Economy
Tinubu Suspends Audit of NUPRC Accounts
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to suspend its activities on the constitution of a committee to audit the accounts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
This was contained in a letter tagged SH/COS/24/A/28 and dated August 1, addressed to the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and signed by Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.
“Your Constitution of a committee to audit the accounts of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been referred to the Attorney General of the Federation (HAGF) for review and determination of the constitutional, statutory and administrative implications.
“Therefore, the committee is hereby directed to suspend its activities pending the conclusion of the review by the HAGF,” the letter read in part.
The new directive comes against the background of the lingering crisis between the management of the NUPRC and its workers.
Business Post reported earlier that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) had protested the alleged poor welfare and working conditions affecting staff in the commission and called for the removal of the commission’s chief executive, Mr Gbenga Komolafe, over alleged financial mismanagement.
PENGASSAN had, in a letter dated July 30, accused the commission of various infractions, including non-remittance of pension, non-conducive work environment, insufficient working tools, staff medicals, outstanding payment of 2023 upfront allowances, unpaid staff claims, unpaid staff on call allowance and non-payment of outsourced personnel.
In a response, the commission refuted the allegations and said they were made to disparage the integrity of the commission.
It said according to the Petroleum Industry Act (2021), the powers of appointment, promotion and remuneration are vested in the board of the commission, while statutorily, the Federal Character Commission (FCC) regulates compliance with statutory procedure concerning recruitment into public establishments.
It explained that the recruitment generating controversies was done in compliance with all procedures and compliance certificates issued by the relevant organ. The NUPRC also claimed that allegations the management misappropriated N10 billion virement and donated billions to political parties were libellous and entirely unsubstantiated.
It added that allegations of misappropriation of N10 billion virement, donation of N4 billion to political parties, inflation of contracts to siphon funds amounting to N1 billion, N900 million spent on sensitisation workshops, N500 million for office renovations, N1.5 billion for luxury transportation, including private jets are “false and misleading”.
It thereafter challenged the unions to publish details of the account of the commission from where the donations originated and the accounts of the political parties involved where the four billion naira and ten billion naira were deposited.
“Equally, the financial source documents (invoices) utilised to make the donations ought to be published. There is no way fourteen (14) billion naira can leave the coffers of the Commission without a trace, especially given how funds are allocated to the Commission,” it said.
It explained that there was no truth in the accusation of inflation of contracts at the NUPRC, adding that the commission approved a sustainable template for the engagement and payment of external solicitors engaged by the commission.
“The sensitisation workshops were approved by the appropriate authority in line with due process and duly executed by the Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) department in line with the scope of duties and responsibilities.
It is important to note that thirteen (13) slots of sensitisation campaigns were earmarked in 13 strategic locations within the oil-producing zones, and the campaigns are still ongoing.”
The NUPRC said all documentary evidence, including publications and video footage of the campaigns, can be sought and obtained from the Executive Commissioner HSEC.
“The Commission inherited offices used by the defunct DPR, which was only a subsidiary of the defunct NNPC. The appointment of executive commissioners and recruitment of 140 extra staff, given the new and added responsibilities of the NUPRC, necessitated reorganisation and renovation of the Commission’s offices across the country to accommodate its operations.
“Therefore, some of the offices, including those in the zones and fields, had to be restructured, refurbished and furnished to accommodate additional personnel and replace old and damaged furniture and equipment inherited at inception.
“The allegation is equally baseless and lacks any iota of truth. In fact, there was no time that the Commission chartered a private jet for the Commission Chief Executive (CCE). The purveyors are challenged to publish the account details and invoices supporting the transactions in their nefarious claims,” it said.
“We challenge the purveyors of the claims to provide evidence. He who alleges has the burden of proof,” the commission said.
By Dipo Olowookere
The local stock market firmed up by 1.13 per cent on Friday as appetite for Nigerian stocks remained strong.
Investors reacted well to the 2026 budget presentation of President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly yesterday, especially because of the more realistic crude oil benchmark of $64 per barrel compared with the ambitious $75 per barrel for 2025. This year, prices have been between $60 and $65 per barrel.
Business Post observed profit-taking in the commodity and energy sectors as they respectively shed 0.14 per cent and 0.03 per cent.
But, bargain-hunting in the others sustained the positive run, with the consumer goods index up by 3.82 per cent.
Further, the industrial goods space appreciated by 1.46 per cent, the banking counter improved by 0.08 per cent, and the insurance industry gained 0.04 per cent.
As a result, the All-Share Index (ASI) increased by 1,694.33 points to 152,057.38 points from 150,363.05 points and the market capitalisation chalked up N1.080 trillion to finish at N96.937 trillion compared with Thursday’s closing value of N95.857 trillion.
A total of 34 shares ended on the advancers’ chart, while 24 were on the laggards’ log, representing a positive market breadth index and bullish investor sentiment.
