The global impact of the hostilities involving Iran, the United States of America and Israel continues to impact Nigeria’s domestic energy sector as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals on Tuesday announced reductions in its petrol and diesel gantry and coastal prices.

This follows Monday’s oil price slump to $90 per barrel from previous $115.

According to a new pricing template released by the refinery on Tuesday, the gantry price of petrol has been reduced by N100, dropping from N1,175 to N1,075 per litre.

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The Dangote Refinery also stressed that the price of petrol for coastal supply would now be N1,050 per litre, saying the difference in price reflects additional costs linked to maritime distribution.

Similarly, the price of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) has been reduced to N1,430 per litre at the gantry, down from the previous N1,620 per litre. This represents a decrease of N190 per litre.

The refinery noted that these gantry prices do not include regulatory charges from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The Dangote Refinery had raised its gantry PMS price to N1,175 per litre — the third upward adjustment in seven days.

The refinery communicated the new ex-depot price to marketers and depot operators, up N180 from the N995 per litre announced last week Friday, an 18.1 per cent increase in three days.

In the bid to cushion the impact of rising petrol and diesel costs, Nigeria’s president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate deployment of 100,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion kits within a maximum of three weeks.

The Executive Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on CNG, Ismaeel Ahmed, made the disclosure on Tuesday after meeting with the President at the State House, Abuja.

Ahmed said the directive was informed by the ongoing war in the Middle East and its impact on global petroleum prices, which have increased transportation costs for Nigerians.

“The President, as usual, is always trying to get information on what is going on, and especially with the war in the Middle East and the rising cost of petrol and diesel.

“The President wanted to know what we are doing at the Pi-CNG and EV to scale up the availability of gas and CNG everywhere in the country so that people would have less cost of transportation,” Ahmed stated.

He revealed that Tinubu gave a direct mandate for the mass deployment of conversion kits to make natural gas more accessible as an alternative to petrol and diesel.

“So the President has given a direct mandate that we should immediately deploy about 100,000 kits.

“We are working with so many other stakeholders that would incentivise and get it into the market immediately and be able to convert a lot of vehicles and tricycles for people to be able to access gas,” the Pi-CNG boss said.

Ahmed emphasised that the deployment would commence within two to three weeks, with conversion centres expected to be “bustling with a lot of conversion activities.”

He disclosed that the initiative includes plans to deploy vehicles and tricycles equipped with bi-fuel CNG and electric mobility capabilities.

The President also directed the Pi-CNG to fast-track infrastructure development for gas refilling stations and electric vehicle charging points across the country, with particular focus on the Northern corridor.

“He also gave a directive that we must be able to fast-track the infrastructure in bringing gas and CNG, and electric mobility charging infrastructures to every part of the country, especially within the Northern Corridor, so that a lot of people will be able to access this,” Ahmed said.

The Pi-CNG chairman revealed that 77 refilling stations are currently at different stages of development nationwide, with significant progress recorded in Kano State.

“In Kano right now, we have about two LCNG stations and about five, six daughter stations that are coming up as well,” he stated.

Ahmed disclosed that the Northern corridor, stretching from Lokoja through Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, and all the way to Maiduguri, will be equipped with multiple refuelling units to ensure seamless access to CNG for motorists.

“Along the corridors, from Lokoja all the way to Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Kano, all the way to Maiduguri, these are all places that we are going to litter with a lot of refuelling units. So it’s something that we’re looking forward to,” he said.

The Pi-CNG boss emphasised that the President wants results delivered quickly to ensure Nigerians can access CNG and electric mobility options.

“The President wants results delivered very quickly so that Nigerians will be able to access the CNG and electric mobility,” Ahmed stated.

On local manufacturing, Ahmed disclosed that the initiative is partnering with domestic manufacturers and attracting international manufacturers interested in setting up assembly lines in Nigeria.

“Absolutely, that’s where we’re dealing with partnering with a lot of local manufacturers, and even international manufacturers want to set up assembly lines in Nigeria.

“That is the goal, because it’s about job creation, it’s about availability,” he said.
He revealed that the Pi-CNG is collaborating with the Rural Electrification Agency to deploy solar-powered charging stations across the country.

“We’re partnering with REA, that’s the Rural Electrification Agency, to be able to supply solar where we can set up charging stations across,” Ahmed stated.

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He noted that Nigerians are already importing electric vehicles independently, and the government’s responsibility is to provide adequate infrastructure to support their use.

“Nigerians are already bringing in their electric vehicles regardless.

