The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria made history on January 18, 2022, when they co-launched the r me Rice Pyramids on the premises of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, strategically located on Airport Road, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

It was a celebration of success in the production of rice, Nigeria’s number one staple food. Rice production had been specifically targeted by the CBN, then under the leadership of Mr. Godwin Emefiele, through the Anchor Borrowers Programme, ABP, an initiative through which the CBN expressed determination to assist Nigerians grow their food, rather than spending scarce foreign exchange (FX) on the importation of food items that can be produced in the country.

As the then CBN governor put it, the rice pyramids were a demonstration of “the courage and persuasion of our farmers and the conviction that it is still possible to do great things in our country.”

The CBN also rallied rice millers, under the umbrella of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria, RIPAN, which saw many people massively investing in rice mills across the country. The result was that there was not only abundant production of rice paddy by the farmers, there also were massive rice mills across the nation to off-take, mill and supply to the market highly processed, nutritious rice in the country.

“That is what strongly motivated the rice showboat in Abuja,” as one commentator put it.

The Rice Pyramid celebration happened exactly three years ago. The Anchor Borrowers Programme catalysed the rural economy by building a sustainable framework for financing small-holder farmers in Nigeria.

It developed an ecosystem among all nodes of the agricultural value chain, with linkages optimized through synergy among all stakeholders.

CBN data showed that as at the end of December 2021, the ABP had financed 4.489 million farmers that cultivated 5.300 million hectares across 21 commodities through 23 participating financial institutions in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

The success of the CBN initiative was evident in the crash of imported rice. Thailand alone exported 1.3 million metric tons of rice to Nigeria in 2014.

The ABP was launched in 2015 to curtail these imports. The outcome of the programme was instant and by 2016, rice imports from Thailand had fallen to only 58,000 metric tons.

As at the end of 2021, Thailand exported only 2,160 metric tons to Nigeria, thereby saving the nation foreign exchange and helping preserve jobs in Nigeria.

National rice output ramped up from about 5.4 million metric tons in 2015 to over 9 million metric tons in 2021.
This was made possible by the massive public and private investments as the number of integrated rice mills grew astronomically from six in 2015 to over 50 in 2021.

A 50-kg bag of rice was sold at an average price of about N8,500 in 2015, rose to about N26,000 in 2020 and by November 2021, it had risen to an average of N32,000.

As at December 2023, a 50-kg bag of rice sold at an average of N47,000 but 2024 closed with the same bag selling for between N95 and N105,000.

What went wrong?

Effects of policy somersaults, insecurity and naira devaluation

It is obvious that upon inauguration, President Bola Tinubu recognised challenges posed by the skyrocketing food prices. That was why early in his administration, he declared emergency on food security in July 2023.

One year after, it was clear that the declaration of emergency on food security did not yield the desired results and food inflation remained on the upward trajectory.

Hunger became more widespread across the country and this led the Federal Government to announce another initiative to tackle the problem.

In July 2024, the government approved a 150-day duty-free window to allow importation of maize, husked brown rice, and wheat as part of measures to combat rising food inflation across the country.

The initiative was based on the implementation of the Presidential Accelerated and Stabilisation Advancement Plan.

In addition to these measures, government’s food security strategy included establishment of a guaranteed minimum price, GMP, for key agricultural products, aimed at stabilizing prices and supporting local farmers.

Another component of the strategy is a focus on boosting agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers in preparation for the 2024/2025 planting season, as well as promoting the production of fortified foods to address micro-nutrient deficiencies among Nigerians.

However, despite the optimistic outlook presented by these policies, the effectiveness of the measures in curbing food inflation has been questioned.

While some experts argue that the tariff moratorium and related policies could help reduce food prices, others have raised concerns about the potential negative impact on local agricultural producers.

Critics argue that by making imported food cheaper, local farmers could face increased competition, thereby reducing their market share and profitability during the duty-free period.

One of the most vocal critics of the government’s reliance on food imports is Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, AfDB.

Dr. Adesina warned that Nigeria’s increasing dependency on food imports could undermine the country’s agricultural policies and threaten long-term economic stability.

He advocated a greater focus on improving domestic food production, reducing reliance on imports, and ensuring that agricultural policies are aligned with the goal of achieving long-term food security.

Rising food inflation in Nigeria

The issue of food inflation in Nigeria has been a persistent challenge, exacerbating the already difficult economic conditions faced by millions of Nigerians.

According to the most recent Consumer Price Index, CPI, report from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, food inflation in Nigeria reached a staggering 39.93 per cent in November 2024, a significant increase from 32.84 per cent recorded in the same period the previous year.

This sharp rise in food prices has placed a heavy burden on households, with many Nigerians struggling to afford basic food items.

The NBS report highlights that prices for staple foods, such as yam, rice, maize, and palm oil, have surged, contributing to the overall increase in food inflation.

Other essential food items, including guinea corn, millet, and meat, have also experienced notable price hikes, further exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis in the country.

In fact, in 19 states, including the capital city, Abuja, food inflation rates have surpassed 40 per cent, significantly impacting the purchasing power of millions of Nigerians.

The zero-tariff food import initiative was not effectively implemented. It was planned to end in December, 2024. However, there had been no clear reports of those given approval to undertake the importation of the rice, maize and other items captured in the initiative.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, at the presidential policy implementation briefing and citizens’ engagement in December last year, revealed that about 50,000 tons of wheat and rice had been imported under the initiative. Another 32,000 tons of husk rice was reportedly brought into the country from Thailand. The rice arrived in Lagos, facilitated by DUCAT Logistics Company, which played a key role in ensuring the successful delivery.

DUCAT confirmed that the rice was part of this initiative, designed to increase food availability and reduce the pressure on local food prices.

Adrian Beciri, the CEO of DUCAT, said: “Nigeria has been working tirelessly to identify and implement solutions that will expand and strengthen its food supply chain, making food more accessible to the population.”

The total volume of the affected items to be imported and those involved remain unclear. What is clear is that about three years ago, Nigeria proudly announced it was nearing becoming not only self-sufficient in rice production but also close to becoming an exporter of the commodity.

But today, the story has changed; Nigeria is now importing rice.

Good-spirited members of the Nigerian public are asking questions on what happened that Nigeria would showcase high rice productivity, boasting it was approaching being a net-exporter of rice only three years ago and now importing rice?

Nigeria’s rice production, availability, and affordability Stakeholders in the rice value-chain have expressed their views on what could be done to change the narrative and for rice to be on the plates of Nigerians at a relatively cheaper price.

Insecurity, high exchange rates bedevil rice production, affordability — Millers

The National President, Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, Peter Dama, while giving an overview of current rice production, put paddy production in 2024 at about 8.1 million metric tons.

He identified insecurity and high exchange rates as key factors militating against players in the rice sub-sector.

He said: “According to various sources of data on rice production in 2024, Nigeria’s paddy rice production is estimated at about 8.1 million metric tons, which is a slight decline from previous years, such as 2021, when production was at its peak, resulting in 8.4 million metric tons as contained in the report of the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, in 2023.”

