Economy
NPDC Remits over $608m in 2016

By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), the upstream subsidiary company of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has provided clarification on the reported non-remittance of some crude oil revenue to the Federation Account.
In a presentation to the Senate Ad hoc Committee on the recovery of unremitted revenue, Mr Yusuf Matashi, Managing Director of the firm faulted some of the figures quoted as revenue derived by the company from crude sales.
Providing clarification on the alleged non-remittance of crude proceeds from some divested oil wells (OMLs 61, 62 and 63), Matashi explained that the value of crude oil lifted by NPDC between May 20013 and August 2016 was $3.294 billion as against $3.487 as claimed by the Committee.
The NPDC MD drew the attention of the committee to the fact that on the basis of the Ministerial assignment of the assets to NPDC, cash call funding of the assets by government had ceased and NPDC is funding the cost of production and lifting of crude oil by itself.
He said, “According to our records total crude oil lifted from OMLs 60-63 by NPDC during the period May 2013 TO August 2016 is valued at $3.294 billion against the figure of $3.487 billion.”
On the allegation that NPDC has been lifting crude oil from divested oil well (OMLs 65, 111 and 119) to the tune of $1.847 billion out of which it paid $100 million only, the NPDC MD explained that the OMLs 65, 111 & 119 referred to by the Senate Committee are not part of the divested assets.
He argued that the figures given refer to the Good Valuable Consideration obligation payments in respect of the Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC divested asset (OMLs 4, 38 &41 and OMLs 26, 30, 34, 40 &42.
‘’The $1.847 billion referred to by the committee is the total Good and Valuable Consideration (G&VC) determined by DPR for the divested assets. The $100 million referred to as paid is part of the G&VC which has been paid by NPDC,’’ he said.
While recognizing the balance of $1.747 billion for the G&VC, the NPDC noted that the obligation to pay in the future has not been waived and that the balance as payable to the Federation is recognized in NPDC’s books.
On the report that a total of $344.3442 million worth of crude oil has been unremitted between January and August 2016 including non-payment of due royalties and taxes within the period, the NPDC faulted the claim.
“The committee is invited to note that the actual value of crude oil liftings from all assets divested to NPDC is a total of $584.1 million for the period January to August 2016. NPDC has paid a total of $608.4 million as royalty and PPT,” he said.
Mr Matashi, noted that a total of $608, 417, 937 was made by the NPDC as Royalty and Petroleum Profit Tax in 2016.
Also Providing response to the issues raised by the Senate committee on the legal and operational status of the NPDC, Mr Matashi explained that like all other indigenous oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria, the NPDC is self-funded which means that gross revenue are not remitted to the Federation Account .
He said that the company is however required to pay Royalties to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and Petroleum Profit Tax, PPT to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS.
Mr Matashi however stated that the NPDC is ready to engage all stakeholders to resolve all outstanding payments noting that the Company is already in talks with statutory agencies to arrive at agreed installed payments of historical liabilities.
The co-chairman of the Senate Ad hoc Committee, Mr Kabiru Marafa expressed the readiness of the Senate to work with the Corporation and other stakeholders to ensure proper accountability and probity in the handling of crude oil proceeds.
Economy
Customs Street Chalks up 0.12% on Santa Claus Rally
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited witnessed Santa Claus rally on Wednesday after it closed higher by 0.12 per cent.
Strong demand for Nigerian stocks lifted the All-Share Index (ASI) by 185.70 points during the pre-Christmas trading session to 153,539.83 points from 153,354.13 points.
In the same vein, the market capitalisation expanded at midweek by N118 billion to N97.890 trillion from the preceding day’s N97.772 trillion.
Investor sentiment on Customs Street remained bullish after closing with 36 appreciating equities and 22 depreciating equities, indicating a positive market breadth index.
Guinness Nigeria chalked up 9.98 per cent to trade at N318.60, Austin Laz improved by 9.97 per cent to N3.20, International Breweries expanded by 9.85 per cent to N14.50, Transcorp Hotels rose by 9.83 per cent to N170.90, and Aluminium Extrusion grew by 9.73 per cent to N16.35.
On the flip side, Legend Internet lost 9.26 per cent to close at N4.90, AXA Mansard shrank by 7.14 per cent to N13.00, Jaiz Bank declined by 5.45 per cent to N4.51, MTN Nigeria weakened by 5.21 per cent to N504.00, and NEM Insurance crashed by 4.74 per cent to N24.10.
