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NNPC withholds over US$ 49 Billion from Nigeria-Lamido Sanusi

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By Joseph BAMIDELE

ABUJA – The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has intentionally shortchanged the Nigerian nation by about 49.8 billion united states dollars according to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The CBN Governor in a letter to Nigeria’s President Jonathan accused the Corporation of willfully failing to remit the said amount (N8 trillion) to the federation account between 2012 and July 2013.

SaharaReporters quoted Sanusi as complaining to President Goodluck Jonathan via a letter about the continuing refusal of the NNPC to honour its legal obligations, including failure to remit the said amount, which it said represented 76 per cent of the value of crude oil lifting during the period.

The complaints are contained in the letter to the President dated September 25, 2013.

Lamido SanusiSanusi reportedly wrote, “Our analysis of the value of crude oil export proceeds based on the documentation received from pre-shipment inspectors shows that between January 2012 and July 2013, NNPC lifted 594,024,107 barrels of crude valued at $65,332,350,514.57.

“Out of this amount, NNPC repatriated only $15,528,410,098.77, representing 24 per cent of the value. This means the NNPC is yet to account for, and repatriate to the Federation Account, an amount in excess of $49.804 billon of the value of oil lifted in the same period.”

Drawing attention to an attached table of analysis of the crude oil lifting and repatriations as prepared by the CBN, the governor noted that the failure of the NNPC to repatriate the amounts constituted not only a violation of constitutional provisions but also the country’s foreign exchange and pre-shipment inspection of export laws.

Also drawing attention to previous occasion in which he had expressed concern about what appeared to be shortfalls in remittances to the Federation Account in spite of the strong recovery in the price of oil, Sanusi said a point of departure ought to be to insist that the NNPC accounted fully for all proceeds that were diverted from its accounts with the CBN and the Federation Account.

He further wrote, “As an indicator of how bad this situation has become, please note that in 2012 alone, the Federation Account received $28.51 billon in petroleum profits and related taxes, but only $10.13 billon bn from crude oil proceeds.

“In the period January-July 2013, the corresponding figures are $16.65 billon and $5.39 billon, respectively. This means, Your Excellency, that in the first seven months of the year, taxes accounted for 76 per cent of the total inflow from this sector, while NNPC crude oil proceeds accounted for only 24 per cent.”

Sanusi, therefore, recommended to the President to require the NNPC to provide evidence for disposal of all proceeds of crude sales diverted from the CBN and Federation Account; investigate crude oil lifting and swap contracts, as well as the financial transactions of counter-parties for equity, fairness and transparency; and authorise prosecution of suspects in money-laundering transactions, including but not limited to Bureaux de Change, who were unable to account for hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Oil

FG Introduces New Incentives To Revitalize Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry

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In a strategic move to revitalize Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the Federal Government has unveiled two key fiscal incentives aimed at attracting investment and enhancing energy security.

The announcement was made by Mr. Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy on Wednesday.

The first initiative, the Value Added Tax (VAT) Modification Order 2024, introduces critical exemptions for essential energy products and infrastructure, including Diesel, Feed Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), Electric Vehicles, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure, and Clean Cooking Equipment.

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These exemptions are designed to reduce living costs for Nigerians, promote energy security, and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy alternatives.

The second initiative, the Notice of Tax Incentives for Deep Offshore Oil & Gas Production, offers new tax relief options for deep offshore exploration projects.

This measure aims to position Nigeria’s deep offshore basin as a premier destination for international oil and gas investments, boosting the country’s appeal to foreign investors.

These reforms are part of a broader set of policy initiatives, known as Policy Directives 40-42, endorsed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The directives reflect the administration’s commitment to fostering sustainable development in the energy sector and enhancing Nigeria’s competitive edge in the global oil and gas market.

 

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Tinubu set to approve ExxonMobil-Seplat oil deal, expands CNG bus initiative

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By Yemie Adeoye

NIGERIA’s President Bola Tinubu has announced that the protracted ExxonMobil-Seplat upstream oil divestment will be formally approved by the Minister of petroleum within a matter of days, just as he announced his government’s intention to expand the Compress natural Gas, CNG buses initiative.

The President who stated this during his Independence day nationwide broadcast stated that the move is in line with his administration’s commitment to free enterprise, free entry and free exit in investments which is the hallmark of his administration investment policy.

“Fellow compatriots, our administration is committed to free enterprise, free entry, and free exit in investments while maintaining the sanctity and efficacy of our regulatory processes. This principle guides the divestment transactions in our upstream petroleum sector, where we are committed to changing the fortune positively. As such, the ExxonMobil Seplat divestment will receive ministerial approval in a matter of days, having been concluded by the regulator, NUPRC, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. This was done in the same manner as other qualified divestments approved in the sector.”

The President also seized the opportunity to plead with Nigerians to be patient with his administration’s reform policies. “As your President, I assure you that we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to alleviate the suffering of our citizens. Once again, I plead for your patience as the reforms we are implementing show positive signs, and we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel”.

“Our energy transition programme is on course. We are expanding the adoption of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas for mass transit with private sector players. The Federal Government is ready to assist the thirty-six States and FCT in acquiring CNG buses for cheaper public transportation.

Fellow Nigerians, while we are working to stabilise the economy and secure the country, we also seek to foster national unity and build social harmony and cohesion. Our economy can only thrive when there is peace”. he enthused.

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ExxonMobil To Invest $10bn In Nigeria’s Deep-Water Oil Operations

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As part of the administration’s push to improve Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed support for ExxonMobil’s plan to invest $10 billion in the country’s deep-water oil sector.

Speaking on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, during a meeting with ExxonMobil executives at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, Shettima called the investment “a clear testament to the administration’s economic reforms and investor-friendly policies.”

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This announcement follows news that international maritime company DP World intends to develop a multibillion-dollar port project in Nigeria.

Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, shared the development in a statement on Wednesday. He quoted Shettima as saying: “ExxonMobil’s potential investment aligns with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for a more investment-friendly Nigeria.

We are committed to fostering an environment that supports such transformative projects.”Shettima also discussed the administration’s broader efforts to improve the ease of doing business, highlighting the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which aims to simplify bureaucratic processes, enhance transparency, and offer fiscal incentives to attract global investors.

“Our administration has taken bold steps to unify the exchange rate, remove fuel subsidies, and implement tax reforms. These measures, though challenging in the short term, are intended to create a stable and predictable business environment in the long term,” he added.

On the oil and gas sector, Shettima mentioned that the government is revising the fiscal framework for deep-water operations to attract investment while ensuring fair returns for the Nigerian people.

 

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