Attracted by the bulk-purchase agreement incentives being offered by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, more oil marketers in Nigeria are jostling to be listed as beneficiaries of the agreement.

The leading conglomerate made the disclosure in a statement on Friday, in Lagos.

It was gathered that the bulk-purchase agreement, the petroleum marketers reasoned, offers a guaranteed price stability as against purchase from depot owners whose price is opened to incessant upward review as has just been announced.

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Recall that two prominent players in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector – Ardova Plc and Heyden Petroleum – have entered into a bulk purchase agreement with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery after MRS; a situation they have leveraged on to sell petroleum at a much cheaper pump price.

The depot owners recently jerked up their loading price to N950 per liter from N909 citing increase in the price of crude oil in the international market, a situation that has forced most independent marketers to raise their pump price too to reflect the new higher price from the depot owners.

The Independent marketers are referring to the benefits of the bulk-purchase agreement with Dangote Refinery as being enjoyed by the three leading oil marketers, MRS, Ardova Plc and Heydey who have entered into the purchase agreement with Dangote refinery and are able to retain their lower pump price.

National President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association (IPMAN), Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi Garima confirmed that the association members’ eagerness to sign on with Dangote Refinery and that they have been advised to do so by organizing themselves to pool resources together to be able to qualify for the bulk-purchase agreement.

Justifying the IPMAN new position, he said members could not continue to depend on depot owners for products when they can buy directly from the refinery bearing in mind that the minimum quantity to buy from Dangote Refinery is two million litres at N909 per litre.

The management of the Dangote Refinery citing economic relief provided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s crude-for-naira swap initiative had announced a bulk-purchase offer incentives to the three leading downstream sector operators, so that Nigerians could heave a sigh of relief on the reduced pump price.

As the MRS, Ardova Plc and Heyden keyed into the arrangement, other petroleum marketers besieged the Refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, seeking to be part of the bulk purchase deal, which guarantees steady supply of petroleum products and at competitive prices.

The desire to be part of the bulk-purchase agreement, it was also gathered, was also apparently being fueled by the testimonies from motorists who have been praising the impressive burn rate of fuel sourced from Dangote Refinery and sold in MRS filing stations which they said lasts longer compared to other products imported into the country and sold by others.

Dangote Refinery had said the strategic move was designed to further stabilise the nation’s fuel market and enhance energy security for consumers, as it would guarantee steady supply of petroleum products at affordable prices.

The bulk purchase agreement incentive by Ardova and Heyden came on the heels of a drop in the pump price of petrol by the management of MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, which had previously entered into a similar agreement with Dangote Refinery.

As a result, MRS Oil lowered its fuel prices to N935 per litre across all its stations nationwide, addressing the long-standing issue of price disparities between states. Furthermore, MRS Oil’s stock surged to a new 52-week high recently, as investors became increasingly optimistic about the company’s future earnings prospects.

Reports indicate that the bulk purchase agreement with Dangote Petroleum Refinery had also enabled both Ardova and Heyden to secure a reliable and consistent supply of petroleum products from the world’s largest single-train refinery at competitive prices, benefiting consumers across the country.

The arrangement ensures that Ardova and Heyden will have access to a full range of refined products, thereby securing their operations with a reliable supply chain. Other petroleum markers, reports said, are keen on signing similar agreement with Dangote Refinery as soon as they are allowed to, as most of them have majority of their filing stations in Lagos close to Dangote Refinery.

After signing the agreement, Ardova Plc, it would be recalled, had in a statement underscored the importance of this agreement in fostering a more competitive environment within Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector.

The partnership with Dangote Refinery is poised to have a positive, transformative impact on Nigeria’s oil and gas market. By ensuring a stable and affordable supply of fuel products in the over 1,000 retail outlets of the two companies, the agreement will help to alleviate the recurring issue of fuel scarcity that has long plagued Nigeria.

The need for stronger regional collaboration, government-private sector synergy, and innovative market solutions to unlock Africa’s economic potential has been brought to the fore.

Group CEO of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Temi Popoola, shed light on the transformative potential of Africa’s capital markets at the launch of the Ethiopian Securities Exchange (ESX).

The NGX Group’s strategic investment in ESX underscores its leadership in advancing Africa’s capital market infrastructure. “The launch of ESX represents a pivotal moment for Ethiopia and the broader African financial landscape,” Popoola stated. “ESX will serve as a crucial mechanism for capital formation and market liquidity, driving sustainable economic growth.”