Yesterday, a total of 1.8 billion shares valued at N30.1 billion exchanged hands in 19,372 deals versus the 677.4 billion shares worth N20.8 billion traded in 27,589 deals in the previous session, implying a slump in the number of deals by 29.78 per cent, and a surge in the trading volume and value by 165.72 per cent and 44.71 per cent apiece.
Abbey Mortgage Bank was the most active equity for the day after it sold 1.1 billion units worth N7.1 billion, Sterling Holdings traded 127.1 million units valued at N895.9 million, Custodian Investment exchanged 115.0 million units for N4.5 billion, First Holdco transacted 40.9 million units valued at N2.2 billion, and Access Holdings traded 38.2 million units worth N783.3 million.
Economy
Yuletide: Rite Foods Reiterates Commitment to Quality, Innovation
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian food and beverage company, Rite Foods Limited, has extended warm Yuletide greetings to Nigerians as families and communities worldwide come together to celebrate the Christmas season and usher in a new year filled with hope and renewed possibilities.
In a statement, Rite Foods encouraged consumers to savour these special occasions with its wide range of quality brands, including the 13 variants of Bigi Carbonated Soft Drinks, premium Bigi Table Water, Sosa Fruit Drink in its refreshing flavours, the Fearless Energy Drink, and its tasty sausage rolls — all produced in a world-class facility with modern technology and global best practices.
Speaking on the season, the Managing Director of Rite Foods Limited, Mr Seleem Adegunwa, said the company remains deeply committed to enriching the lives of consumers beyond refreshment. According to him, the Yuletide period underscores the values of generosity, unity, and gratitude, which resonate strongly with the company’s philosophy.
“Christmas is a season that reminds us of the importance of giving, togetherness, and gratitude. At Rite Foods, we are thankful for the continued trust of Nigerians in our brands. This season strengthens our resolve to consistently deliver quality products that bring joy to everyday moments while contributing positively to society,” Mr Adegunwa stated.
He noted that the company’s steady progress in brand acceptance, operational excellence, and responsible business practices reflects a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and responsiveness to consumer needs. These efforts, he said, have further strengthened Rite Foods’ position as a proudly Nigerian brand with growing relevance and impact across the country.
Mr Adegunwa reaffirmed that Rite Foods will continue to invest in research and development, efficient production processes, and initiatives that support communities, while maintaining quality standards across its product portfolio.
“As the year comes to a close, Rite Foods Limited wishes Nigerians a joyful Christmas celebration and a prosperous New Year filled with peace, progress, and shared success.”
Economy
Naira Appreciates to N1,443/$1 at Official FX Market
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira closed the pre-Christmas trading day positive after it gained N6.61 or 0.46 per cent against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Wednesday, December 24, trading at N1,443.38/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,449.99/$1.
Equally, the Naira appreciated against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment by N1.30 to close at N1,949.57/£1 versus Tuesday’s closing price of N1,956.03/£1 and gained N2.94 on the Euro to finish at N1,701.31/€1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,707.65/€1.
At the parallel market, the local currency maintained stability against the greenback yesterday at N1,485/$1 and also traded flat at the GTBank forex counter at N1,465/$1.
Further support came as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) funded international payments with additional $150 million sales to banks and authorised dealers at the official window.
This helped eased pressure on the local currency, reflecting a steep increase in imports. Market participants saw a sequence of exchange rate swings amidst limited FX inflows.
Last week, the apex bank led the pack in terms of FX supply into the market as total inflows fell by about 50 per cent week on week from $1.46 billion in the previous week.
Foreign portfolio investors’ inflows ranked behind exporters and the CBN supply, but there was support from non-bank corporate Dollar volume.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it witnessed a slight recovery as tokens struggled to attract either risk-on enthusiasm or defensive flows.
The inertia follows a sharp reversal earlier in the quarter. A heavy selloff in October pulled Bitcoin and other coins down from record levels, leaving BTC roughly down by 30 per cent since that period and on track for its weakest quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2022. But on Wednesday, its value went up by 0.9 per cent to $87,727.35.
Further, Ripple (XRP) appreciated by 1.7 per cent to $1.87, Cardano (ADA) expanded by 1.2 per cent to $0.3602, Dogecoin (DOGE) grew by 1.1 per cent to $0.1282, Litecoin (LTC) also increased by 1.1 per cent to $76.57, Solana (SOL) soared by 1.0 per cent to $122.31, Binance Coin (BNB) rose by 0.6 per cent to $842.37, and Ethereum (ETH) added 0.3 per cent to finish at $2,938.83, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn












