General
Oil Stakeholders Reject Dangote’s Direct Distribution, Want Joint Supply
By Adedapo Adesanya
Oil stakeholders under the aegis of Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) have called for the establishment of a joint distribution framework between the Dangote Refinery and existing downstream operators to avoid supply disruptions.
Speaking at NOGASA’s Annual General Meeting in Abuja on Thursday, its National President, Mr Benneth Korie, urged the refinery to work with industry associations rather than bypass them through direct supply to retailers.
Mr Korie argued that such collaboration would protect jobs, ensure market stability, and safeguard the nation’s fuel supply chain, proposing a model in which the refinery focuses strictly on refining and bulk sales to depot owners and marketers, while distribution to the over 50,000 filling stations nationwide remains in the hands of established operators.
“Refining and distribution are two different specialisations. The best approach is for Dangote to refine, sell to marketers, and let us handle distribution. This way, the refinery stays focused on production while marketers maintain nationwide supply,” Mr Korie said.
He warned that bypassing marketers through direct supply could lead to massive job losses in the downstream sector, disrupt existing community relationships in volatile areas, and create bottlenecks that may trigger scarcity.
Mr Korie recalled that NOGASA has strongly supported the Dangote Refinery project in its formative years, even lobbying the Federal Government for intervention to ensure its completion.
“No one has supported the Dangote Refinery more than NOGASA. But we have to be honest, direct distribution will create more problems than it solves. We are proposing a win-win arrangement where all stakeholders benefit,” he added.
The NOGASA president further urged the refinery management to convene an urgent stakeholders’ meeting involving the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and other industry players to agree on a sustainable distribution model.
Also speaking, the National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Mr Billy Gillis-Harry, warned that Dangote’s plan to refine, store, transport, distribute and sell directly to the public amounts to a “forward integration strategy” that could crush competition and destabilise the downstream petroleum sector.
Mr Gillis-Harry likened the situation to the cement industry, where dominant producers now control both production and distribution, leading to steep price hikes from about N115 per bag years ago to over N10,000 today.
He alleged that Dangote was already selling fuel at below-cost prices to capture market share,a move he said could drive independent marketers out of business.
“When one company wants to refine, store, handle logistics, distribute and fix prices, it becomes both a businessman and a regulator. That is dangerous for competition and for the economy.
“This is not cement. This is PMS and AGO that run over 95 per cent of Nigeria’s energy needs. If one company controls it all, even the hairdresser will not work again,” he warned.
The PETROAN president urged the Federal Government to enforce clear role separation in the downstream petroleum sector as provided in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and to ensure regulators have the capacity to monitor and prevent anti-competitive practices.
He also called for the reservation of at least one million barrels of crude oil daily for domestic refining, saying this would ensure local refineries, including smaller, regional ones, have adequate feedstock to operate efficiently.
Mr Gillis-Harry also suggested continuous stakeholder consultations involving the refinery, marketers, transporters, labour unions and regulators to design a distribution model that supports competition, prevents job losses and guarantees nationwide fuel availability.
General
Lagos Seals Radio Station, Others for Noise Pollution
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A radio station, Wise FM, has been sealed by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The premises of the broadcast media platform, located on Ogabi Street, Meiran, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, were shut by the state government on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, alongside other establishments across different parts of Lagos State for alleged persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and opportunities provided for compliance.
In a statement by LASEPA, it was disclosed that the enforcement exercise was carried out in response to various environmental infractions, including noise pollution, air pollution, obstruction of official duties, and failure to comply with its directives.
As regards Wise FM, it was said that it was sealed for noise and air pollution as well as non-compliance with the Agency’s directives.
Another organisation affected, Star-View Terrace, located in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, was shut down for noise pollution and non-compliance with the agency’s directives, while Premiership Suites, located at Akin Osiyemi Street, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, was sealed for non-compliance with the agency’s directives.
Speaking on the enforcement operation, the General Manager of LASEPA, Mr Babatunde Ajayi, reiterated the organisation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment across Lagos State.
He stressed that both individuals and corporate organisations have a responsibility to comply with environmental laws and regulations, stressing that environmental protection remains a collective duty that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.
The LASEPA boss warned that the agency would continue to intensify enforcement actions against violators in order to curb environmental nuisances and protect residents from the harmful effects of pollution.
Mr Ajayi urged residents, business owners, and operators of commercial establishments to adopt environmentally responsible practices and cooperate with regulatory authorities in promoting a healthier, cleaner, and more livable Lagos.
General
LPPC Temporarily Strips Mike Ozekhome of SAN Title
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Renowned legal practitioner, Mr Mike Ozekhome, has been directed to desist from using the prestigious title of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for now pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings against him.
He is being investigated by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), a body which looks into complaints against lawyers in Nigeria.
Announcing the suspension of the prominent lawyer’s SAN rank on Thursday, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr Kabir Akanbi, said the disciplinary action was taken at the committee’s 173rd general meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Mr Akanbi, who doubles as the Secretary of the LPPC, stated in the statement that the temporary ban is intended to safeguard the integrity, dignity, and prestige of the SAN rank while the matters under review are being considered.
It was explained that the suspension was pursuant to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and all Matters Pertaining to the Rank, adding that it is tied to disciplinary proceedings currently before the Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee of the LPPC and other related proceedings.
“The LPPC remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, and discipline within the legal profession and to ensuring that the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria continues to command public confidence and respect,” a part of the notice disclosed.
It stressed that, “Mike Ozekhome shall refrain from parading himself, presenting himself, or otherwise holding himself out as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the final determination of the disciplinary proceedings.”
The title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is the highest honour bestowed upon legal practitioners in the country, recognising excellence and long-standing contributions to the legal profession. The LPPC is the statutory body empowered to award and withdraw the rank.
Mr Ozekhome is one of Nigeria’s famous constitutional lawyers, human rights activists, and public commentators, but lately, his name was mentioned in an alleged forgery in the United Kingdom.
General
Senate Passes State Police Bill
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria was on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, passed by the Senate during a plenary presided over by the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio.
The piece of legislation was passed today after more than two-thirds of the lawmakers in the red chamber of the National Assembly voted in support via a manual voting process involving the raising of hands.
Before the passage at the plenary, the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, Mr Barau Jibrin, presented the panel’s report to his colleagues.
According to him, the bill will transform policing in the country and boost security, as it allows the sub-nationals to create their own policing system.
The bill provides for the Federal Police Service to be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, while the State Police Service will be led by a Commissioner of Police, who will be appointed by the governor of the state, subject to confirmation by the state’s House of Assembly.
To prevent the misuse of state police against political opponents or critics, ensuring that any action taken against such individuals or groups complies with due process and existing laws, the bill prohibits the Commissioner of Police of a state from arresting, detaining, investigating, or deploying force against any critic of the state governor, except in accordance with the law.
After the clauses of the bill were considered at the Committee of the Whole, the bill was passed and will be transmitted to the President for assent into law.
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