Business
Petrol price hike: IPMAN tackles NNPCL, threatens to stop operations

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria has threatened to stop operations nationwide following the high cost of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, sold to IPMAN members by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
IPMAN revealed on Thursday that the cost of petrol from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to NNPC was about N898/litre, but noted that NNPC was selling the same product to independent marketers at N1,010/litre in Lagos.
The association, which controls over 70 per cent of filling stations nationwide, kicked against this and threatened to down tools, as it also demanded a refund from NNPC for earlier petrol supply payments made by its members.
This development may further worsen the petrol scarcity and queues in many parts of the country.
Meanwhile, it was also gathered on Thursday that members of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria were still loading subsidised petrol from Dangote refinery, based on earlier arrangements with NNPC.
Speaking with one of our correspondents on Thursday, the National Publicity Secretary of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, said the association may be forced to take action if the challenge between IPMAN and NNPC is not resolved immediately.
This development followed an earlier revelation by IPMAN national president, Abubakar Maigandi, that NNPC was asking independent marketers to buy petroleum products from its depot at N1,010/litre in Lagos State.
Maigandi, who spoke during a live television interview on Thursday, argued that the price was higher than what NNPC paid for the product from the Dangote refinery.
He also noted that independent marketers’ funds had been held by the national oil company for about three months.
According to him, NNPC purchased the product from the refinery at N898/litre but is asking marketers to buy it at N1,010/litre in Lagos; N1,045 in Calabar; N1,050 in Port Harcourt; and N1,040 in Warri.
“Our major challenge now is that independent marketers have an outstanding debt from the NNPC and the company collected products through Dangote at a lower rate, which is not up to N900, but they are telling us now to buy this product from them at the price of N1,010/litre in Lagos; N1,045 in Calabar; N1,050 in Port-Harcourt; and N1,040 in Warri”, Maigandi stated.
He also pointed out that the association’s funds with NNPC had reached N15bn, stressing that marketers were eager to be fully involved in the petrol business and its components following the full deregulation of the sector.
He added, “Marketers want to be fully engaged in the business of petrol and its components.
NNPC has been the one bringing in the product and loading and has an off-take in the Dangote refinery.
“We are now being allowed to import and there is no challenge on that issue.
What we are after is to get the product directly from Dangote and not through NNPC. Currently, they owe us up to N15bn.”
On Wednesday, the retail stations of NNPC raised the price of petrol to N1,030 from N897/litre in Abuja, and in Lagos it was hiked to N998/litre from N868/litre.
Other locations witnessed similar price hikes, a development that triggered anger among Nigerians.
The price hike, the second in one month, represents about 14.8 per cent or N133 rise.
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Organised Private Sector called for the immediate reversal of the hike in the pump prices.
With the latest price adjustment, it means that in the less than 17 months of the current administration, the price of petrol has risen by over 430 per cent from May 29, when it took over the reins of power.
Asked if NNPC had reached out to resolve the issue with independent marketers, the National Publicity Secretary of IPMAN, Ukadike, responded in the negative.
He said the oil company had not provided any feedback or response following its last discussion with the marketers.
Ukadike said, “No changes or feedback at all. NNPC hasn’t responded to us. They haven’t returned our money.
We are still observing what the situation would turn to since they haven’t reached out to us, or probably we would have to withdraw our services if the issue is not resolved.
”He, however, noted that efforts to reach Dangote for direct loading were in progress and a meeting between both parties expected to hold soon.
Ukadike also disclosed that its marketers would sell at a lower rate of N970/litre if allowed to purchase products directly from the refinery.
The IPMAN official added, “Any moment from now, Dangote will invite us, from the fillers we have received.
”On its pricing, he said, “If we start buying from Dangote at its current price, we will sell at N970, lower than the price of NNPC.
Dangote sold to NNPCL at N898/litre.
But they are asking us to buy from them at their pump price, can you imagine this kind of slavery? We continue to talk about price disparity every day and it’s there for all Nigerians to see.
”Phone calls and messages to NNPC officials to respond to the position of IPMAN were not replied as of the time of filing this report.
Similarly, officials at the Dangote refinery did not respond to enquiries when contacted for their views on the issues raised by IPMAN.
On the contrary, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria said it is not owed by NNPC, as it owns a large stock of storage systems to mitigate against sudden changes in petrol prices.
The Executive Secretary, MEMAN, Clement Isong, in a telephone interview, attributed this situation to its continuing relationship with NNPC.
Business
MTN Group says it’s under US investigation

