NEWS
FG Receives $2.25bn From Afreximbank’s $3.3bn Loan
The federal government on friday, obtained $2.25 billion from the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) as part of a $3.3 billion foreign exchange (FX) facility.
The awaited financial support aims to alleviate the severe shortage of foreign exchange in the country, a situation that has hindered economic activities and dampened investor confidence.
President Bola Tinubu had previously reassured Nigerians in December of his administration’s dedication to addressing FX backlogs by injecting funds into the market.
During the 2023 Bank Directors’ Summit in Abuja, Tinubu emphasized the significance of funding liquidity in the FX market, acknowledging it as a crucial but short-term measure essential for the current state of the economy.
However, there were apprehensions among investors and stakeholders regarding the government’s seeming deviation from its initial pledge to inject between $7 billion to $10 billion into the FX market.
This deviation raised concerns as the existing backlogs continued to affect investor confidence in the economy.
Tinubu, represented by Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, reaffirmed at the summit that there was no shift from the earlier indications given, emphasizing that the process simply required time.
He highlighted the government’s efforts to attract funds aimed at bolstering liquidity in the FX segment.
Yesterday reception of the first part of the funding intervention provided substantial relief to both the federal government and investors, marking a positive development.
The first portion of the funds, as reported, was deposited into the federal government’s account, with the remaining $1.05 billion scheduled for payment next week.
Addressing ARISE News, the minister highlighted that Afreximbank would announce the disbursement timing when appropriate.
He mentioned exploring various support mechanisms aimed at enhancing both government finances and FX liquidity, expressing optimism about Nigeria’s progress in the right direction.
Afreximbank leads the $3.3 billion loan arrangement, with additional participation from sub-lenders such as VITOL, Guvnor, Sahara Energy Group, Oando, and United Bank for Africa, contributing $100 million.
In a previous announcement in August, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) disclosed securing a $3 billion emergency loan from Afreximbank to stabilize the country’s volatile foreign exchange market.
This recent agreement follows NNPC’s earlier attainment of a $5 billion corporate finance commitment from Afreximbank, aimed at funding significant investments in Nigeria’s upstream sector, over a year ago.
While NNPC’s statement lacked details regarding the FX installment volumes and the quantity of crude oil for repayment, the agreement aimed to enhance foreign exchange liquidity and strengthen the naira against the dollar.
Analysts and business leaders lauded Afreximbank’s initiative to address the country’s FX liquidity challenges, acknowledging the potential of these funds to mitigate exchange rate fluctuations and alleviate increasing inflationary pressures.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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