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Expounding on NGX Group’s investment rationale, Popoola highlighted Ethiopia’s immense market potential and the shared vision of fostering economic growth through innovation. “Our partnership transcends traditional investment parameters,” he explained. “It is about ensuring that ESX evolves into a key player in Africa’s financial ecosystem, enabling cross-border investments and setting benchmarks for market development.”

Popoola also drew parallels with global success stories like India, which has leveraged its capital markets to achieve significant economic transformation. He emphasized the importance of responsible market opening to attract local and continental capital. “By following this path, Ethiopia can become a financial hub in Africa,” he remarked.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed lauded the launch of ESX as a transformative milestone in the country’s journey toward economic modernization. “Today, we have officially rung the bell to launch the Ethiopian Securities Exchange, our nation’s first stock exchange,” the Prime Minister announced on X. “This is a call to global investors: Ethiopia offers immense potential, a fast-growing economy, and a clear trajectory toward shared prosperity.”

CEO of the Ethiopian Securities Exchange, Tilahun Esmael Kassahun, expressed confidence in the partnership with NGX Group. “We are pleased to welcome NGX Group as a strategic partner, building upon the existing support we continue to receive from them,” he said. Kassahun also emphasized the value of NGX Group’s expertise in shaping ESX’s growth and success.

Drawing from NGX Group’s six decades of experience, Popoola shared insights on diversifying financial instruments and expanding access to investment opportunities. “With the right mix of innovation, policy support, and regional collaboration, Ethiopia’s capital market can play a transformative role in driving economic development and establish itself as a leader in Africa’s financial ecosystem,” he concluded.

With the ESX poised to redefine Ethiopia’s financial landscape, NGX Group’s involvement highlights the critical role of partnerships and shared expertise in advancing Africa’s economic narrative.

The Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation has uncovered financial irregularities amounting to ₦514 billion in the 2021 operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

The revelations were contained in a comprehensive audit report highlighting non-compliance and internal control weaknesses within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) during the 2021 financial year.

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Breakdown of Infractions

The audit detailed four major financial discrepancies within NNPCL:

“Irregular Deductions: A total of ₦343.64 billion was deducted from domestic crude oil sales at source without proper documentation.

“Sinking Fund Deposits: ₦83.66 billion, categorized as miscellaneous income, was retained in a sinking fund account.

“Unauthorised Refinery Deductions: ₦82.95 billion was deducted from federation revenue purportedly for refinery rehabilitation.

“Unsubstantiated Payments: ₦3.75 billion was flagged for transactions related to petrol sales that lacked proper verification.

The Auditor-General’s report stated that these financial activities violated the 1999 Constitution and the Financial Regulations Act of 2009, underscoring significant lapses in compliance with statutory guidelines.

According to the report, NNPCL generated ₦484.73 billion from domestic crude oil sales in March and May 2021.

However, ₦343.64 billion was deducted for various purposes, including “Value Shortfall,” “Strategic Stock Holding Cost,” and “Pipeline Maintenance.”

The deductions were made unilaterally by NNPCL without adequate documentation or justification.

Additionally, the report flagged ₦50 billion of the net payable amount for May 2021 as unaccounted for, creating a significant gap in the federation’s revenue.

“Audit observed from the review of NNPC SAP payment record for March and May 2021 payments that the sum of ₦484.73bn was the gross amount generated for the sale of domestic crude for the months of March and May 2021.

“The sum of ₦343.64bn from the gross amount was unilaterally deducted from the gross domestic crude sales as NNPC Value shortfall, Strategic Stock Holding Cost, Crude Oil and Products Pipeline Losses, as well as the pipelines maintenance and management costs.

“The details of each of the cost components deducted were not provided for audit review. Hence, the reasons for the deductions could not be justified by the management.”

On the unremitted ₦50 billion from May 2021, the report noted: “In the month of May, the net payable that could have been remitted ought to have been ₦127.075bn, but only the sum of ₦77.075bn was remitted, leaving an unremitted balance of N50bn to the Federation Account, which has remained unaccounted for.”

The report attributed these anomalies to weaknesses in NNPCL’s internal control systems, warning of the risks they pose to public funds.

It read, “The above anomalies could be attributed to weaknesses in the internal control system at NNPC, now NNPC Ltd. This is a potential loss of Federation revenue, diversion of public funds, or misapplication or misappropriation of funds.”