Speaking further, he maintained that Nigeria’s potential to produce rice for her citizens is high, based on available land and human resources and that the country could achieve higher yield as there is an estimated cultivable area of about 4.9 million hectares. Only about 1.7 million hectares have been used for rice farming.

On the current availability of rice in the market, he said: “Based on sources, the demand for rice in 2023 was pegged at 6.5 million metric tons but current local production meets only 57 per cent of the national demand.

It is estimated that due to the increase in population, the annual demand for rice in Nigeria by 2024 might have increased to about 10 million metric tons per annum.

“Issues affecting the cost of rice; huge gap between demand and supply can drive up the prices, and more demand chasing fewer supply results in high pricing and inflation.

“High cost of inputs and labour caused the increase in the cost of production which must be transferred to pricing, escalating the sales price of domestically produced rice.

“Nigeria’s current currency floating that resulted in hyper devaluation was a key cause of price escalation as inputs imported now are too expensive, thereby affecting the prices of locally produced goods, especially food produce.”

He also highlighted factors hindering rice production to include “insecurity due to ongoing violence which disrupts farming activities and rising cost of inputs, especially fertilisers.

“Climate change that comes with unpredictable rain, flooding, and elongated drought during rainy season production; fluctuating government policies on agricultural financing; lack of irrigation facilities, which can enhance yield, due to production under controlled environment and water management.

“Rice supply in Nigeria is not adequate. Based on several factors, Nigeria has not been able to meet its rice supply sufficiency through its domestic production.

“Key issues are low yield, poor mechanization, inadequate and inaccessibility of inputs by farmers, lack of adequate financing, insecurity, poor irrigation facilities, and others.

“It has been revealed through a survey that Nigeria has over 10 million metric tons of installed rice milling capacity, made up of about 83 integrated large-scale mills with total milling capacity of 6 million metric tons per annum, and over 100,000 units of small and medium enterprise mills.

“Unfortunately, due to the above listed constraints, the mills are operating at less than 45 per cent for large scale and less than 50 per cent for SMEs mills, mainly due to non-sustainable supply of raw material (paddy rice).”

However, he made some basic recommendations as panacea to the rice situation, saying there was need for “holistic review of the production system in Nigeria, with huge government developmental and private sector investments in irrigation infrastructure.

“Enhancing security in agricultural zones; implementing subsidy programmes for inputs (fertiliser) and mechanization facilities, especially land preparation and irrigation facilities; market regulation on prices to prevent exploitation during periods of scarcity.

“Deliberate promotion of climate-smart agricultural production innovations; research for high-yielding resilient seeds, renewable energy-powered irrigation, and others.”

Limiting factors slow down govt’s effort towards husked rice importation — AFAN

In an interview, the National President, All Farmers Association, Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, said there are limiting factors that had slowed down government’s effort towards importation of husked rice, hence rice was not adequately available for Nigerians.

Ibrahim said: “Nigerian rice is fairly available but costly due to cost of production, distribution and corruption. It is definitely not adequately available, if truth be told.

“The cost and availability of paddy to the millers is responsible for the seeming scarcity which is predicated on the activities of the so-called prime anchors involved between 2016 and 2021.

“The demand for rice is very high in Nigeria because Nigerians have inadvertently made it the most important staple, as such it appears grossly inadequate for our population.

“The production of rice is restricted mostly to areas with a lot of water and where some irrigation activities take place. Therefore, it is really inadequate for our large population.

“The high cost of rice is attributable to production cost, processing cost, distribution/transportation costs and unscrupulous trading.

“Government, by opening the importation of food items, including husked rice, attempted to bring down food inflation but due to many reasons, it has not been successful largely because the importers had weak financial muscle and those who had capacity and licences were simply rookies or money launderers.

“Some bureaucratic bottlenecks also slowed down the whole process as seen by the blame game in the social media between the Customs and Ministry of Finance.

“The best way out is to incentivise real producers and farmers to produce massively and prevent smuggling decisively.

“Production can be optimized by automation and sustainable investments, by giving cheap and readily accessible credit to duly identified producers and farmers alike.

“Above all, a rice policy to ensure institutional reforms, covering production, processing, storage, distribution, marketing and consumption, must be transparently promulgated.”

Time for regional approach to rice self-sufficiency in Nigeria — EA Daniels Farm

Speaking with deep concern as a rice farmer and Chief Executive Officer of EA Daniels Farm, Engr. Daniel Ijeh, said national policies often failed to leverage regional advantages as states and local governments were not really keying into rice production, in partnership with the private sector.

Ijeh said: “Rice, a staple food in most Nigerian households, has become a source of concern due to its skyrocketing price. The primary cause of this price surge is the persistent low supply of locally produced rice, which has failed to meet growing demand.

“For years, discussions around achieving self-sufficiency in rice production have centered on a national approach.

“However, this strategy has yielded little success. It is time to shift the conversation toward a regional or state-focused approach to self-sufficiency in rice production.

“Nigeria’s diverse ecological zones offer unique opportunities for rice cultivation, but national policies often fail to leverage these regional advantages. States like Delta, with abundant rainfall and fertile lands, remain underutilised for rice farming.

“Similarly, local governments which are closer to the grassroots have not been adequately mobilised to address this pressing issue.

“The high cost of rice today presents an opportunity for private and public sector stakeholders to rethink their strategies.

“A regional approach would involve harnessing the unique strengths of each state and empower local governments to drive rice production initiatives. Such a model encourages localised solutions, reduces logistical challenges and increases the supply of rice in the market.

“Take Delta State as an example. With abundant rainfall and fertile soil, it has immense potential to become a rice production hub. Yet, both the government and private investors have not made significant investments in this area.

“If Delta and other states with similar potential were to prioritize rice farming, it could significantly increase the nation’s rice supply and reduce the cost of this essential commodity.

“The roles of the private sector and government are critical in this endeavour. The private sector can invest in mechanized farming, processing facilities, and distribution networks, while state and local governments can provide enabling environments through subsidies, access to land, and infrastructure development.

“Partnerships between these stakeholders can transform rice farming into a profitable and sustainable venture.
“Local governments must also play an active role in mobilising communities and smallholder farmers. They should provide training, access to improved seedlings, fertilisers, and modern farming techniques. These grassroots efforts can ensure that every farmer, no matter their scale, contributes to the rice value chain.

“The rising cost of rice is a wake-up call that Nigeria can no longer ignore. The solution lies in addressing the root cause: the very low supply of locally produced rice.

“Achieving self-sufficiency requires a paradigm shift from centralized planning to decentralized, regionally-driven initiatives.

“The question we must now ask is this: what are individual states and local governments doing to ensure Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in rice production? It is time for every state and local government to take responsibility, recognise the economic potential in rice farming, and invest in this sector.

“The time for action is now. By adopting a regional approach and partnering with agricultural experts, Nigeria can transform itself into a global rice powerhouse.”

Lagos steps up actions toward food security

In response to the national food security crisis, Lagos State Government has taken some proactive steps to ensure a steady supply of food for its growing population.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu recently spoke about his administration’s efforts to build a robust food security system, focusing on the creation of large-scale food logistics infrastructure and strategic collaborations with food-producing states.

