The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) says it is engaging the Lagos State Government to resolve the ongoing issue of towed trucks.

It said that the negotiation aims to prevent disruptions in fuel distribution, which could lead to widespread scarcity.

In an interview on Tuesday in Lagos, General Secretary, NUPENG, Mr Olawale Afolabi, explained that the union had withdrawn its services in response to the recent attacks and arrests of tanker drivers by security personnel from the Lagos State Government.

Afolabi reassured that the situation would be resolved with the state authorities and that the towed trucks would be released to the union as promised by the government.

On Feb. 22, the Lagos State Task Force towed away several trucks and arrested several members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Association, a branch of NUPENG, near the Dangote Refinery in Ibeju-Lekki for parking on the highways.

Afolabi added that a meeting is ongoing between NUPENG and the Lagos State Government, with both parties hopeful of reaching an agreement that will enable depot operations to resume.

He, however, said that the outcome of these talks remains uncertain, and stakeholders are eagerly awaiting further updates.

Similarly, Mr Tayo Aboyeji, the Chairman of NUPENG, Lagos branch, confirmed that the service withdrawal was in response to the mistreatment and arrest of tanker drivers by security personnel.

He clarified that the union had previously instructed drivers not to operate at night to avoid accidents and hijackings.

He said that in spite of this, drivers who stopped to rest were reportedly targeted by security officers.

“We had instructed tanker drivers not to travel at night to avoid accidents and hijackings.

“But when drivers parked to rest, security personnel towed their vehicles, arrested our members, and even damaged the union’s patrol vehicle,” Aboyeji said.

He added, “As a result, we decided to suspend services in the state until the government is ready to provide a safe and convenient space for tanker drivers, ensuring that such incidents do not occur again.”

Aboyeji assured that the national leadership of the union is in talks with the state government and that the matter would be resolved once discussions are concluded.

“There are ongoing discussions, and if they are completed today or tomorrow, the issue will be resolved,” he stated.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has reported that Nigeria’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.84 per cent in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, compared to 3.46 per cent in Q3 2024 and 3.46 per cent in Q4 2023.

According to the NBS report, the GDP growth was primarily driven by the services sector, which expanded by 5.37 per cent and contributed 57.38 per cent to the overall GDP.

“The agriculture sector grew by 1.76%, from the growth of 2.10% recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023,” the report stated.

In contrast, “The growth of the industry sector was 2.00%, a decline from 3.86% recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023.”

The services sector’s contribution to the aggregate GDP in Q4 2024 was higher compared to the same quarter in 2023.

Overall, the annual GDP growth for 2024 was 3.40%, up from 2.74% in 2023.

The NBS also reported that the nominal GDP reached N78.37 trillion in Q4 2024, compared to N65,908,258.59 million in Q4 2023, representing a year-on-year nominal growth of 18.91%.

Oil Production Drops, Non-Oil Sector Contributes Significantly

The NBS report indicated that Nigeria’s average oil production in Q4 2024 was 1.54 million barrels per day (mbpd).

This is “0.03million bpd lower” than the Q4 2023 production volume of 1.56mbpd and “0.06mbd higher than the daily average production of 1.47mbpd recorded in the third quarter of 2024”.

“The real growth of the oil sector was 1.48% (year-on-year) in Q4 2024, indicating a decrease of 10.64% points relative to the rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2023 (12.11%),” the report explained.

The oil sector contributed 4.60 per cent to Nigeria’s total real GDP in Q4 2024, down from 4.70 per cent in the same period in 2023 and 5.57 per cent in the previous quarter.

The non-oil sector grew by 3.96 per cent in real terms in Q4 2024, higher than the 3.07 per cent in Q4 2023 and 3.37 per cent in Q3 2024.

The growth was primarily driven by financial and insurance institutions, information and communication (telecommunications), agriculture (crop production), transportation and storage (road transport), trade, and manufacturing.

“In real terms, the non-oil sector contributed 95.40% to the nation’s GDP in the fourth quarter of 2024, higher than the share recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023 which was 95.30% and higher than the third quarter of 2024 recorded as 94.43%,” the NBS stated.

This report follows the NBS announcement on February 18th that Nigeria’s inflation rate decreased from 34.8 per cent in December 2024 to 24.48 per cent in January 2025.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, says the registration period for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, which started on February 3, will end on March 8, 2025.

This was contained in a statement by the Board’s spokesman, Fabian Benjamin, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Board ruled out an extension of the registration period, saying the deadline has been communicated in all advertisements and the official calendar for the 2025 UTME exercise.

This announcement came as JAMB disclosed that over 1.5 million candidates have successfully registered.

”We wish to inform all prospective candidates that there will be no extension of the registration period.

“This notice is particularly important given the recent decline in the number of candidates registering for the examination.

We urge all individuals who wish to participate to register promptly and avoid waiting until the last minute.

“Currently, over 1.5 million candidates have successfully registered, which aligns closely with the Board’s projections for the 2025 examination cycle.

It is essential to note that the Board’s calendar is fixed, with numerous subsequent programmes scheduled after registration, including examinations, results management, and admissions exercise.

“These timelines are coordinated with other agencies whose operations rely on the completion of our processes.

Therefore, extending the registration period would disrupt not only the Board’s plans but also those of our partners.

“In light of this, we strongly encourage candidates to complete their registration as soon as possible, adhering to the established timeline for the 2025 UTME,” the statement said.