Business
Oil Marketers and Dangote Battle in Court Over Import Licences
Three oil marketers, AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited, have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.
The marketers, in a joint counter affidavit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1324/2024, and dated November 5, 2024, a response to an originating summon filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, argued that granting the application of refinery would spell doom for the country’s oil sector.
They emphasised that the plan to monopolise the oil sector is a recipe for disaster in the country.
Dangote refinery in its originating summon dated September 6, 2024, had sued Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited, AYM Shafa Limited, A. A. Rano Limited, T. Time Petroleum Limited, 2015 Petroleum Limited, and Matrix Petroleum Services Limited as 1st to 7th defendants respectively.
The refinery prayed the court to declare that NMDPRA was in violation of Sections 317(8) and (9) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) by issuing licenses for the importation of petroleum products.
It stated that such licenses should only be issued in circumstances where there is a petroleum product shortfall.
It also urged the court to declare that NMDPRA is in violation of its statutory responsibilities under the PIA for not encouraging local refineries such as the company.
Shafa, A. A. Rano, and Matrix Petroleum, however, responded that Dangote refinery does not produce adequate petroleum products for the daily consumption of Nigerians.
They noted that the plaintiff had not placed anything before the court to prove the contrary.
They argued that they are well qualified and entitled to be issued an import licence by NMDPRA to import petroleum products.
They argued that they are well qualified and entitled to be issued an import licence by NMDPRA to import petroleum products in Nigeria within the meaning of Section 317(9) of the PIA.
They also noted that they are fully qualified for the issuance of the import licences issued to them by the 1st defendant, as they duly met all the legal requirements for the issuance of such import licences, before the same were issued to them.
“The import licences lawfully and validly issued to the defendants did not in any way whatsoever, cripple the plaintiff’s business or its refinery.
“The import licenses issued to the defendants by the 1st defendant are in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018, and other relevant laws,” they contended.
They insisted that giving Dangote Refinery the power of monopoly in Nigeria’s petroleum industry as it sought in the instant suit, would kill competitive pricing of petroleum products in the country.
Business
Obi Sees Something Good in Tinubu’s “Naira Float Policy ‘
The policy was introduced by the Tinubu administration in June 2023 as part of wider foreign exchange reforms.
The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has said he would retain President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s naira float policy if elected president.
The policy was introduced by the Tinubu administration in June 2023 as part of wider foreign exchange reforms.
The Central Bank of Nigeria removed restrictions at the Investors and Exporters foreign exchange window, allowing the naira to trade more freely against the dollar and other major currencies
Obi made the disclosure in a public statement on air, emphasising that his administration would seek to strengthen the currency by prioritising productivity and increasing economic output rather than reversing the floating exchange-rate framework.
Asked to identify one policy of the Tinubu administration he would keep if elected, Obi said, “There’s one – the floating of the Naira. I’m not going to defend it. But I’m going to put productivity to make it more valuable to the people.”
His position means he would maintain the floating exchange-rate system while seeking to change the economic conditions that determine the strength and value of the naira.
Business
Dangote Refinery Buys 16m Barrels Of Nigerian Crude For October
The October supply is equivalent to about 520,000 barrels per day, representing most of the refinery’s 700,000 barrels-per-day processing capacity.
Dangote Refinery has bought at least 16 million barrels of Nigerian crude oil for delivery in October.
Reuters reported that the 16 million barrels comprise monthly crude allocations from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company and additional volumes purchased through a tender.
The October supply is equivalent to about 520,000 barrels per day, representing most of the refinery’s 700,000 barrels-per-day processing capacity.
The increased crude purchases highlight the refinery’s rising demand for feedstock as it expands operations and moves closer to operating at a larger share of its installed capacity.
Business
Brent crude slid to around $106 per barrel
Top US officials reportedly warned President Donald Trump that the war could continue through the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2029.
Brent crude slid to around $106 per barrel on Friday in a likely technical correction, but was still set to end the week sharply higher as the escalating conflict between the US and Iran fueled concerns over prolonged disruptions to global energy supplies.
Top US officials reportedly warned President Donald Trump that the war could continue through the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2029.
Meanwhile, Iranian leaders are reportedly determined to continue fighting despite mounting economic costs, viewing the conflict as an existential threat.
They also claim that Tehran has managed to rebuild its missile capabilities and could intensify attacks on US and Gulf assets if Washington escalates its own strikes.
Fighting has intensified over the past two weeks, with the US targeting Iranian oil tankers while Iran launched missiles at US warships and tankers in the Persian Gulf, as well as American assets in neighboring countries.
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