The Malindi Environment and Land Court in Kenya has directed that the construction of the proposed Dangote refinery in Lamu County be placed on hold until further hearing.

The development came after some farmers and local inhabitants of Chandavai, an area in Lamu ​County, opposed the move, citing cases of “forceful eviction” and the destruction of their properties.

According to a Bloomberg report on Monday, Judge Jane Onyango ordered that “the status quo prevailing” be maintained.

The report noted that the court will provide further directions on the case on October 14, according to the order, which was issued on September 25 but made public on Monday.

A lawyer representing the petitioners, George Wakahiu, told Bloomberg that the ruling means no construction of the project should begin until the court meets on October 14.

The Dangote refinery project entails “forceful eviction of the plaintiffs from their lands, damage and destruction of their properties and yet there is no resettlement plan for them,” according to the petitioners. Dangote and the Kenyan authorities have yet to comply with the nation’s environmental code that requires “a mandatory environmental impact assessment be done before the implementation of any major project,” they said.

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The refinery also fails to comply with Kenya’s constitution, “which requires that the necessary public participation” be conducted, according to the court filings, the report stated.

However, in a report by Reuters on Tuesday, the business conglomerate of Africa’s richest man, Dangote Group, said in ​a statement that the court was yet to stop the refinery’s groundbreaking ceremony.

It noted that activities at the proposed refinery site would be affected pending the October 14 court hearing.

“The court has not halted the groundbreaking ceremony of the ​refinery at this stage. However, activities at the site may be affected by ‌the ⁠ruling, as both parties are required not to carry out activities until the case is heard on 14th October,” the statement read.

The PUNCH reports that Kenyan President William Ruto said his government was fast-tracking administrative processes for the proposed Dangote refinery in Lamu. This is as Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, said the planned facility would be bigger than the existing Nigerian plant.

Ruto spoke on Friday during a tour of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, ahead of the September 30 groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lamu, Kenya.

The Kenyan President said his government had already secured the land for the project and is working on other requirements to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensure that construction and subsequent operations are not delayed.

He described the proposed refinery as a regional project that would expand industrial activities in East Africa, create employment opportunities and improve the technical skills of the region’s workforce.
Courtesy – The PUNCH

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has honoured 14 of its retired employees for their contributions to the growth and development of local content in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The retirees were honoured at a celebration dinner held on Sunday at the Conference Centre of the Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

The event also provided an opportunity for former management staff of the board to reflect on the challenges surrounding the implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, and the progress recorded since its enactment.

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Speaking at the ceremony, a former Director of Legal Services, Mohammed Umar, said the implementation of the Act was initially met with resistance from major players in the oil and gas industry.

Umar said the board had to deploy tact and sustained engagement to convince industry operators of the benefits of complying with the local content law.

“Local content was new in the oil and gas sector. Companies were hardly cooperative, and tact was required to create understanding and compliance with the provisions of the Act,” he said.

He noted that local content had grown from about five per cent in 2010 to 61 per cent, describing the development as a major achievement.

“Local content has come to stay. Many other African countries now come to Nigeria to learn the secret of the country’s success,” Umar stated.

He urged serving employees of the board to remain committed and give their best to sustain the progress recorded in local content development.

Another retiree, Daziba Obah, who served as pioneer Director of Planning, Research and Statistics and later as Acting Executive Secretary of NCDMB, recalled the challenges encountered during the construction of the 17-storey Nigerian Content Tower.

Obah also spoke about the early challenges of funding research and development projects, noting that the board eventually demonstrated its capacity by successfully organising its maiden Research and Development Fair and Conference in Lagos in 2017.

Similarly, a former Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Isaac Yalah, described NCDMB as an institution that provides staff with the tools and training required to excel.

He said the $350m Nigerian Content Intervention Fund had significantly boosted the participation of indigenous companies in the oil and gas sector.

“The Nigerian Content Intervention Fund was a game changer with regard to indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry,” Yalah said.