One of the most ambitious projects underway is the development of what is set to become the largest food logistics hub in sub-Saharan Africa.

Located in Ketu-Ejinrin, the hub will serve as a critical node in the food supply chain, facilitating the storage and distribution of food products across the region.

He said: “This hub will play a pivotal role in improving food sufficiency and security in Lagos State. We aim to have off-take agreements with food-producing states and create large

warehouses that can store both dry and cold-chain food products.

This will ensure that Lagos, despite not being a major food producer itself, has access to a consistent supply of affordable food.”

The governor noted that the state had been working closely with states such as Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Kogi, to ensure a reliable supply of food products.

He said due to a shortage of local paddy towards the end of last year, Lagos had to import brown rice, which helped stabilise prices during the Yuletide season.

“With the rice mill and food logistics hub in operation, we are confident that the prices of key food items, especially rice, will remain stable and even drop in the coming months,” he added.

Challenges, developments in local food production

Despite these promising developments, Lagos State has faced challenges in achieving optimal rice production, according to Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, Special Adviser to the governor on agriculture and food systems.

He explained that the Imota Rice Mill, which began operations in 2022, has not been able to operate at full capacity due to scarcity of paddy.

“Most of our rice-producing partners are not fully operational. Niger State is the only one that is consistently functional. As a result, we have had to source rice from the open market, but we are still able to meet demand,” Dr. Fashola said.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the last Edo State governorship election, Dr Asue Ighodalo, has filed a N500m defamation suit against the acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe.

The suit, marked LD/ADR/5731/2025, was filed before the Lagos State High Court at the Tafawa Balewa Square.

Ighodalo demanded a retraction of Tenebe’s alleged defamatory statement against him, an apology as well as damages in the sum of N500m.

Ighodalo had last year, through Banwo and Ighodalo law firm in Lagos, written Tenebe a December 11, 2024, pre-action notice demanding an apology and immediate retraction of the alleged defamatory statement within seven days.

The Edo APC chair had, in a viral video on 10th December, accused Ighodalo of corruption and misappropriation of state funds in the wake of the gaffe made by Governor Monday Okpebholo during the presentation of his N605bn budget estimates to the Edo House of Assembly.

“I don’t know figures. You see, that is how to know original and innocent people. Obaseki will not make such a mistake because he has stolen billions before.

Asue Ighodalo will not make such a mistake because he has stolen billions before,” Tenebe claimed in the video.

Tenebe, in a letter by his lawyer, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, rebuffed Ighodalo’s demand for a retraction, insisting that he did not defame him.

Agbomhere, in the letter, said, “We further want to state unequivocally that our client did not defame your client in any way, and as such, there is no need for a public apology or retraction of comments made in the alleged video.

“But if your client decides to stretch this issue further by going to court, we will rely on the defence of justification in accordance with the report of the Edo State Vehicle Recovery Committee, whose report indicted your client and the preliminary report of the Edo State Asset Verification Committee.”

In his suit, Ighodalo is praying the court to order Tenebe to issue a letter of apology to him within seven days of the delivery of judgment.

Ighodalo, through his lawyers, said, “The primary objective of procuring the publication of the defamatory video was to tarnish our client’s reputation.

“Since the publication of the defamatory video, our client has received numerous calls from professional colleagues, business partners and other well-meaning Nigerians, locally and in the Diaspora, inquiring as to the propriety of the allegations. Undoubtedly, this development has exposed our Client to great distress, hurt, and humiliation.”

Justice A.O. Opesanwo has fixed March 5, 2025, for a hearing.

Denies Kidnapping Allegations

Fresh controversies have emerged following the demolition of Udoka Golden Point Hotel and Suites, popularly known as La Cruise Hotel, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The hotel owner has refuted claims by state authorities that the property was used as a hub for kidnapping and criminal activities.

Naija News understands that the demolition, which occurred on Saturday, January 27, 2025, was carried out by operatives of Anambra State’s security outfit.

Authorities alleged that over 30 graves, a shrine, military camouflage, arms, and ammunition were discovered within the premises.

The state government, through its New Media account, released a statement detailing the operation that led to the discovery.

“Oba, Idemili South LGA! Demolition of kidnappers’ den disguised as Udoka Golden Point Hotel and Suites, a.k.a. ‘La Cruise Hotel’, along Onitsha-Owerri Road. The hotel has well-partitioned graves of over 30 on the last floor with a shrine!” the statement read.

According to officials, intelligence gathering and a tip-off from a whistleblower led to the raid on the premises, which allegedly doubled as a haven for kidnappers and other criminal elements.

Hotel Owner: The Claims Are Baseless

Reacting to the allegations, the hotel owner, identified simply as Udoka, denied any connection to criminal activities.

Speaking to journalists over the phone on Monday, he claimed that the so-called graves were, in fact, partitioned fish ponds.

He said, “The hotel has never been involved in kidnapping. Those things they are calling graves were partitioned fish ponds. I bought the property from the original owner, who constructed it as it is, and the top floor was converted into a fish pond before I acquired it.

“The fish pond was designed to allow easy oversight of the fish and for them to be used at the hotel’s bar for barbecue. Since I purchased the property, some interested parties have been upset and wanted to revoke the sale. When that failed, they started manufacturing troubles for me.”

Udoka added that he had not been contacted about the demolition and only learned of it after the building was destroyed.

He stated, “I borrowed money to purchase the hotel and have not even repaid the loan. If the hotel had been closed and an investigation carried out, the truth would have been revealed.”

The owner also mentioned he was in Awka since Sunday to report the matter to the police.

He described himself as a legitimate businessman dealing in motor parts, land, and property, and claimed traders in the community could vouch for him.

The Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor in a chat with Punch refuted Udoka’s claims, stating that a fish pond could not be situated inside a hotel.

“Fish ponds and shrines on the hotel’s top floor? Even for health reasons, is such an arrangement logical? Where are the fish if it’s a pond? Why is he hiding?” Mefor asked.

Responding to concerns that the demolition could discourage investors, Mefor said, “My brother, it’s better not to have kidnappers lurking everywhere in our state.”

Three-time African champions Nigeria were handed a tricky draw for the group stages of the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco, lining up in Group C with Tunisia as well as two of the co-hosts of the 2027 edition; Uganda and Tanzania.

The draw was held in the North African country on Monday for the tournament which will be played from December 21 to January 18, 2026.

Nigeria are the most successful team in the group, having won the tournament three times and going for their 21st appearance in Morocco.  Uganda will be competing in their eighth tournament while Tanzania have only featured three times.

Tunisia, the most familiar of the opponents, who dumped Nigeria out in the round of 16 of the 2021 tournament in Cameroon have won the tournament once – on home soil in 2024 – in their 21 appearances at the continental showpiece.

Nigeria head into the 2025 tournament as record medal holders in the competition’s 68-year history with 16 medals in 20 appearances, including three titles (1980, 1994, 2013), five runner-up finishes (1984, 1988, 1990, 2000 and 2023) and eight bronze medals.

The Super Eagles lost the 2023 final 2-1 against hosts Ivory Coast.

