Business

FCCPC insists on Air Peace investigation over violations

Published

2 years ago

December 5, 2024

572 Views

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has insisted that it is investigating Air Peace for allegedly exploiting customers.

FCCPC disclosed this in a statement by its spokesperson, Ondaje Ijagwu, on Thursday.

The Commission was clarifying reports making the round that it is not investigating Air Peace.

However, the FCCPC told Nigerians to disregard the claim as it does not emanate from the Commission.

“The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) categorically refutes a story entitled “FG not investigating Air Peace—FCCPC” making the rounds on some media platforms, particularly online, which has been falsely attributed to the Commission.

The referenced story, which seems syndicated and sponsored, did not emanate from the FCCPC, and we advise the public to disregard it in its entirety.

The FCCPC stands firmly by its official release dated December 1, 2024, which announced enquiries into widespread consumer complaints in the banking, telecommunications, and aviation sectors.

As stated, Air Peace is one of the entities being engaged to address allegations of exploitative ticket pricing, including significant price hikes for advance bookings on specific domestic routes.

These enquiries, being conducted under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018, are focused on addressing poor service delivery, exploitative practices, and potential consumer rights violations.

The enquiries are structured engagements aimed at ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, improving transparency, and protecting consumer interests.

“The FCCPC reaffirms that the enquiry into Air Peace commenced as scheduled on December 3, 2024, and remains ongoing.

The Commission is reviewing information and responses being provided by Air Peace and other entities under inquiry.

Appropriate determinations will be made, and necessary actions taken to address any identified violations.

“We urge the public to rely solely on verified communications from the FCCPC,” the Commission stated.

Business

Dangote, NMDPRA Clash Over Refinery’s Free Zone Status

The case has been adjourned until September 9, 2026, when the court is expected to hear the motion on notice.

Published

12 hours ago

September 1, 2026

OCHEFA

9 Views

A fresh regulatory battle between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has erupted into a major legal confrontation over the extent of government’s regulatory powers within Nigeria’s free zones.

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday restrained NMDPRA from enforcing its directive suspending the loading and truck-out of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery, effectively stopping the regulator from taking enforcement action against the facility pending the determination of the substantive application.

Justice Akintayo Aluko, in an interim ruling, also barred NMDPRA, its officers, agents and representatives from entering, sealing, shutting down, restricting access to, obstructing, suspending, disrupting, inspecting, supervising, sanctioning or otherwise interfering with the refinery’s operations at the Lekki Free Zone.

The order followed an ex-parte application filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1174/2026.

At the heart of the dispute is NMDPRA’s August 24, 2026 directive suspending the loading and truck-out of petroleum products from the refinery.

But the case is rapidly assuming significance beyond the immediate dispute over product evacuation.

It raises a fundamental question about the jurisdiction of Nigeria’s petroleum regulator over businesses operating within designated free zones.

Who Regulates the Refinery?

Dangote is challenging NMDPRA’s action on the ground that the regulator lacks the authority to exercise regulatory or oversight powers over operations within free zones, including the Dangote Industrial Free Zone.

Justice Aluko said the documents placed before the court raised “serious issues” requiring determination, particularly whether NMDPRA possesses the regulatory or oversight powers it sought to exercise over the refinery.

The judge also referred to a March 2, 2026 letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation which, according to the court, “clearly stated” that NMDPRA was not entitled to exercise regulatory powers or oversight functions over operations within free zones.The apparent conflict between that position and NMDPRA’s August 24 directive now forms one of the central issues before the court.

Justice Aluko said the critical question was whether NMDPRA should be allowed to exercise the disputed regulatory authority while the substantive issues remained unresolved.

High Stakes for Downstream Market

The dispute comes at a sensitive time for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum industry, where the Dangote Refinery has become a major source of locally refined petroleum products.

Any regulatory action capable of restricting the refinery’s ability to load and evacuate products has potential implications for petroleum distribution and supply across the country.

For Dangote, the legal battle is also about protecting the operational autonomy and investment framework of a refinery established within a free-zone environment.

For NMDPRA, the issue goes to the core of its mandate as the statutory regulator of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector.

The eventual substantive ruling could therefore have consequences well beyond the two parties.

It could establish a judicial precedent on how far petroleum-sector regulators can go in supervising or enforcing their mandates against businesses operating within free zones.

The case has been adjourned until September 9, 2026, when the court is expected to hear the motion on notice.

Business

Commercial Banks Borrowing From CBN Drops By 89% in August

The CBN has two short term lending windows for banks: the Standing Lending Facility (SLF) and Repo lending.

Published

16 hours ago

September 1, 2026

OCHEFA

23 Views

Commercial banks borrowing from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) declined by 89 percent to N126 billion in August 2026 from N1.19 trillion in July 2026.

This means higher liquidity in the banking system.

The CBN has two short term lending windows for banks: the Standing Lending Facility (SLF) and Repo lending.

The apex bank lends money to banks through the SLF at interest rate of 500 bases points (bps) above the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR).

It also lends money to banks through Repurchase (Repo) arrangement, which involves the purchase of banks’ securities with the agreement to sell back at a specific date and usually for a higher price.

Source: Vanguard