South African mobile operator MTN Group said Monday it was under US investigation over its activities in Iran and Afghanistan, at a time of icy ties between Washington and Pretoria.
Africa’s biggest telecoms company is already facing court challenges in South Africa by Turkey’s Turkcell, which accuses it of winning the Iranian market through corruption.
In 2006, MTN was chosen over Turkcell to become the 49 percent minority shareholder in Iranian government-controlled mobile phone carrier Irancell.
MTN had been made aware of a US Department of Justice (DoJ) grand jury investigation relating to its former subsidiary in Afghanistan and Irancell, the company said in a statement.
“MTN is cooperating with the DoJ and voluntarily responding to requests for information,” said the statement accompanying the group’s financial results.
Grand juries typically decide whether or not to formally lay charges in a case and take it to trial.
The South African multinational is also facing a court case in the United States from US veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as relatives of soldiers killed in action, the statement said.
“The plaintiffs’ complaints allege that MTN supported anti-American militias in Iraq and Afghanistan .
Business
UBA Secures N5bn BoI MSME fund for disbursement to key sectors
The facility provides a maximum loan amount of N5 million per obligor, with a three-month moratorium on principal repayments, ensuring businesses have ample time to stabilise before they begin to service the loans.

•GMD/CEO UBA), Oliver Alawuba.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has secured a N5 billion loan facility from the Bank of Industry (BOI), to boost key sectors of the economy and support the growth of sustainable and viable businesses in the country, especially the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) owned by women.
The facility disbursed through the Federal Government’s MSME Fund, is designed to stimulate key sectors of the economy, while offering affordable financing to support businesses, with a primary focus on Green Energy, Education, Healthcare, and Women-Owned Enterprises.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, who spoke about the facility emphasised the bank’s commitment to fostering economic growth by empowering MSMEs, which he described as the “livewire of any developing economy.
He said, “At UBA, we recognize the pivotal role MSMEs play in driving economic development, and how they make up a sizeable portion of what drives our economic growth.
It is in this vein that we have decided not to rest on our oars by facilitating initiatives dedicated to empowering businesses with the financial support they need to thrive.”
Alawuba maintained that, “by offering loans at a competitive 9% interest rate with a three-year tenor, we are removing the traditional barriers that hinder SME growth in Nigeria and Africa. And by this, our message to business owners is simple: Don’t let this once-in-a lifetime-opportunity elude you.
”The facility provides a maximum loan amount of N5 million per obligor, with a three-month moratorium on principal repayments, ensuring businesses have ample time to stabilise before they begin to service the loans.
Business
CPPE Proposes Policy Action to Reduce Food Prices
Dr Muda Yusuf, the Director/CEO of CPPE, noted that while progress has been made in moderating headline and core inflation, the persistence of food and month-on-month price increases highlights unresolved structural weaknesses.

The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) says that a coordinated mix of monetary, fiscal, and structural interventions will be required by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Ministry of Finance to consolidate recent drops in inflation and steer the economy toward sustained stability.
CPPE suggested in reaction to the July 2025 inflation reported by the NBS
The headline inflation declined for the fourth consecutive month, easing from 22.22% in June to 21.88% in July, a deceleration of 0.34%Month-on-month food inflation also moderated, falling from 3.25% in June to 3.12% in July, while core inflation posted marginal declines year-on-year (-0.03%) and a sharp slowdown month-on-month, from 3.46% to 0.97%.
Dr Muda Yusuf, the Director/CEO of CPPE, noted that while progress has been made in moderating headline and core inflation, the persistence of food and month-on-month price increases highlights unresolved structural weaknesses.
“The July 2025 inflation figures present a mixed outlook for the Nigerian economy, with notable improvements in key indicators but lingering risks that demand policy attention,” he said.
These developments reflect a gradually stabilising macroeconomic environment, supported by exchange rate stability, improved investor confidence, and the lingering impact of import duty waivers on key staples such as rice, maize, and sorghum.
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