Hosts Morocco will play in Group A against Mali, Zambia and Comoros. Seven-time champions Egypt are in Group B along with South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe. Group D has Senegal, DR Congo, Benin and Botswana while Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan make up Group E. Defending champions Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique are in Group F.

Meanwhile, CAF and the Moroccan Football Federation have announced six cities and nine stadiums that will host matches in the competition.

They are Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier.

The capital Rabat is home to four stadiums; Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (69,500), Stade Al Barid (18,000), Stade Olympique Annexe Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (21,000) and the Complexe Sportif Prince Héritier Moulay EL Hassan (22,000).

Other stadiums are; the 45,000-capacity Complexe Sportif Mohammed V in Casablanca, Grand Stade d’Agadir (41,144), Grand Stade de Marrakech (41,245), Complexe Sportif de Fès (35,468) and the largest stadium, the 75,000-capacity Grand Stade de Tanger.

A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has testified at an FCT High Court in Abuja, alleging that Hadi Sirika, a former aviation minister, awarded contracts to Al Buraq Global Investment Limited, a company linked to his daughter, Fatima Hadi Sirika, and his son-in-law, Jalal Sule Hamma.

Naija News reports that Sirika, along with Fatima and Hamma, is facing a six-count charge of contract fraud amounting to ₦2,825,032,220.97.

The EFCC claims that Sirika used his position to influence the award of a ₦1.49 billion contract for the Apron Extension at Katsina Airport to Al Buraq, despite the company’s alleged lack of qualification for competitive bidding.

Musa Odiniyan, a retired director in the procurement department of the Ministry of Aviation, testified under cross-examination that the company would not have qualified for the contract had an open competitive bidding process been followed.

“We use some criteria for determining the award of contracts for companies. I still maintain that if it was an open competitive bidding, the company, Al Buraq, may not have qualified,” Odiniyan stated.

He further revealed that Al Buraq received 100 percent payment upfront, with the aim of completing the project before former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration ended in 2023.

“The time of issuing the contract letter to the company (Al Buraq) was at the twilight of the Buhari administration. That was why the contract had a period of six months,” he explained.

Odiniyan added, “The reason for the prompt payment (for the contract) was for it to be completed and inaugurated before the exit of the Buhari administration and not for the purpose of variation.”

The EFCC is pressing charges against Sirika for allegedly conferring undue advantage on Al Buraq by awarding contracts through improper influence, breaching procurement regulations, and defrauding the government.

The judge has adjourned the case until March 10, 2025, for the continuation of the cross-examination.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is awaiting up to 12 million barrels of crude oil from the United States, the Africa Report reported on Monday.

The refinery resorted to crude importation as local supply challenges hindered the new $20bn refinery’s push to reach full refining capacity.

Recall that the refinery plans to reach its 650,000 barrels per day capacity in June this year.

However, low local crude supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited is currently a challenge to this plan to ramp up daily production.

The 12 million barrels of crude has already left the United States and will land in Nigeria next month, according to the report.

“About 12 million barrels of crude have departed the US and should arrive in Nigeria by February,” an insider source told The Africa Report.

The PUNCH reports that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is importing more crude oil as supply from the NNPC becomes insufficient for fuel production at the $20bn Lekki-based facility.

Officials at the plant said the facility has ramped up production to about 500,000 barrels per day, with the target of hitting the 650,000bpd mark by June this year.

While affirming that the naira-for-crude deal is still on as directed by President Bola Tinubu last year, sources told our correspondent that the facility will have to import more crude to meet its target.

The NNPC is reportedly struggling to supply 350,000bpd to the Dangote refinery from the 450,000bpd crude meant for Nigeria’s local consumption.

With its current production capacity of 500,000bpd, officials said there is a need to look beyond the shores of Nigeria for the feedstock.

It was said that the feedstock needed by the refinery daily cannot be solely supplied by the state-owned oil company, NNPC.

“Currently, we are at 500,000bpd; we will ramp to 650,000 by midyear. You know what it means? So, it is a normal process to source crude oil anywhere it is available,” an official at the plant told The PUNCH.

Recall that in July, President Tinubu ordered the NNPC to sell crude oil to local refineries in naira.

In October, the committee supervising the naira-for-crude deal commenced the sale of crude to only the Dangote refinery in naira, saying it would sell to only petrol-producing refineries.

However, with the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries coming on stream, more refineries would be considered for the naira-for-crude arrangement.

According to the crude oil production forecast of producing oil companies and the refining requirement of functional refineries in Nigeria signed by the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Gbenga Komolafe, the Dangote refinery would require 550,000 barrels of a blend of Nigerian crude oil daily, 17.05 million barrels monthly, and 99.55 million barrels between January and June 2025.

The Dangote refinery is already building eight more tanks to store imported crude. The facility is planning to stockpile imported crude oil as local supplies become unreliable.

Officials of the refinery were quoted as saying that low crude supply from the NNPC “is driving import dependence.”

The building of eight additional tanks will see crude storage capacity at the refinery jump by 41.67 per cent to 3.4 billion litres.

“Importing crude from other countries instead of buying locally means that our crude stockpiles will have to be higher,” the Vice President in charge of the oil and gas business at Dangote Industries, Devakumar Edwin, was quoted as having said recently.

In May 2024, the refinery reportedly issued a term tender for the purchase of two million barrels of West Texas Intermediate Midland crude monthly for 12 months starting in July last year, amounting to 24 million barrels of crude in one year.

The Dangote refinery currently supplies petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel to Nigeria and other countries.

Christian and Muslim leaders on Monday clashed over the planned inauguration of shari’a arbitration panel across the South-Western states of Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo and Lagos by the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.

This comes as the proponents of the Islamic code said there was no going back on their decision to set up the panel to adjudicate and resolve issues among the South-West Muslim Ummah.

The President, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Ekiti State, Dr Hammed Bakare and the Chairman of the Shari’a Committee of Oyoland, Dr Rafiu Bello, told The PUNCH in separate interviews on Monday that the shari’a panel would be inaugurated despite the opposition to it.

The shari’a council had moved to establish an arbitration panel in Oyo town to adjudicate and sit on matters relating to Muslims. 

However, the development was opposed by the government and other leaders.

Following this, the planned panel inauguration billed to hold at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Mobolaje Area, Oyo, on January 11 was suspended indefinitely.

Last week, the panel held its maiden sitting at the Ekiti Central Mosque, Ado Ekiti with three Khadis forming the panel.

The Khadis include Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola and Dr Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde.

Apparently uncomfortable with the idea, the state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dayo Apata, (SAN) said the existing legal structure in the state did not recognise the shari’a court or arbitration panel.

 “There is an existing legal structure in Ekiti State (the Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal and High Court) that has been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian and traditional marriages and inheritance without any rancour or agitation,” he argued.

Aligning with the state government’s stance, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe,  ordered the dissolution of the Sharia panel “in the interest of peaceful coexistence and law and order in the community.’’

Adejugbe spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during a meeting he held with the chiefs and indigenes of the community and the Chief Imam and President of the League of Imams and Alfas in the Southwest, Edo and Delta states, Sheik Jamiu Kewulere; and other Muslim leaders in Ado Ekiti over the shari’a panel issue.

Speaking with The PUNCH, the SCN President in Ekiti State, Bakare said the panel inaugurated by Muslims in Ekiti State ‘’will not be disbanded nor dissolved as being canvassed in some quarters.’’

Bakare, who said that the arbitration was not a court, but part of the dictates of the Islamic religion for the promotion of peace, added that the constitution guaranteed the right of worship.

The Islamic cleric queried, “Why should the panel be disbanded? For what? Can you ask somebody to dissolve his marriage or not to worship God the way he likes? It is not lawful for anybody to give such a command.’’

He added, “The panel is an arbitration that we established for ourselves, Muslims, and not even compulsory for all Muslims, only Muslims that are willing to abide by the dictates of Allah as written in the Quran.

“It is just part of our way of worship, to do things according to the dictates of the Almighty God. That panel is for us, not a court or anything like that. It is an arbitration panel that every organization can establish within themselves.”

Bakare, who said that the panel existed in some Southwest states, including Lagos and Oyo States, affirmed, “It is not a new thing. We have examples even in churches where they arbitrate among themselves without resorting to established courts.

“It is just to settle matters within us and the constitution of Nigeria gives us a guarantee of worship. It is part of worship in Islam to make sure that there is peace in your domain, organisation, society.

“There is nothing anybody can fear from the arbitration panel, we are not forcing anybody. It is for only Muslims who are willing to go to that panel, if you are not willing to go as a Muslim, nobody is going to coerce you to go.

‘’That is what we are doing. The constitution of Nigeria guarantees freedom of worship and practice. That is all we are doing.’’

He berated the opponents of the panel, saying, “All those tags against the panel are not genuine, they are just an attempt to discredit it. When they hear anything about Muslims, about shari’a, they don’t want to hear whether there is anything good in it or not, whether it concerns them or not.

“We believe that nobody can stop us from being Muslims. That is how we see it. We have nothing against anybody, we are not fighting anybody, we are just peace-loving Muslims, we want to contribute to peace because if there is peace somewhere, it will translate to peace in the society.”

The Islamic leader argued that the arbitration panel did not violate any law.

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of the Shari’a Committee of Oyoland, Bello insisted that the inauguration of the panel in Oyo State would proceed as planned.

Bello explained that a new date for the panel inauguration would be announced in due course.

He said similar panels already existed in other parts of Oyo State, including Saki, Kishi, and Ogbomoso, and that the controversy surrounding the Oyo town panel stemmed from ‘’the initial mislabelling of the panel as a shari’a court.”

“A new date for the inauguration has not been announced yet. The inauguration of the shari’a panel in Oyo town cannot be stopped.

‘’It was only postponed, and we will announce the specific date for it in due time, Insha Allah. It is our right, and there is no going back on setting up the panel. It poses no threat or harm to this society,” he declared.

Bello also dismissed concerns raised by some traditional rulers, emphasising that the constitution provides for such panels.

Across the South-West, Bello said the panels had before now existed in Lagos, parts of Oyo and Ekiti while the zonal headquarters for the Supreme Council for Shari’a in Nigeria was in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

“We are not concerned about the pronouncements of certain traditional rulers. The Constitution allows for this, and we have the Supreme Council for Shari’a in Nigeria supporting us,” he added.

Furthermore, Bello explained that the panel was designed for willing Muslims to resolve issues such as inheritance disputes, marital conflicts, and disagreements among friends.

According to him, Muslim scholars will act as arbitrators, providing guidance based on the Quran without imposing penalties, unlike formal courts.

“This panel is meant solely for willing Muslims. Those alleging that it is part of a Fulani or Hausa agenda are ignorant. It will handle disputes between couples, friends, and others in line with Islamic principles.

‘’Panels like this already exist in Osogbo, Kishi, Saki, Ogbomoso, and Ibadan, so why is there an issue with Oyo town,?” he explained.

When asked under what legal framework the panel operates, Bello reiterated that it functions as an independent arbitration body, which does not require approval from the State House of Assembly.

“The Nigerian Constitution has provisions for it. The only mistake was in calling it a shari’a court instead of a sharia arbitration panel. This is purely for settling disputes among willing Muslims. Those behind the uproar are religious bigots,” Bello alleged.

Osun State Coordinator, SCN, Mallam AbulGaniy Ezra, said Governor Ademola Adeleke would be persuaded to allow the shari’a panel in the state transmute to a full-fledged court.

Ezra disclosed that the panel was inaugurated in the state in 2005.

According to him, the panel had resolved several civil matters, noting that the 1999 Constitution provided for the establishment of shari’a courts in the country.

He also said those opposed to the court’s establishment in South- West were not Christians, but those ignorant about the operation of the shari’a system of arbitration.

“Let me clarify that what people are referring to as the shari’a court is actually the shari’a arbitration panel and it has been held for about 20 years now in Osun.

‘’It holds regular sittings. They hold their arbitration every last Wednesday or Thursday of the month. The panel has been sitting at the Muslim Community Secretariat in Osogbo for close to 20 years now.

‘’The inauguration was done at Oja-Oba Central Mosque, Osogbo in 2005 and since then, sharia arbitration has been going on.

“We don’t want to stop at that, what we intend to do is persuade the Osun State governor, even though is our right but we don’t take it like that, we see it as something that can be agreed on mutually.

‘’We have common law courts here which are adjudicating on every issue that concerns citizens and non-citizens living in this country. Also, we have the customary court which is a provision of the Constitution, same as the shari’a court.

‘’So, I don’t know why people are making noise about the creation of the shari’a court in the South-West. Section 278 of the constitution said ‘there should be a shari’a court’ but anytime our people heard anything about shari’a court, they thought maybe some people wanted to start war. No, it is not like that. It is about giving the right of Muslims to Muslims,’’ he pointed out.

The Amir of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria and one of the proponents of the panel,  Amir Sirajudeen Abdulazeez said there was nothing wrong with establishing a shari’a court in Ondo State, explaining that it was part of Muslim rights.

He also expressed optimism that the planned creation of the panel would take place in the state sooner or later.

‘’For you to say that Muslims do not have the right to adjudicate their lives based on their beliefs is nothing but an affront to their constitutionally given rights. It is nothing but subjugation, exploitation, and oppression.

“If Muslims are a minority in Ondo State, can’t we talk? If it is in our constitution, can’t we demand it? If civil law has its roots in the Bible, customary law has its roots in idolatry – why can’t Muslims speak?

“Whether shari’a court will happen in those states, it’s a matter of time. Muslims are agitating for it, demanding it. When the time comes, the government will listen to us. And when the time comes, the government feels like establishing it, they will establish it,” he declared.

However, the state Chairman of the Ondo State chapter of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Joshua Opayinka said shari’a court was not feasible in the state.

He noted that it could only be replicated in the north where Muslims are in the majority.

The cleric said, “That (creation of shari’a court) is an aberration. Why shari’a court in Ondo State? No, that is not possible. Can the same thing be replicated in the north?