Austin Laz gained 10.00 per cent to close at N2.42, Union Dicon also jumped 10.00 per cent to N6.60, Tantalizers increased by 9.80 per cent to N2.69, Aluminium Extrusion improved by 9.78 per cent to N12.35, and Champion Breweries grew by 9.71 per cent to N16.95.
Conversely, Sovereign Trust Insurance dipped by 7.42 per cent to N3.87, Royal Exchange lost 6.84 per cent to trade at N1.77, Omatek slipped by 6.84 per cent to N1.09, Eunisell depreciated by 5.88 per cent to N80.00, and Eterna dropped 5.63 per cent to close at N28.50.
Yesterday, traders transacted 1.5 billion units worth N21.8 billion in 25,667 deals compared with the 839.8 million units sold for N32.8 billion in 23,211 deals in the preceding session, showing a surge in the trading volume by 76.61 per cent, an uptick in the number of deals by 10.58 per cent, and a shrink in the trading value by 33.54 per cent.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Three stocks stretched the bearish run of the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 1.21 per cent on Friday, December 19, with the market capitalisation giving up N26.01 billion to close at N2.121 billion compared with the N2.147 trillion it ended a day earlier, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) dropping 43.47 points to 3,546.41 points from 3,589.88 points.
The trio of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, and NASD Plc overpowered the gains printed by four other securities.
FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc lost N6.00 to sell at N54.00 per unit versus N60.00 per unit, NASD Plc shrank by N3.50 to N58.50 per share from N55.00 per share, and CSCS Plc depleted by N2.91 to N33.87 per unit from N36.78 per unit.
On the flip side, Air Liquide Plc gained N1.01 to close at N13.00 per share versus N11.99 per share, Golden Capital Plc appreciated by 70 Kobo to N7.68 per unit from N6.98 per unit, Geo-Fluids Plc added 39 Kobo to sell at N5.50 per share versus N5.11 per share, and IPWA Plc rose by 8 Kobo to 85 Kobo per unit from 77 Kobo per unit.
During the trading day, market participants traded 1.9 million securities versus the previous day’s 30.5 million securities showing a decline of 49.3 per cent. The value of trades went down by 64.3 per cent to N80.3 million from N225.1 million, but the number of deals jumped by 32.1 per cent to 37 deals from 28 deals.
Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company (InfraCredit) Plc finished the session as the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 5.8 billion units valued at N16.4 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 178.9 million units transacted for N9.5 billion, and MRS Oil Plc with 36.1 million units traded for N4.9 billion.
The most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis was still InfraCredit Plc with 5.8 billion units worth N16.4 billion, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 1.2 billion units sold for N420.7 million, and Impresit Bakolori Plc with 536.9 million units traded for N524.9 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
It was not a good day for the Nigerian Naira at the two major foreign exchange (FX) market on Friday as it suffered a heavy loss against the United States Dollar at the close of transactions.
In the black market segment, the Naira weakened against its American counterpart yesterday by N10 to quote at N1,485/$1, in contrast to the N1,475/$1 it was traded a day earlier, and at the GTBank forex counter, it depreciated by N2 to settle at N1,467/$1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,465/$1.
In the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) window, which is also the official market, the nation’s legal tender crashed against the greenback by N6.65 or 0.46 per cent to close at N1,464.49/$1 compared with the preceding session’s rate of N1,457.84/$1.
In the same vein, the local currency tumbled against the Euro in the spot market by N2.25 to sell for N1,714.63/€1 compared with the previous day’s N1,712.38/€1, but appreciated against the Pound Sterling by 73 Kobo to finish at N1,957.30/£1 compared with the N1,958.03/£1 it was traded in the preceding session.
The market continues to face seasonal pressure even as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is still conducting FX intervention sales, which have significantly reduced but not remove pressure from the Naira. Also, there seems to be reduced supply from exporters, foreign portfolio investors and non-bank corporate inflows.
President Bola Tinubu on Friday presented the government’s N58.47 trillion budget plan aimed at consolidating economic reforms and boosting growth.
The budget is based on a projected crude oil price of $64.85 a barrel and includes a target oil output of 1.84 million barrels a day. It also projects an exchange rate of N1,400 to the Dollar.
President Tinubu said inflation had plunged to an annual rate of 14.45 per cent in November from 24.23 per cent in March, while foreign reserves had surged to a seven-year high of $47 billion.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market was dominated by the bulls but it continues to face increased pressure after million in liquidations in previous session over accelerating declines, with Dogecoin (DOGE) recovering 4.2 per cent to trade at $0.1309.
Further, Ripple (XRP) appreciated by 3.9 per cent to $1.90, Cardano (ADA) rose by 3.5 per cent to $0.3728, Solana (SOL) jumped by 3.4 per cent to $126.23, Ethereum (ETH) climbed by 2.9 per cent to $2,982.42, Binance Coin (BNB) gained 2.0 per cent to sell for $853.06, Bitcoin (BTC) improved by 1.7 per cent to $88,281.21, and Litecoin (LTC) soared by 1.2 per cent to $76.50, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 each.
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