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Atiku Demands Immediate Listing of NNPCL on the Nigerian Stock Exchange

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Yemie ADEOYE
FORMER Vice President of Nigeria, Mr. Atiku Abubakar has demanded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to effect the immediate listing of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) on the stock exchange in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.
Atiku said this in reaction to the decision of the NNPCL to hand over the Warri and Kaduna refineries to private operators who are expected to manage and operate them.
Nigeria is not refining crude locally – NNPC GMD

Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL)Mallam Mele Kyari

“The NNPCL is supposed to have been listed on the stock exchange in line with the Petroleum Industry Act. This would make the company more profitable and enhance transparency and corporate governance.

“Currently, the NNPCL claims to be private, but this is only a ruse to fool the feeble-minded because it remains the ATM of the Federal Government. Anything short of listing the NNPCL on the stock exchange is nothing but a cosmetic development,” he added.
In a statement issued and signed by the former Vice President’s spokesman, Mr Paul Ibe in Abuja, He further stated that the NNPC Limited continues to provide a cover of political protection to the Tinubu government’s policy inconsistency on the payment of subsidy, raising questions about the independence that the PIA requires of the NNPC Limited as a private business concern.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate said previous arrangements and concessions had not worked because of a lack of transparency in the contract award process as well as the failure of the government to attract investors.
The former Vice President said that for such a deal to succeed at all, the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) and a credible technical partner like Standard and Poor’s must be part of the process.
Atiku added, “Former President Olusegun Obasanjo revealed recently that even Shell, one of the world’s wealthiest oil companies, rejected the offer to operate Nigeria’s refineries. This is because the NNPCL has, for years, been a cesspool of endemic corruption.
“This is why over $20bn that has been spent on the refineries in the last 20 years has led to nowhere. It is also curious that a government that is still paying petrol subsidy is trying to make its refineries profitable. Which businessman will invest in a refinery that has been programmed to operate at a loss?”
Atiku questioned the feasibility of the NNPC’s latest plan even as he pointed out that such arrangements in the past had not been profitable.
He added, “The manage and operate approach has not always worked. The Manitoba Hydro International, which was handed the Transmission Company of Nigeria led to nowhere. Similarly, Global Steel Limited, which was handed the Ajaokuta Steel Company, was not able to make the facility profitable.
“The contract was questionably revoked by the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration, and Nigeria ended up paying Global Steel a compensation of nearly $500m while Ajaokuta remains comatose 17 years later.”
The Waziri Adamawa advised the NNPCL not to make the contract process opaque like it did with OVH last year, which was not only dubious but has still failed to boost the NNPCL’s petrol sufficiency as evidenced by the months long fuel scarcity.
“In 2022, Nueoil, an unknown and newly registered company, acquired OVH and Oando filling stations. Barely four months later, NNPCL Retail bought Nueoil and took control of all its assets, including the Oando filling stations.
“Barely eight months later, OVH turned around to take over NNPCL Retail. This convoluted transaction was done in order to hide the corruption involved. If this is the approach that the NNPCL wants to use in handing over its refineries to private hands, then Nigerians should not expect any positive development whatsoever.”

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Trade Tensions Hit Nokia As Q1 Ends In €68M Loss

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Nokia has reported a net loss of €68 million for the first quarter of 2025, a sharp decline from the €438 million profit recorded during the same period last year.

The Finnish telecoms equipment maker attributed the downturn to global trade disruptions and recently imposed tariffs by the United States.

The company’s net sales dropped slightly to €4.4 billion, down by one percent year-on-year.

READ ALSO: Trade War: China Strikes Back Wth 125% Tariffs On U.S. Goods

Tariff-related challenges were highlighted by Nokia’s President and CEO, Justin Hotard, who acknowledged the broader economic pressures affecting the industry.

“We are not immune to the rapidly evolving global trade landscape,” Hotard stated. “However, based on early customer feedback, I believe our markets should prove to be relatively resilient.”

He also noted the potential short-term financial impact, saying, “Based on what we see today, we currently expect a EUR 20 to 30 million impact on our comparable operating profit in the second quarter from the current tariffs.”

Earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump introduced a 10 percent tariff on global imports, while pausing plans for steeper duties, including a proposed 20 percent levy on products from the European Union.

Despite the quarterly setback, Nokia expressed confidence in its growth prospects.

The company is looking to its Network Infrastructure, Cloud and Network Services, and Mobile Networks divisions to drive sales in the year ahead.

In a sign of continued momentum in the mobile segment, Nokia also announced on Thursday that it had extended its contract with T-Mobile US.

The company said it is continuing “to see positive signs of stabilization” in Mobile Networks.

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Marketers In Anguish, As Dangote, NNPC Ltd War Drag Price To N880/litre

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The pull of market forces which moved the hands of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to N880 per litre in Lagos and N935 in Abuja appears to be a source of torture to independent markets.

Biztellers reports that the latest price review on Easter Monday saw NNPC retail outlets in Lagos drop from N925 to N880, while those in Abuja adjusted from N950 to N935.

The NNPC Ltd’s price reduction came barely a week after the Dangote Refinery lowered its ex-depot price from N865 to N835 per litre.

ALSO READ: BREAKING: Again, Dangote Cuts Petrol Price To N835 per Litre

In addition, the $20bn refinery also directed its partners like MRS, Heyden, and Ardova to sell a litre of petrol at the rate of N890 instead of N920 in Lagos, N900 in the South West, N910 in the South-South, and N920 in the North East.

Consumers can smile because with the reaction, the NNPC Ltd’s new price in Lagos is N10 lower than what the Dangote Refinery is selling at, which might lead to another reaction, as the price war between the two companies.

Though some NNPC Ltd’s retail outlets were observed selling at the old rate in Lagos, it was gathered that they were given the liberty to exhaust old stock before adjusting to the new prices.

Market sources are of the view that the current price war was ignited by the Federal Government’s implementation of the Naira-for-crude policy.

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Gold Prices Hit Historic $3,500 Amid Trump Tariffs, Fed Tensions

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Gold soared to a record high of $3,500 an ounce on Tuesday, as mounting fears over a potential U.S. recession and escalating tensions between President Donald Trump and the Federal Reserve drove investors toward the traditional safe-haven asset.

The precious metal briefly touched an all-time high of $3,500.10 an ounce before retreating slightly to trade at $3,467.87.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Vatican Discloses Cause Of Pope Francis’ Death

The rally marks the latest in a string of record-breaking gains for gold, fueled by a weakening U.S. dollar, sharp declines across global stock markets, and growing concerns over the health of the world economy.

Market sentiment took another hit this week after President Trump ramped up his trade war with China, slapping fresh tariffs on the world’s second-largest economy and intensifying fears of prolonged economic disruption.

Gold has surged more than 30 percent since the start of the year as investors seek refuge from mounting market volatility.

“The rally reflects ongoing recession fears in the U.S. economy and heightened political tensions, especially as President Donald Trump continues to attack Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell,” said Rania Gule, senior market analyst at trading group XS.com.

Concerns about the Fed’s independence were further stoked Monday, when Trump publicly lashed out at Powell on social media, branding him a “major loser” for not cutting interest rates — a move the president has repeatedly demanded.

The sharp criticism follows Trump’s recent suggestion that he might attempt to remove Powell from his post.

 

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