“They say that is their right. Nobody can stop them. Can we have full Christian worship activities in the north? Can they allow it? If they are canvassing that, we need to sit down at the round table and strike a balance.

“In the north, we have been marginalized. Christians in the north have not been permitted to have full operations of their Christian activities. So, why are they coming here? So to come and do that, that is not possible.”

The Organizing Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere, Abagun Kole Omololu, said importing religious law into the Yoruba culture would not be tolerated, stating that the focus of the South-west region was development.

He said, “What Yoruba wants is not religious bigotry, we are too closely knit as a race. Religion is the last on the pedestal of our priorities.  Ecclesiastical or shari’a law will not make us Dubai or Singapore.

‘’My grandfather, who died in 1957, was a Babalawo (herbalist), and yet Baba Egbe (elder) in the church.  The concoction he prepared against smallpox is still at the back of my father’s house. Yet, my dad was a chairman of a church too.

“Because we are uniquely homogeneous as a race, what binds us together is our tradition and not religion. Hardly can you find any family in Yorubaland that does not co-habit as traditional believers, Muslims and Christians. Introducing religious law into our family will encroach into our traditional family setting.”

The Yoruba Cultural Renaissance Advocates expressed its support for the Ewi of Ado Ekiti regarding the ban on the shari’a panel in Ekiti State.

The group stated that the Ewi’s pronouncement aligns with the principles of secularism and cultural sensitivity, and is essential for fostering unity in a diverse society.

In a statement issued by its President, Ifabunmi Esuremilekun, the YCRA commended the decision, describing it as a move that promotes religious harmony, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence among the various groups in Ekiti.

“Do they realize that the land hosting Ado-Ekiti belongs historically to the stool of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti? Considering that many Yoruba Muslims are married to Yoruba Christians under a combination of customary, Islamic, and statutory laws, what legal framework would this panel use to resolve disputes?” the group queried.

It lauded the monarch and the state government for taking a bold step to uphold the nation’s secularity.

“This decision demonstrates a commitment to preserving secularism while fostering unity in Ekiti State. It is a vital step toward ensuring religious harmony, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence among its diverse population,” the statement concluded.

The Osun State Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Prof. Isaiah Adelowokan, said Christians in the South-West would oppose the establishment of a shari’a court in the region.

Adelowokan said, “I know no Christian who will ever say shari’a court should come to South-West. We are not in support of it.”

Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, disclosed that the government has not received any request for the inauguration of a shari’a court in the state.

Alimi explained that a decision on such a request would not affect the peace of the state.

“We have not received any request for shari’a court in Osun. When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it. If we get the request, the government will consider the pros and cons and take appropriate action that will not jeopardise the peace of the state.

‘’This is a democracy. If they table it, the government will look at it and take appropriate action,” Alimi said.

Emeritus Professor of Islamic Studies and Chief Imam of Egba Gbagura, Abeokuta, Prof Kamaldeen Balogun, affirmed that there is no constituted shari’a court in Ogun State and any part of the South-West.

Balogun said that what is only common across the southwest are committees set up by the Muslims to adjudicate personal affairs that may arise among the Muslims like issues of marriage and divorce, among others.

The Muslim scholar said, “We don’t have constituted shari’a court in any part of the South-West as we have say in Kwara and others.

“What we have are committees or panels set up among the Muslims to address personal issues according to the dictate of our religion but I don’t know why people are now talking about having shari’a court, there is nothing like that.”

The President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Apostle Bello Otaru, said he was not aware of a shari’a court operating in the state.

Otaru, who is also the General Overseer of Signs and Wonder Church also known as Antioch Assembly, explained, “PFN is not aware of operating of shari’a court or plans to start one in Ogun State.

“In any case, we have cordial relationships with Muslim leaders in the state and we have a platform, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC which provides a forum for us to always iron out any contentious issue, so there is peace and religious harmony in the state and that we shall continue to uphold and sustain for the good of all.”

However, a top Muslim leader who craved anonymity, disclosed that the Muslim leaders in the state would be meeting on the matter in the next few days.

The National Missioner and Chief Imam of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheik Abdulrahman Ahmad, acknowledged that a shari’a panel had been operating in Lagos for 20 years.

“We have had shari’a panel in Lagos for almost 20 years now. There is no controversy about it. It’s not anything new in Lagos and it has been operating without any itch or controversy whatsoever. That’s why I said people should not bring any sentiment into it,” he offered.

He added, “What we must know is that there is a provision in the Nigerian Constitution for Muslims to have shari’a court if they want.

“It is a constitutional matter and the shari’a court as presently constituted applies to what they call Muslim Personal Law, marriage, divorce, inheritance, custody of children and so on. This is what the shari’a court is about.”

A yet-to-be-identified officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission attached to the Lagos Division of the anti-graft agency has slumped and died.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Monday from a video being circulated online that the officer who was not in uniform slumped and died in an undisclosed part of Lagos State on Sunday.

The video shows the lifeless body of the officer being surrounded by sympathisers including some police officers who coordinated a search on the deceased officer’s bag.

Following the search, it was discovered through his identity card that the man was an officer of the EFCC. 

A voice in the video said, “He works with EFCC. His ID card is with him.”

Confirming the death to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Monday, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that the officer’s death was under investigation.

“Yes, the man is our officer. His death is being investigated. The incident happened on Sunday,” Oyewale said.

PUNCH Metro reported on January 15 that a suspected Yahoo boy, Joshua Ikechukwu, shot an Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, Aminu Salisu, during a raid in the Onitsha area of Anambra State.

The operatives, who had travelled from the EFCC’s zonal headquarters in Enugu, were said to be on a mission to apprehend a group of suspected cyber criminals when they were ambushed.

Oyewale, who condemned negative narratives about the officer’s killing, stressed that the commission would ensure justice is served.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, Afenifere and ex-Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Monday, commended legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), for agreeing to withdraw the defamation cases instituted against human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.

Afenifere and Obi gave the commendation in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Monday.

Babalola and Farotimi had been locked in a legal battle since last year, following Babalola’s complaint that Farotimi defamed him in a book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.

Following Babalola’s petition, the police had arrested Farotimi and arraigned him before two courts in Ekiti.

Consequently, Farotimi was charged with criminal defamation before the Ekiti State Magistrates’ Court in Ado Ekiti; and was also arraigned for alleged cyber-bullying before the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti.

The activist was remanded for 20 days before perfecting his bail and regaining freedom on December 24, 2024.

However, Babalola, on Monday morning, announced that he would be withdrawing the court cases against Farotimi, following the intervention of Yoruba monarchs, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

 “I will tell my lawyers to withdraw the case,” Babalola said after a midnight meeting with the traditional rulers at ABUAD.

Reacting to the development in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere, who had earlier called for Farotimi’s release, commended Babalola for his peace move.

Afenifere said that by heeding the calls of the traditional rulers “Aare Afe Babalola has demonstrated, as a true Yoruba son, certain core ethos of being an Omoluabi.

“He  came to defend his reputation and when he was appealed to by our foremost traditional institutions, he dropped the gauntlet. This is highly commendable.

