a country, we have and should move beyond the debate on the arguments for the removal of petrol price subsidies. The discussion we should be having today is how best to maximise the benefits of the removal of price controls and subsidies while minimizing the adverse effects of this action on our citizens.”

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

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Economy

Nigerians Struggle as Sachet Water Prices Hit Record Highs Amidst Economic Hardship

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As economic challenges persist in Nigeria, citizens face yet another hurdle of soaring prices of sachet water, a vital source of drinking water for many.

Sachet water, colloquially known as ‘pure water,’ served as a convenient and inexpensive option for hydration, with prices starting at N5 in the early 2000s.

However, over the years, the cost has steadily climbed to as high as N50 per sachet.

This exponential increase has forced many Nigerians to seek alternative sources of water, including boreholes and wells, despite concerns about their safety.

Residents across the country, from Lokoja to Abuja, lament the financial strain caused by the inflated prices.

Marvelous Sanni, a resident of Lokoja, recounts how a bag of sachet water, once priced at N200, now sells for N400 to N500.

Families like hers have been compelled to turn to borehole water, raising questions about sanitation and health risks.

The situation is dire for households like that of Margret Danjuma in Abuja, who can no longer afford the daily consumption of sachet water.

Resorting to purchasing water from boreholes, Danjuma reflects the broader struggle faced by many Nigerians in securing clean and affordable drinking water amidst economic turmoil.

Local businesses, too, feel the pinch, with some restaurants discontinuing the provision of water to customers or resorting to unconventional methods like selling water in nylon bags.

The Association of Pure Water Producers attributes the price surge to rising production costs, including the cost of materials and treatment.

Experts and consumer protection agencies express concern over the unjustifiable price hikes, attributing them to greed and cartel-like behavior within the industry.

Calls for government intervention to regulate prices and ensure affordability resonate amid the growing hardship faced by Nigerians nationwide.

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Economy

Port Harcourt Refinery Receives Over 450,000 Barrels of Oil – Mele Kyari

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NNPC - Investors King

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC) has announced a significant milestone in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, with over 450,000 barrels of oil already stocked into the facility.

Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, disclosed this development during a press briefing after appearing before a Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating the various Turn Around Maintenance projects of the country’s refineries.

Kyari’s revelation underscores the progress made in the rehabilitation efforts of the Port Harcourt refinery, which has been undergoing mechanical works alongside the Warri and Kaduna refineries.

The influx of crude oil into the Port Harcourt facility signals a crucial step towards its operational revival, following years of underperformance and neglect.

Addressing the Senate committee, Kyari reiterated NNPC’s commitment to fulfilling its promises regarding the refinery rehabilitation projects.

He emphasized the importance of regulatory compliance testing before commencing operations, assuring stakeholders that the Port Harcourt refinery is poised to restart operations within the next two weeks.

The news of the refinery receiving a substantial volume of oil injects optimism into the Nigerian energy sector, highlighting the potential for increased domestic refining capacity and reduced dependence on imported petroleum products.

It also aligns with the government’s broader agenda of revitalizing the country’s oil and gas industry to drive economic growth and self-sufficiency.

As the Port Harcourt refinery gears up for a potential restart, attention now turns to the forthcoming regulatory compliance tests and operational readiness assessments.

The successful revival of the refinery holds the promise of not only bolstering Nigeria’s energy security but also stimulating broader economic development and job creation initiatives.

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Economy

CBN Governor Transfers N100bn Worth of Fertilisers to Agriculture Ministry for Food Security Enhancement

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fertilizer - Investors King

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, handed over N100 billion worth of fertilisers to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

The ceremonial handover took place at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, where the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, received the substantial contribution.

During the handing over ceremony, Governor Cardoso emphasized the CBN’s commitment to maintaining price stability, identifying the cost of food as a critical component of inflation.

He noted that addressing food inflation is pivotal due to the significant portion of household expenditure allocated to food and non-alcoholic beverages in Nigeria.

Despite the implementation of various measures by the CBN to curb inflation, the inflationary pressures remain largely driven by escalating food prices.

Cardoso acknowledged the challenges posed by transient inflationary pressures but expressed optimism about substantial alleviation by the third quarter of 2024.

The collaboration between the CBN and the Ministry of Agriculture aims to mitigate the surge in food prices by enhancing food productivity and security.

In alignment with its strategic shift, the CBN veered away from direct quasi-fiscal interventions and transitioned towards leveraging conventional monetary policy tools to execute monetary policies.

As part of this strategy, the CBN announced the allocation of 2.15 million bags of fertiliser valued at over N100 billion to support the Ministry of Agriculture in its efforts to enhance food productivity and security.

Minister Kyari praised the CBN for providing fertilisers, emphasizing their significance as the majority cost value in agricultural production inputs.

He highlighted the challenges faced by the agriculture sector due to various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, flooding, climate change, and the naira redesign policy.

However, Kyari expressed optimism about mitigating these challenges and reiterated the importance of fertilisers in agricultural production.

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