He added that several Nigerian service companies accessed the fund at single-digit interest rates to acquire assets and expand their operations.

Yalah urged serving staff to continue learning and remain focused on taking the board to greater heights.

Also speaking, former General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Dr Ginah Ginah, described his years at NCDMB as “very exciting times.”

Ginah said the board’s training programmes contributed significantly to staff development, while its establishment of Information and Communication Technology centres helped promote digital awareness among young people in oil-producing communities.

Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation, Esueme Kikile, said the event was organised to honour men and women who had dedicated significant portions of their professional lives to the service of the board.

Kikile said the retirees contributed not only through their official responsibilities but also by mentoring colleagues, sharing knowledge and building institutional relationships.

He said, “Their contributions extended beyond the duties associated with their respective positions, as they shared knowledge, built relationships, mentored colleagues and contributed to the institutional experience that continues to shape the Board today.”

Kikile, on behalf of the management and staff of NCDMB, wished the retirees good health, peace, happiness and fulfilment in their retirement.

The ceremony also featured testimonials from serving staff who had worked closely with the retirees, including former technical assistants.

The speakers recalled the mentorship, professional guidance and support they received from the retirees during their years of service.

The event ended with a dance session by the retirees and a cultural performance, providing an opportunity for former and serving staff to interact in a relaxed atmosphere.

Other retirees honoured included Dr Ama Ikuru, Adelana Akintunde, Dr Obinna Ofili, Angela Okoro, Taridouye Gagariga, Ombu Atonbara, Okpetu Gabriel and Peter Isu Odo.

Courtesy – The PUNCH

Nigeria’s public debt has climbed to ₦166.79 trillion as of June 30, 2026, with financial analyst and Managing Director of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane, warning that the country’s debt burden is approaching the 40 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) limit.

Rewane raised concerns over the increasing debt burden, stressing that the key issue is not simply the amount Nigeria owes but what the borrowed funds have been used to achieve.

“There is a fiscal responsibility that says we shouldn’t exceed 40% of GDP, ₦166 trillion is the limit,” Rewane said.

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“The question is not how much the debt is, it is what have you used the debt to acquire? We haven’t seen any corresponding increase in productivity yet and there is a cost of living and affordability crisis.”

He also warned that Nigeria’s debt per capita was already high and could not continue rising indefinitely.

“Nigeria’s debt per head is very high and cannot increase further,” he added.
The comments come as the latest figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), as reported by Business A.M, showed that Nigeria’s public debt increased by ₦79.41 trillion in three years, rising from ₦87.38 trillion in June 2023 to ₦166.79 trillion by June 2026.

The latest figure represents a 90.9 per cent increase in the country’s public debt stock since June 2023.

On a year-on-year basis, public debt increased by ₦14.39 trillion, or 9.4 per cent, from ₦152.40 trillion in June 2025. It also rose by ₦7.44 trillion, or 4.7 per cent, from ₦159.35 trillion recorded in March 2026.

According to the report, domestic debt stood at ₦91.59 trillion, representing 54.91 per cent of total public debt, while external debt amounted to ₦75.20 trillion, or 45.09 per cent.

The Federal Government accounted for ₦152.77 trillion, representing about 91.6 per cent of the total public debt, while states and the Federal Capital Territory accounted for the remaining ₦14.01 trillion.

The rising debt stock has also been accompanied by increasing debt-servicing costs.

Federal Government domestic debt service rose to ₦3.14 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, compared with ₦2.61 trillion in the corresponding period of 2025.

Interest payments accounted for most of the increase, rising by 25.4 per cent to ₦2.97 trillion during the period.

Rewane’s comments therefore place renewed focus on the economic returns from government borrowing, particularly whether borrowed funds are translating into higher productivity, stronger revenues and expanded productive capacity.

The concern has also been raised by other Nigerian economists and financial analysts, who have argued that borrowing should be linked to projects capable of generating economic returns and strengthening the government’s capacity to repay its obligations.