News
Marketers Fleece Kerosene Consumers of N800m Daily

Marketers of petroleum products and their agents may have been extorting kerosene consumers an estimated N800m daily if official statistics are used as basis of demand, according to National Mirror.
The national daily gathered from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that national daily consumption of kerosene currently stood at eight million litres. The official supply price to the market is N50 per litre.
However, users get the product at varying prices that range between N130 and N200 per litre, depending on their locations.
A market survey conducted in Lagos and its environs showed that major marketers, including Mobil Nigeria Plc, Conoil Nigeria Plc, MRS and Oando Nigeria Plc, did not have the product in their retail outlets.
Mr. Thomas Olawore, executive secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), said that the major marketers did not sell the product because they did not have allocation from the NNPC.
He noted that the major marketers could not market the product because they did not have allocation.
Olawore lamented that marketers could not import because they were not permitted to make claim or seek reimbursement from the government.
“It is only the NNPC that can import kerosene because the Corporation has over the years been permitted to make claims from the Federal Government,” Olawore said.
He said it would not make any economic sense for marketers to import the product from the global market at a higher price to sell at lower price in the domestic market which the price is regulated by the government.
The survey showed that only small scale retailers had commercial stocks of the product for sale at exorbitant prices (between N130 and N200 per litre).
“We always have stocks to sell to our customers because we have people who bring it in tankers to deliver to us,” said one retailer at Mile 12, Lagos.
National Daily reported that the details of the present price regime could not be ascertained at the weekend as the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA website had been shut for reconstruction.
According to National Daily, efforts to reach officials of the agency did not yield any result as calls made to their phones were not responded to.
Mr. Ohi Alegbe, general manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, said the corporation had initiated a scheme aimed at cutting off the several layers of middlemen who made it difficult for the end user to enjoy the subsidy on the product.
He said this would be done through the ‘Kero Correct’ initiative, which the corporation claimed had commenced.
Mr. Frank Amego, executive director, Commercial, of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, explained that the new initiative was aimed at getting kerosene to the masses at the right price.
He noted that the Nigerian masses had not been enjoying the subsidy because of the long arbitrage system involved in its distribution and retail, diversion of the product by marketers to the construction industry where it is used for blending bitumen.
Amego said this happened mainly because NNPC had no direct control over most of the marketers involved in the distribution and sales of the product.
According to him, the Kero Correct initiative is designed to distribute and sell kerosene directly to end users from NNPC retail mega and affiliate stations across the country at the government-regulated price of N50 per litre to ensure effective control.
He assured that PPMC had enough stock of kerosene and that machinery had been provided to ensure efficient distribution of the product from Lagos and Oghara to NNPC retail mega and affiliate stations nationwide.
Mr. Ufford Ibanga, general manager, NNPC Retail, assured that all of the 524 NNPC retail mega, floating mega and affiliate stations across the country had been keyed up for the Kero Correct scheme.
He explained that the volunteers were being brought into the project to help monitor discharge and sales of the product to serve as an independent feedback system aimed at promoting transparency and ensuring that the product gets to the desired end users.
The scheme will involve the distribution of 1,500 trucks of kerosene across NNPC retail’s mega and affiliate stations across the country to ensure that each consumer gets at least 25 litres of the product over the next three months.
News
NIPOST to Crack Down on Criminal Courier Operators

Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) has vowed to clamp down on courier companies found to be aiding the trafficking of drugs and other illicit items through the country’s logistics network.
In a statement issued on by Franklin Alao, director of Corporate Communications, NIPOST expressed outrage over a recent report in some newspapers with the headline: “Nigerian courier services easily transporting hard drugs since Tinubu became president – NIPOST.”
The agency described the headline as false, misleading, and damaging to national security efforts. According to NIPOST, the article falsely attributes the claim to the postal regulator, thereby creating the impression that the agency had endorsed or confirmed such allegations.
“This is categorically FALSE,” the statement said. “At no point has NIPOST made such a statement or associated these activities with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
NIPOST maintained that while it respects the role of the media in promoting accountability and transparency, the publication in question was reckless and sensational.
It warned that inaccurate reporting on sensitive national issues like drug trafficking not only misinforms the public but also undermines the collaborative work being done to sanitise the courier and logistics sector.
Restating its position, the agency said it strongly condemns the use of courier services for criminal purposes, including drug trafficking.
It reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward the misuse of Nigeria’s postal infrastructure and said it remained committed to regulating the sector with integrity, transparency, and accountability.
NIPOST noted that it had embarked on a range of interventions aimed at improving surveillance and enforcement across the logistics industry.
It stated that all courier operators are currently undergoing a revalidation process and that Know-Your-Customer protocols and compliance audits are being enforced to tighten controls and prevent abuse of the system.
The postal regulator said it is also working closely with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Customs Service, and other relevant security institutions to investigate and deter the use of logistics channels for the transportation of narcotics and other contraband items.
In addition, NIPOST said it had intensified engagement with courier operators, transport unions, and logistics associations to promote sector-wide vigilance and encourage the reporting of suspicious packages.
It also revealed that a new Digital Postcode and Parcel Identification System is being deployed nationwide to enhance traceability, eliminate anonymity, and improve parcel screening from the point of dispatch to final delivery.
“The Nigerian Postal Service is fully committed to restoring the integrity of Nigeria’s courier and logistics industry,” the statement said. “Any operator found to be involved in criminal activity will face immediate regulatory sanctions, including license suspension or revocation, and be reported to appropriate authorities for prosecution.”
The agency urged members of the public to use only licensed courier companies and to report any suspicious activity either to NIPOST or relevant security agencies.
It also called on journalists and civil society groups to approach issues in the sector with accuracy, caution, and a shared sense of responsibility.
News
DICON, Saudi Firm to Produce Drones, Satellites in Nigeria

Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Homeland Protectors and Supplies Limited, a Saudi Arabia-based security company, to begin local manufacturing of drones, satellite systems, and advanced communication equipment.
The agreement, which was signed at DICON headquarters in Kaduna, will see Homeland Protectors bring in production lines and technology to Nigeria to manufacture satellite systems, laser equipment, border security drones, and sophisticated communications solutions.
Major General Babatunde Ibrahim Alaya, director general of DICON, shortly after signing the MoU, described the deal as a “major milestone” in Nigeria’s drive for defence self-sufficiency.
He said the collaboration would not only meet local demands but also position Nigeria as an exporter of security technology to other African countries.
According to him: “Today is another milestone for DICON. What Homeland Protectors is bringing on board is expertise and experience in the field of satellite, laser systems, communications, and border security drones.
The agreement we have just signed is for them to bring the production line to Nigeria and start producing here, so we can satisfy the defence industry requirements, other security agencies, and export the excess capacity to other African countries.”
He expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he called his “constant support and firm belief in DICON,” especially for signing the DICON Act 2023, which has now paved the way for international partnerships of this magnitude.
Alaya also thanked the Minister of Defence and Minister of State for Defence for their unwavering backing, stressing that their support made the joint venture possible.
Mr. Ali Hussain A. Aldayhani, managing director and chief executive officer, Homeland Protectors and Supplies, who led the Saudi delegation to Nigeria, hailed the partnership as a game-changer for Nigeria’s security architecture.
“I am in support of this amazing job today in collaboration with Homeland and DICON. This is in support of the Nigerian President and the Minister of Defence to bring security satellite communication technology to Nigeria,” he said.
He disclosed that the venture was designed not only to meet Nigeria’s internal needs but also to open up export opportunities to other markets, stressing: “We are going to have a huge joint venture and also for export outside Nigeria with regard to technology communication.”
The Homeland CEO thanked the DICON Director General for what he called “the support of the huge success in signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).”
He assured that this would not be the last of such engagements, promising more frequent visits and deeper collaborations in the near future.
With this move, Nigeria joins a select group of countries on the continent working to domesticate critical security manufacturing — a step expected to save foreign exchange, create jobs, and bolster national security.
News
FG Says No Going Back to Nuclear Testing

Vice President Kashim Shettima has affirmed Nigeria’s unwavering stance against nuclear weapons testing.
He made this known during a meeting at the Presidential Villa with a delegation from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), led by Dr Robert Floyd, executive secretary.
According to Shettima, Nigeria, like many other African nations, is grappling with numerous socio-economic challenges, including widespread poverty and the adverse impacts of climate change.
He stressed that Africa’s immediate priority is to confront these existential threats, not to engage in the pursuit of nuclear weapons capability.
“The outcome of any nuclear conflict is never a win-win situation; it is always the opposite. We are fighting poverty; we are fighting a war against the relationship between the economy and ecology in sub-Saharan Africa. We have no business dabbling in anything that has to do with nuclear weapons,” he said.
The Vice President also commended CTBTO for its broader civilian contributions, such as detecting tsunamis and seismic volcanic activity, and for supporting global ecological stability.
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