“What you have to do for them now is to be able to make sure that there is enough infrastructure for them to work with this, especially off-grid,” Ahmed said.

Modupe ASUDO

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board has reiterated its commitment to advancing gender inclusion and sustainable capacity development in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, spotlighting a $20m Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund.

The Board made this known at the 3rd edition of the Diversity Sector Working Group’s Women in Oil and Gas Conference and Mentorship Programme, held on March 3, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

The conference, organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, was themed ‘Breaking Barriers, Shaping the Future’, with a strong focus on building bridges and empowering women for a sustainable energy future.

Delivering his goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Omatsola Ogbe, described women’s empowerment as a strategic lever for strengthening Nigeria’s energy ecosystem, particularly at a time the global industry was undergoing profound structural change.

He explained that the sector’s navigation of energy transition, rapid technological innovation and rising sustainability expectations increasingly requires broader perspectives, adaptive leadership and inclusive participation to remain competitive and resilient.

Represented by the General Manager Midstream PCAD, Ms. Lekoma Phimia, the Executive Secretary framed inclusion not as social advocacy but as sound economics, stressing that diversity consistently delivers measurable performance outcomes across industries.

“Inclusive organisations are more innovative, more resilient and more profitable. When women thrive, industries thrive. When women lead, economies grow. When women are empowered, communities prosper,” he stated.

To illustrate this point, the Executive Secretary referenced the leadership impact of Ms. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, describing her tenure as clear evidence of women’s capacity to drive sector-wide transformation at the highest levels.

According to him, such leadership exemplifies how competence and inclusion are helping to steer the industry through a period of accelerated change.

While acknowledging the progress recorded, Ogbe observed that systemic barriers had continued to limit the full participation of women across segments of the oil and gas value chain, stressing that addressing the constraints requires deliberate, structured and sustained interventions.

At the centre of NCDMB’s empowerment showcase, the Executive Secretary highlighted the Women in Oil and Gas Intervention Fund, a landmark $20m initiative established in partnership with the Nigerian Export-Import Bank to provide affordable financing exclusively to women-owned businesses operating within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

He explained that the fund offers single-digit interest rate loans with repayment tenors of up to three years, targeted at eligible companies with approved industry contracts. According to him, the initiative is designed to accelerate local capacity and enable women entrepreneurs to transition from peripheral participation to ownership and leadership across the oil and gas value chain.

Ogbe further disclosed that a complementary intervention, implemented in partnership with the Bank of Industry, extends structured business training and additional access to capital to women-owned enterprises. He noted that many beneficiaries have expanded from small service providers into competitive vendors now supporting major oil and gas operators nationwide, particularly in logistics and marine services, safety equipment supply and environmental management — segments where female entrepreneurs have historically faced limited access to financing.

Beyond financing, the Executive Secretary highlighted NCDMB-supported skills development programmes executed in collaboration with institutions such as the Petroleum Training Institute and accredited industrial training centres in Rivers and Bayelsa states. He cited the training of women in welding and fabrication, noting that many graduates are employed in fabrication yards and contribute directly to major oil and gas projects.

“These women are earning dignified livelihoods, breaking stereotypes and inspiring a new generation,” Ogbe said, emphasising that collaboration remains critical to scaling impact, citing partnerships with financial institutions, development partners, training institutions and industry stakeholders.

He commended the NCCF Diversity Sector Working Group for sustaining advocacy and dialogue on inclusion. “We must move beyond inclusion towards leadership — more women in technical leadership roles, executive positions and industry boards,” he added.

In her remarks, the Chairman of NCCF Diversity Sector Working Group, Dr Alero Onosode, described the conference as a celebration of progress, leadership and possibility, noting that NCDMB’s sponsorship reflects its strong institutional commitment to inclusion and shared prosperity. She observed that convening the conference in March — International Women’s Day month — was symbolic, coming at a time of renewed activity and reform across Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

“Alongside this momentum, we are seeing the rise of women into visible and influential leadership roles — regulators, CEOs, directors, engineers and policymakers shaping strategy and transforming spaces that were once dominated by a single voice,” Onosode said.

She explained that the conference theme challenged stakeholders to move from representation to impact, urging deliberate collaboration across sectors, generations and perspectives.

“Building bridges means women and men working together, turning diversity into strength and collaboration into results,” she stated, calling on industry leaders to prioritise mentorship, sponsorship and intentional partnerships.

The conference concluded with a renewed call for inclusive capacity development, with NCDMB reaffirming its commitment to empowering women, strengthening Nigerian content and ensuring that Nigeria’s energy future is sustainable, inclusive and economically transformative.