Economy
CSO Demands Level Playing Field for NNPC, Oil Importers
By Adedapo Adesanya
A consortium of Civil Society Organizations (CSO) has called for the creation of a level playing field for all importers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol.
In a statement signed on their behalf by Ms Tengi George-Ikoli, Programme Coordinator of the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC), the group cautioned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) against placing the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at an advantage over others.
“If the NNPC must remain a player in the market, it must strive to operate under the same conditions and rules as other players in the sector regulated only by the prevailing market forces and competition,” the CSOs said.
The CSOs called on the NNPC to take urgent practical steps to reverse the fortunes of the loss-making refineries as revealed in its published 2018 audited reports of its subsidiaries, noting that the refineries remain cost centres given the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and other fiscal pressures on its economy.
“The Nigerian government should create an enabling environment for the private sector to contribute to the efficient running of the refineries so that Nigerian can reach its domestic refining goals,” the statement said.
While commending the government for providing initial regulation to support the deregulation efforts in June 2020, the CSOs noted that the government’s engagement with the public on the effects of the deregulation left a lot to be desired.
They encouraged the government to ramp up its engagements with the public to improve their awareness and understanding of the deregulation process to Nigerians so they can make it easy to understand why the policies are being implemented.
The CSOs also called on the federal government to immediately repeal the laws establishing the Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) and the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and explain the role of the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) to show that it is really committed to its policy on full deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector.
They also advised the federal government to give the deregulation drive a legal backing, by enacting appropriate legislation or embedding it as part of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
The group said: “The government should repeal the PPPRA Act, the PEF(M)B Act and the Price Control Act specifically, section 6(1) of the Petroleum Act, Schedule 1 of the Price Control Act, all acts that ensure a potential of returning to a price-fixing regime and demonstrate to the Nigerian people that the declaration of full deregulation is merely a statement of intent and not yet honoured.”
According to the consortium, there is need for the federal government to commit to the sustainability of the deregulation regime by entreating it in law, either through stand-alone legislation or through appropriate clauses integrated into the PIB, as this would allow for the sustainability of the no-subsidy regime.
The consortium, formed in April 2020 and spearheaded by the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC) is comprised of the following civil society organisations: Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), BudgIT, Connected Development (CODE), Media Initiative for Transparency in Extractive Industries (MITEI), OrderPaper Advocacy Initiative, Women in Extractives (WiE), and Extractive 360.
Others are Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), Youth Forum on Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (Youth Forum on EITI), Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), African Centre for Leadership Strategy and Development (CentreLSD), Centre for Development Support Initiatives (CEDSI), Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) and Koyenum Immalah Foundation (KIF).
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The N230 billion 10-year bond issued to investors by the Lagos State government has been listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
It was the Series 4 of the state government’s N1 trillion Debt and Hybrid Instruments Issuance Programme, which was sold at a coupon rate of 16.25 per cent.
It was offered for sale to bondholders in November 2025, with Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Limited as the leading issuing house and bookrunner.
The joint issuing houses and bookrunners were Asset & Resources Management Limited, Capital Bancorp Plc, Cardinal Stone Partners Limited, Cedrus Capital Limited, Comercio Partners Capital Limited, Cordros Advisory Services Limited, Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, Dynamic Portfolio Limited, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, FCSL Asset Management Company Limited, FirstCap Limited, G.A. Capital Limited, LeadCapital Plc, Light House Capital Limited, Phoenix Global Capital Markets Limited, Quantum Zenith Capital and Investments Limited, Radix Capital Partners Limited, SFS Financial Services Limited, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, United Capital Plc, and, Vetiva Advisory Services Limited.
The debt instruments are callable at par after 60 months, on any coupon payment date, subject to the issuer having obtained prior regulatory approvals and upon issuance of the requisite notice to bondholders.
Business Post reports that the bond was sold at a unit price of N1,000, with the interest to be paid to investors on every May 20 and November 20 until maturity.
According to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, proceeds from the exercise would be used for critical infrastructure in transportation, housing, the environment, healthcare, education, urban renewal, and the provision of other sustainable infrastructure that would serve the future needs of the state.
The listing of the debt instrument on the stock exchange today, Monday, February 9, 2026, allows investors to trade the bond at the secondary market.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to hold its 304th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Monday, February 23 and Tuesday, February 24, 2026.
This information was disclosed in a circular published on the apex bank’s official website on Monday. This will be the first meeting of 2026.
The gathering comes amid sustained efforts by the CBN to rein in inflation, stabilise the foreign exchange market, and strengthen macroeconomic conditions.
At its last MPC meeting in November 2025, the central bank retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 27 per cent, maintaining its restrictive posture in a bid to curb inflationary pressures and stabilise the foreign exchange (FX) market.
The MPC is one of the bank’s highest policy-making bodies, responsible for formulating monetary and credit policies aimed at ensuring price stability.
Through key instruments such as the MPR, Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR), and Liquidity Ratio (LR), the committee guides interest rate conditions and overall monetary direction in the economy.
Comprising the CBN Governor, Deputy Governors, Board members, and appointed external members, the committee meets periodically to review critical economic indicators, including inflation, gross domestic product, and exchange rate developments, before taking policy decisions.
The apex bank outlined the timetable and venue in its official notice.
“The 304th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is scheduled to hold as follows,” the CBN said.
“Day 1: Monday, February 23, 2026 – Time: 10.00 a.m.”
“Day 2: Tuesday, February 24, 2026 – Time: 8.00 a.m.”
According to the circular, the meeting will take place at the MPC Meeting Room on the 11th floor of the CBN Head Office in Abuja.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The suspension placed on trading in the shares of Fortis Global Insurance Plc has been lifted by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited after six years.
The embargo arose from the company’s violation of Rule 3.1: Rules for Filing of Accounts and Treatment of Default Filing (Default Filing Rules).
The underwriting firm, formerly known as Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, was suspended by the exchange on July 2, 2019, after the board failed to file the necessary financial statements.
Rule 3.1 provides that if an issuer fails to file the relevant accounts by the expiration of the cure period, the exchange will: a) send to the issuer a second filing deficiency notification within two business days after the end of the cure period, b) suspend trading in the issuer’s securities, and c) notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the market within 24 hours of the suspension.
A notice from the bourse last week disclosed that the company has now filed all outstanding financial statements due to the NGX, and in view of this, the embargo has been lifted pursuant to Rule 3.3 of the Default Filing Rules.
This section states that, “The suspension of trading in the issuer’s securities shall be lifted upon submission of the relevant accounts, provided the exchange is satisfied that the accounts comply with all applicable rules of the exchange.
“The exchange shall thereafter also announce through the medium by which the public and the SEC were initially notified of the suspension, that the suspension has been lifted.”
The bourse informed trading license holders and the investing public “that the suspension placed on trading on the shares of Fortis Global Insurance was lifted on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.”
-
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 agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn