NEWS
Senate probes Shell over Joint Venture default, seeks $200m refund to FG
By John Akubo
For failing to comply with the Petroleum Act thereby breaching the Joint Venture Agreement entered into with the Federal Government the Senate, on Wednesday, constituted an Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC)
The Ad-Hoc Committee was mandated to probe the Oil Mining Lease granted to SPDC between 1959 to 1989 and 1989 to 2019 under the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture agreement.
The Ad-Hoc Committee which was constituted by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi as its Chairman.
Other members on the panel include Senators George Thompson Sekibo, Abdullahi Yahaya, Bassey Albert Akpan, Olamilekan Solomon Adeola, Smart Adeyemi, and Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed.
Accordingly, the chamber demanded a refund of $200 million (USD) or any amount short of what was paid by SPDC, including penalties and interests under the said lease agreements to the coffers of the Federal Government.
The resolution was reached by the chamber after it considered a motion sponsored by Senator George Thompson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East).
The motion was entitled, “non payment of the sum of $200,000,000 accruals from the Oil Mining Lease (OML), by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited under the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture Agreement and, illegal and unlawful renewal of Oil Mining Leases by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) contrary to the provision of paragraph 10 of the First Schedule to the Petroleum Act 1969 (now Section 86(1) and 86(6) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2022.”
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Sekibo, in a presentation, observed that the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture (JV) agreement, in contravention of the provisions of the Petroleum Act 1969, by the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, granted to the SPDC/NNPC a 30-year Oil Mining Lease from 1959 to 1989.
He observed that doing so constituted an illegal extension of the Oil Mining Lease by 10 years in the first instance, instead of the prescribed term of 20 years, without recourse to the provisions of the Petroleum Act 1969 in paragraph 10 of the First Schedule.
According to the lawmaker, “upon the expiration of the initial Oil Mining Lease in 1989, SPDC/NNPC JV, was granted another 30-year Oil Mining Lease again from 1st July 1989 to 30th June 2019, by the Ministry of Petroleum Resource/DPR instead of the 20 years lease period prescribed by the Petroleum Act, which is contrary to paragraph 10 of the First Schedule to the said Act”.
He disclosed that in the initial additional 10 years Oil Mining Lease of 1969 to 1989, illegally granted to the SPDC/NNPC JV by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/DPR, the Federal Government lost from fees, taxes, rents, and royalties the sum of $120, 000, 000.
He stated that in the second instance of the extra 10 years the Federal Government also lost a further sum of $80,000,000, making a total of $200,000,000.
He noted that a loss of $200,000,000, which is equivalent to N83, 130, 000, 000 billion, could have been of great value to the economy of the nation.
He observed that the illegal action by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/DPR as regards the SPDC/NNPC JV may not be the only non-compliant grant as details of other Joint Venture agreements with Chevron Nigeria Limited, ENI Joint Venture, EXXON Mobil Upstream JV, Total E & P Nigeria Limited JV, need to be ascertained through a thorough investigation to verify compliance with the provisions of the extant law.
He expressed worry that the trend of illegal extension of Joint Venture (JV) period from 20 years to 30 years lease period without recourse to the Petroleum Act may have also applied to other Joint Venture agreements with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and need to be investigated.
Sekibo informed the chamber that SPDC went to Court on the clarity of the lease period and the judgment was not in their favour as regards the additional 10 years lease period in the two instances.
“Regrettably, the court failed to order the SPDC to pay the arrears the 20 years lease period to the tune of $200,000,000 to the Federal Government for the illegal extensions”, he said.
The lawmaker further disclosed that a whistle-blower petitioned the EFCC on the need to recover the sum of $200,000,000 from SPDC for these illegal extensions by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources/DPR and to further investigate all other Joint Venture agreements that involved the aforementioned IOCs.
He noted that the power to make laws for the Federation as vested in the National Assembly by the Constitution also encompasses the power to make laws for the promotion of national prosperity and a dynamic self-reliant economy as provided in section 16(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.
He emphasised that the Constitution also gives power to each House of the National Assembly to carry out an appropriate investigation on an observed misapplication of the laws enacted by the National Assembly, as provided in Section 88 of the Constitution.
He stated further that Section 89 of the same Constitution provides the process on how such investigation should be carried out.
Accordingly, the Senate resolved to constitute an Ad-Hoc Committee to investigate the non-compliance with the Petroleum Act and the Oil Mining Lease granted to SPDC between 1959 to 1989, and 1989 to 2019 under the SPDC/NNPC Joint Venture Agreement; and compel SPDC to refund to the Federal Government the sum of $200,000,000 or any amount short of what was paid, including penalties and interests under the said lease agreement.
NEWS
DPRP Slashes PMS to ₦1,165/Litre, Diesel to ₦1,570/Litre
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has announced a reduction in the ex-depot prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel).
A company statement on Wednesday has it that the price reduction, which is part of reaffirmation of the company’s commitment to providing affordable, high-quality petroleum products to the Nigerian market is effective Thursday 6th of August, 2026.
Under the new pricing structure, the refinery has reduced the ex-depot price of PMS to N1,165 per litre, down from N1,215 per litre, representing a reduction of N50 per litre. Similarly, the ex-depot price of Diesel has been reduced to N1,570 per litre from N1,650 per litre, amounting to a decrease of N80 per litre.
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The price review reflects Dangote Refinery’s ongoing efforts to enhance energy affordability, improve access to refined petroleum products, and support economic activities across Nigeria. The refinery remains committed to ensuring stable supply while leveraging operational efficiencies to deliver value to consumers, businesses, and stakeholders.
As Africa’s largest refinery, Dangote Petroleum Refinery continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s energy security, reducing reliance on imports, and supporting the nation’s economic development through the supply of world-class petroleum products.
The company reaffirmed its dedication to contributing to the growth of the Nigerian economy and passing on the benefits of improved operational efficiencies to consumers whenever market conditions permit.
NEWS
Wrong-Way Crane Leaves Three Dead, Three Injured in Ogun Auto Crash
Three people have lost their lives, while three others sustained varying degrees of injuries following a tragic road accident involving a crane and a truck along the Sagamu-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The fatal crash occurred at about 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday near Babcock Junction in Ikenne Local Government Area.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the accident involved a white Mercedes-Benz truck with registration number LG 59 BLF and a yellow crane without a registration number.
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According to Akinbiyi, preliminary investigations showed that the crane was travelling against traffic at excessive speed when it collided head-on with the oncoming truck.
He disclosed that six people—three males and three females—were involved in the crash.
“A total of three persons, comprising two males and one female, lost their lives, while three male victims sustained varying degrees of injuries,” Akinbiyi said.
He added that emergency responders from TRACE, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Police Force, and a rescue team known as “Papa Oscar” swiftly arrived at the scene to rescue victims and manage the situation.
The injured victims were taken to the Babcock University Teaching Hospital for treatment, while the bodies of the deceased were deposited at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) morgue in Sagamu.
To ease traffic flow, authorities diverted vehicles from Delabo Junction to the second carriageway as efforts continued to evacuate the damaged vehicles from the highway.
Akinbiyi commiserated with the families of the deceased and cautioned motorists against dangerous traffic violations.
“Motorists should avoid route violation and driving against traffic, considering the grave consequences associated with such dangerous acts,” he said.
NEWS
Businessman Alleges Paying PFIPC DG ₦400m To Secure Gov’t Contract
A businessman, Gbenga Collins, has told the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee investigating the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) that he paid ₦400 million to the council’s embattled Director-General, Adeniyi Adeyemi, to facilitate the award of a government contract.
Collins made the allegation on Wednesday while testifying before the committee probing the establishment and operations of the controversial council.
According to the businessman, he travelled to Abuja where he was officially received by Adeyemi in what he described as an atmosphere befitting the head of a government agency, a development that convinced him the council was legitimate.
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He told lawmakers that Adeyemi later handed him a contract award letter, the scope of work, and an agreement authorising his company to execute the renovation and furnishing of the Director-General’s official residence.
“He gave me a contract award letter, the scope of work and, at the same time, the agreement with my company to execute that refurbishment project and asked me to pay the sum of ₦400 million for the facilitation of that project to show my strength that I would be able to handle it and that it would also fast-track the mobilisation for the contract,” Collins told the committee.
Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Yusuf Gagdi, disclosed that Adeyemi’s continued absence from the hearings was because he is currently in police custody and is also being investigated by anti-graft agencies.
Gagdi further revealed that the committee intends to meet with Adeyemi discreetly as part of its ongoing investigation.
As part of the probe, the committee also summoned the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) over the alleged use of official Federal Government number plates on vehicles linked to the disputed council.
The House panel is investigating allegations that the PFIPC operated without lawful authority despite being captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
The probe followed allegations by Adeyemi that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, demanded 48 per cent of the council’s proposed ₦27.3 billion take-off grant. Adeyemi also alleged that the Chief of Staff received ₦400 million through a proxy and later requested an additional ₦200 million to facilitate presidential approvals.
Gbajabiamila has denied all the allegations, maintaining that he has no personal, official or professional relationship with Adeyemi.
He also rejected claims that he demanded or received money, interfered with investigations, or had any connection to allegations surrounding the death of Babatunde Tanimola or an alleged assassination attempt on Adeyemi.
Following the allegations, President Bola Tinubu directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the matter.
The House of Representatives subsequently constituted a 12-member ad hoc committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the PFIPC, how it was included in the 2026 Appropriation Act, and the alleged allocation of about ₦1.3 billion to the council.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, had earlier informed the committee that none of the funds appropriated for the PFIPC had been released or spent because the statutory conditions required for their disbursement and utilisation were never met.