“We also applaud Ooni and other monarchs ‘for the  bold step they took’. They acted as true elders in line with the saying ‘Agba kii wa loja, ki ori omo titun wo’ – Elders would not sit-by in a marketplace to watch the dangling head of a child!’

“This act has further demonstrated the valuable roles that our Obas – who are the custodians of our culture and tradition  – can play in the society, if given the chance.”

In a similar vein, Obi, Obi, who had also last year visited Babalola over the matter, described Monday’s outcome as positive.

Speaking through his media aide, Ibrahim Umar, the former Anambra governor said, “We are pleased that this matter has been resolved amicably, and we believe that this outcome is a testament to the power of dialogue, and constructive engagement. Let me set the record straight: Obi’s visit to Afe Babalola was not about begging for pardon for Dele Farotimi, but rather a genuine effort at intervention and conflict resolution.

“As a leader, Obi recognises the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes, and his actions were guided by this principle. Now, with the news that Afe Babalola has agreed to withdraw the suit against Dele Farotimi, we welcome this development as a positive outcome of Obi’s intervention.

“This decision demonstrates that Chief Babalola is also committed to finding peaceful solutions to conflicts, and we commend him for this gesture. It’s worth noting that Mr. Obi’s actions were driven by his desire to facilitate a peaceful resolution that would allow all parties to move forward positively and constructively.”

At the reconciliatory meeting led by the Ooni were the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe; the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole: the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu; the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju; and the Alaaye of Efon Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare.

Babalola, who restated the importance of the Yoruba traditional institution and the influence it wielded, said, “The monarchs are here, they have appealed to me over a criminal charge involving somebody who said I was corrupt.”

The Senior Advocate of  Nigeria said he felt so bad that Farotimi accused him of winning all his cases through corruption; hence, he rejected all earlier appeals to him to take the cases out of court.

He also listed those who earlier appealed to him to take the matter out of court, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe.

He said, “If you go through the pamphlet (Farotimi’s book), you will find that he attacked many judges by names, he attacked Supreme Court judges, and none is bothered, but I am bothered. I am bothered because of where and how I started life, from the farm to where I am.

“There is nothing I am going to gain from his imprisonment, there is nothing I am going to gain from so-called damages. I am not on the quest for more wealth, but rather, how to spend what I have for the benefit of others. The only time I am happy is when I give.

“The request is simple, take away this criminal case in court. When Obasanjo wrote, he came here, I said no. When Kukah phoned and came, I said no, but on this occasion, I say yes. Thank you, Kabiyesis. I will speak to my lawyers to withdraw it.”

The Ooni, Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke on behalf of Yoruba monarchs, had requested Babalola to withdraw the case in court, assuring him that “Nobody can tarnish your name. Your name is more than silver and gold and you have stood for your name with the message that nobody can joke with your name.”

Oba Ogunwusi, who acknowledged Babalola’s contributions to the development of Yoruba, Nigeria and the world, said, “We (monarchs) came here to discuss the matter with him and he gave full respect to the obas and agreed.

“We, the obas, can attest to the hard work of Aare Afe Babalola and how he has invested so hard to build his name. The name cannot be tarnished or rubbished by anyone. Aare Afe Babalola has proven to the world that he cherishes his name and the world has heard him clearly.

“Baba, we want to appeal and also use our race to instruct you. Dele Farotimi is your son, you may not know him, we give birth to different children in this world, some are tough, some are soft, some are hard. Why we are here is our ethos as a race.

“We are using our race because some of our elders in Yorubaland and even beyond Yorubaland have spoken, but combining forces with the traditional institution, we have heard you, enough, enough and enough. Your name is intact. We have resolved the matter in our own way, we have done the needful,” the Ooni said.

On Saturday, January 25, tears flowed freely as families mourned the death of 18 persons in a petrol tanker accident along the Ugwuonyema section of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway. The driver of the petrol tanker reportedly had a brake failure, then lost control and crashed into the vehicles in front of him. Petrol poured out and caught fire. The surrounding vehicles and their passengers were incinerated instantly. Eighteen persons were burnt to ashes, many more were severely burnt. Those who could be rescued were taken to the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (Park Lane) and the National Orthopaedic Hospital for treatment. Both hospitals were overwhelmed. One of the victims was on holiday from his overseas base. 

A week earlier, January 18, a fuel tanker carrying about 60, 000 litres of fuel crashed at the Dikko junction near Suleja in Niger State. Residents within the vicinity, including children, immediately rushed to the scene with all kinds of containers: buckets, kegs, bottles, some even carried their generators with them to scoop free fuel. In the hustle and bustle that ensued, there was an explosion! Over 80 lives were lost, 69 persons were critically injured, about 20 nearby shops were burnt down and destroyed. On January 22, 2025, in Jalingo, Taraba state, less than a week after the tragedy in Suleja another petrol tanker overturned, spilling its contents onto the road, and despite the obvious risks, the people again rushed out to collect fuel. They had to be chased away by Civil Defence Officers. In October 2024, a similar incident in Majiya, Jigawa resulted in the death of about 200 people and injured over 120 others. Again, it was reported in that incident that the tanker which was travelling between Kano and Yobe State overturned while trying to avoid a collision with another truck. Its contents spilled and people quickly looked for containers to scoop free fuel. And an explosion occurred. In September 2024, there was yet another case of tanker explosion in Niger State when a petrol tanker ran into a herd of cattle and collided with a truck.  Over 50 persons died. Thus, petrol tanker explosions have become so frequent in Nigeria, North to South, East to West, so much that Nigerians are beginning to accept this as a fact of life. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to convey the tragic nature of the problem stated that in the year 2020 alone, there were about 1, 531 such accidents, claiming 535 lives. In the last three months, more than 250 persons have died. 

Oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1956 by the Royal Shell Company, with exploration beginning in earnest in 1958, and over the years Nigeria became the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world, with petrodollar accounting for 80% of the country’s total export revenue and foreign exchange earnings. The country also has the finest, in-demand grade of crude: the low sulfur, sweet, Brent crude. Ordinarily, this should be a blessing to the country, but the biggest problem that Nigeria faces is the curse of oil, that is “resource curse”. Either in a crude form or processed form, oil has been the cause of Nigeria’s woes. The mismanagement of this resource, poor leadership, and corruption within the oil and gas industry have since combined to lead to rebellion in the Niger Delta, and a scramble for oil wealth. Nigeria has over 5,000 kilometres of pipelines, but these pipelines are routinely vandalized, resulting in spills and environmental degradation, and tragedy, oil thieves continue to compromise the weak pipelines trying to get their share of the national cake, the oil companies have not done enough to maintain infrastructure in the face of the menace of restiveness in the Niger Delta. Only about 1% of the population benefits from oil revenue. Fuel is transported on the roads, and most of the roads in Nigeria are bad. When fuel tankers overturn, members of the Petrol Tanker Drivers Association of Nigeria are quick to blame the bad state of the roads, but that does tell the full story. The true story is so bad that each time there is an omission in the oil and gas sector, hundreds or thousands die as they did in Jesse, in Delta State on October 18, 1998 pipeline explosion; Atlas Creek Island, Lagos in 2006; Ijegun, 2008; Ejigbo, Lagos in 2018; and gas explosion in Abule Ado area of Amuwo Odofin in Lagos in 2020. 

Whether it is pipeline, or gas or fuel explosion, the story line has remained similar and repetitive, and the people who lose their lives and properties are the victims. The responses from the relevant authorities are predictable: prominent Nigerians including Governors and the Presidency would immediately issue statements describing the incident as “worrisome, heartbreaking, unfortunate, regrettable and tragic,” with the usual condolences duly expressed. The Emergency Management Agency in the affected states, the Fire Service and the FRSC would rush to the press to demonstrate that their officials and the “ogas at the top” are on top of the matter. Nobody is actually on top of anything. The Federal Government would announce that it has set up a committee to investigate the matter, and advise the government on pipeline safety and petroleum transport safety protocols.  Religious leaders will offer prayers for the souls of the dead, and the community would bury the remains in mass graves. Opposition political leaders would visit the elders of the community and make some very open donations, the pre-planned publicity of which would almost gain greater prominence in the media. As it was in 1998, so it is today. After the rituals of statements and investigations, the results of which may never be released, the country moves on. The road lies in wait. When the next “worrisome, heartbreaking, unfortunate, regrettable and tragic accident” occurs in another part of the country, we go through the same ritual again. It looks like a repetitive cycle of failure. It is right to commiserate with the bereaved families in Niger and Enugu states, but it will, sad to say, happen again. It is certainly tragic that in many of the cases, entire families are wiped out, for no reason other than that they are in a country that suffers from the curse of oil. How about a Nigerian in diaspora who comes home on holiday only to end up dying on the road because a fuel tanker crashes and explodes?   

But why do people rush to scoop fuel each time a tanker discharges its contents on the road? Why do people choose to willingly commit suicide knowing that fuel is combustible and death is the only certainty when an explosion occurs? Since May 2023, the pump price of fuel has increased by about 400%, the cost of living as a result of inflation has also increased. Those who own cars can hardly fill their tanks anymore. Generator owners need fuel but the cost is also high, and there is no regular electricity supply in a country of over 200 million people. When there is news of free petrol gouging out of a fallen tanker, or a burst pipeline, the people rush for gold, and they often die in the process. The people live in a blessed country but they are so adrift, so lost, they would rather embrace death with faith and hope. The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has been directed by the President to sensitize the people, and educate them. In other words, Nigerians must be advised not to commit suicide. The current leadership of NOA says it is ready to take on the task. But will the people listen? It is the yawning disconnect between the people and their government that will in part cause the next fuel tanker explosion. 

Fuel tanker drivers are quick to blame the state of the roads. Frequent accidents on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway have been traced to the poor state of the roads, and indeed, this is a major problem nationwide. If the roads are full of potholes and bumps, the drivers knowing that they are transporting dangerous content ought to drive more carefully. No, they don’t. They are forever struggling for space with other motorists. They drive at high speed, and nobody enforces speed limits on highways. The Petrol Tankers Owners Association of Nigeria, National Association of Transport Operators, Container Truck Owners Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) claim that they would enforce safety protocols. But they do not. And they will not. The drivers leave their loading depots, for the most part, fully stoned, or energized by psychotropic drugs. They are also made to travel long distances. Many of them doze off on the steering wheels. Petrol tanker owners want their cargo delivered at the destination. They don’t care much about the accidents that occur on the roads. Many of the tankers are not properly maintained. The brakes often fail. Both the tanker drivers and the tanker owners must be held liable for the havoc that they cause. Until a tanker driver and the tanker owner are tried and convicted, made to pay damages to the government and the families of victims, or banned outrightly from ever running a tanker business, we may never see any improvement. Going forward any truck bearing unlatched containers, which fall over, endangering lives and properties, must be seized, along with the container and its entire contents. The driver and the owner of same must be made to face the full wrath of the law. Setting up committees and issuing statements will never help. 

Where are the government agencies on the roads, the security personnel: the police, road safety, fire service who are supposed to ensure safety on the roads? Even when they are on the roads, they are also busy trying to survive. There are not enough fire safety units in the country to start with, certainly not on the highways, making a mockery of every attempt at emergency response. The policemen collect bribes. Road safety officials are overstretched. There are too many bad vehicles on Nigeria’s bad roads, and most of the vehicles violating rules and regulations are owned by Nigeria’s big men: an untouchable class of non-citizens with an elephantine sense of entitlement. We should be tired of the law enforcement agencies playing to the gallery. They need to become professional. 

And in any case, why should we transport petrol and other dangerous cargo by road and often during daytime at busy hours, either within the city or the highways. In the past some state governments have had to restrict the movement of tanker drivers to specific times of the day or to designated routes. In 2018, the Lagos state government directed articulated vehicles to obtain road worthiness certificates within 30 days, Anambra state did so too in 2019, directing that tankers and containers could only travel within the state between 1 am to 4 am. Following the accident in Suleja, Niger State, on January 18, the state Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has since banned heavy-duty trucks from plying the Dikko Bridge where the accident occurred. State governments lack the capacity to enforce their own orders. The tankers and containers are owned by very powerful persons and organizations in Nigeria: the same people who donate money and sponsor candidates during elections. Over the years, corporate Nigeria has perfected the art of putting the professional political class in its pocket. The owners of the murderous tankers and containers are the Godfathers of the men in political offices. This combination of capital and social connections stands in the way of any effective policy making and implementation in Nigeria, with the people at the mercy of the conspiracy of the business and political elite. 

What is the best practice in other parts of the world, with regard to the transportation of fuel and other cargo? The fact that toxic and inflammable materials are still being transported so carelessly on Nigerian roads is yet another sign of the country’s underdevelopment. Nigeria is a member of OPEC like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Angola, Gabon, Algeria, and the UAE. You may never hear that a petrol tanker on the roads crashed in those countries and people rushed to scoop fuel and got murdered by the state. It is a question of how much value we place on human lives around here. 

And when these accidents occur, why is it that the hospitals are not of any significant use? The usual excuse is that we have good doctors and specialists, but most of the hospitals are poorly equipped. It is either there is no electricity or there is no diesel to power the generator. There was a students’ protest recently at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, once a pride of the nation, because there was no electricity. The Ibadan Disco had to cut off power supply to the hospital for months due to unpaid electricity bills! How can such a hospital respond to any medical emergency? The story is the same in other parts of the country where hospitals reject accident and emergency cases due to the lack of basic facilities, including oxygen tanks. And yet many of these hospitals were supposedly built and equipped by the government at double or triple the actual cost. When people get burnt to ashes in Nigeria, in a fuel tanker accident for example, there is virtually no means of identifying them either through biometrics and dental records. The ashes are collected and buried in unmarked and unknown graves. Nigeria is a vast country of undocumented non-citizens, no reliable data, no ready-to-access medical records, and even those that may be documented can only pray that Nigeria does not happen to them. The fact that it is possible for anyone to wake up in the morning and disappear without trace and permanently is what is truly tragic about our Nigerian experience.