Economy
Ex-Staff Wins Suit Against Notore Chemical, to Get N20.5m
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The management of Notore Chemical Industries Plc has been directed to pay the sum of N20.5 million to one of its former employees, Mr Ayodele Balogun, as gratuity claim.
This directive was given by Justice Nelson Ogbuanya of the National Industrial Court sitting in Lagos earlier this month. The amount is the outstanding balance of Mr Balogun’s gratuity payment due to him since 2013.
The company, owned by Nigerian businessman, Mr Onajite Okoloko, was also asked by the court to the sum of N1 million as the cost of action within one month, failing which it attracts 10 percent interest rate per annum until fully liquidated.
According to Justice Ogbuanya, Notore Chemical action credited to external advice which prompted the defence of ‘mistaken payment’ was not justified, and cannot override the obligation to pay outstanding balance due to the claimant.
From facts, the claimant was employed on October 1, 2008 as Chief Marketing Officer and by a letter dated June 14, 2013, sent via e-mail on Wednesday, June 19, 2013, tendered resignation, and indicated that it would take effect on October 1, 2013.
He further said as a result of his service to the firm spanning 5 years, he was entitled to payment of gratuity upon successful exit from the company. He further claimed a total settlement package was communicated to him via e-mail out of which only 50 percent was paid and all effort to get balance proved abortive.
In argument, the firm submitted that Mr Balogun did not attain the threshold of ‘continuous service greater than five years and up to 10 years’ to be qualified for monetary payment in addition to ‘Testimonial of Service’, which is the only package available for those who were in ‘continuous service up to five years’, under the company gratuity that the payment already paid to the claimant was a mistake and it was because of the discovery of the error that it refused to pay the balance and also seeks refund of it.
Counsel to the firm further argued that the claimant’s resignation became effective on date of receipt of the letter of resignation by the employer, and as such, the correct effective date of his resignation was June 14 2013 (submission date), and not October 1, 2008 contained in the resignation letter.
The company’s counsel further said that the claimant’s case lacked merit and should be dismissed while upholding the counter-claim for refund of the sum already paid to the claimant in error.
But counsel to the claimant, U. U Njoku, argued that Notore Chemical failed to tender its payroll to disprove that the claimant was no longer in its pay roll as at October 1, 2013, urging the court to so hold and grant the reliefs sought.
Delivering his judgment, Justice Ogbuanya held that where date was not provided in the resignation, it takes immediate effect upon receipt of resignation, but when effective date is provided, it becomes effective on the last day of the notice period.
“I also note that it is part of the court’s equitable jurisdiction to preserve earned benefits, particularly those of pecuniary nature, and court usually tilts towards resolving such emerging controversy in favour of the beneficiary rather than in favour of one trying to take away or expropriate the benefit.
“From the tenor of the above provisions of the company Gratuity Policy, I find that once an employee attains 5 years of continuous service with the defendant, such an employee shall/must be entitled to not only cash payment as gratuity but also other testimonials and certificate of appreciation and or asset gift.
“In the circumstance of the claimant, I find that he has attained 5 years of continuous service with the defendant and there was no evidence disputing that he resigned wilfully and there was no evidence of any skirmish of probe or low performance tainting his voluntary resignation. I so hold,” Justice Ogbuanya ruled, dismissing the company’s counter-claim for lacking merit.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s crude oil production rose above 1.5 million barrels per day in June, the required quota by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Data sourced from OPEC’s latest Monthly Market Oil Report (MOMR) for June noted that the country’s oil production hit 1.505 million barrels per day in June 2025 from 1.453 million barrels per day recorded in May 2025.
However, the output was still below the targeted 2.06 million barrels per day projected in the 2025 budget.
According to OPEC’s data, this is the first time the country’s production output would meet the 1.5 million barrels per day cuts quota.
Nigeria’s output had hovered at 1.1 million barrels per day in 2023, 1.3 million barrels per day in 2024, and then 1.4 million barrels per day since January 2025.
This development comes as Nigeria is seeking to boost its quota by 25 per cent under agreements with the cartel.
The chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, said the country was ramping up production with a medium-term goal to hit 2.06 million barrels per day by 2027, expressing optimism that oil output will rise to 1.9 million barrels per day in December this year.
“We have started growing. In March, we were producing about 1.56 million barrels per day, and we’re now at 1.63 million, including condensates. By the end of the year, we are hoping to clock 1.9 million barrels daily,” he said.
Mr Ojulari also said Nigeria had recorded a 100 per cent availability on major crude oil pipelines in the country, noting that for the first time in a long while, the nation enjoyed 100 per cent crude oil pipeline availability throughout June.
According to him, the feat, which was possible through the industry-wide security interventions led by the NNPC, aided the increase in oil production.
However, he called for more investments to boost production, adding that the company had been able to turn the narrative around by consistently meeting its cash-call obligations to Joint Venture (JV) operations.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday revealed that inflation rate in Nigeria eased to 22.22 per cent in June 2025 from the 22.97 per cent recorded in May 2025.
In the report, the agency stated that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose went up by 2.0 points to 123.4 points from 121.4 point a month earlier.
On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 11.97 per cent lower than the 34.19 per cent achieved in June 2024.
The NBS stated that on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in June 2025 was 1.68 per cent, which is 0.15 per cent higher than the 1.53 per cent recorded in May 2025.
The stats office also stated that in the period under review, the food inflation rate was 21.97 per cent on a year-on-year basis and was 18.93 per cent lower than the 40.87 per cent posted in June 2024.
It stated that the significant decline in the annual food inflation figure was technically due to the change in the base year.
On a month-on-month basis, the food inflation rate in June 2025 was 3.25 per cent, up by 1.07 per cent compared with the 2.19 per cent reported in May 2025.
This increase was attributed to rise in the average prices of Green Peas (Dried), Pepper (Fresh), Shrimps (white dried), Crayfish, Meat (Fresh), Tomatoes (Fresh), Plantain Flour, Ground Pepper, etc.
It was disclosed that the average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending June 2025 over the previous twelve-month average was 28.28 per cent, which was 7.02 per cent points lower than the average annual rate of change of 35.30 per cent recorded in June 2024.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The House of Representatives says there will be continued legislative attention to address the lingering challenges of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021) despite the recently announced $16 billion investment commitments and significant improvements in oil production.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Mr Benjamin Kalu, at the 2025 General Counsel and Legal Advisers Forum for Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Companies in Nigeria in Abuja.
“The statistical evidence overwhelmingly supports the PIA’s success: from a truly astounding 28,991 per cent increase in investment to achieving 1.69 million barrels per day in oil production and generating N50.88 trillion in revenue.
“These figures are not just encouraging; they are a clear validation of the PIA’s effectiveness. However, we must not rest on our laurels. Continued legislative attention is absolutely required to address the lingering implementation challenges,” he said.
He said this was necessitated by the persistent and economically crippling issue of oil theft, which continues to cost Nigeria approximately $79.4 million dollars daily.
“This is a battle we must win,” he disclosed..
The forum, organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) was themed ‘Advancing a Collaborative Compliance Culture in Nigeria’s Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Sectors.
Mr Kalu represented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources, Downstream, Mr Ugochinyere Ikenga, said based on available data, Nigeria earned N50.88 trillion in revenue from crude oil and gas exports in 2024 and projected to earn more at the end of 2025.
He said in just two years of post-enactment, the impact of the PIA 2021 was undeniable.
He highlighted the National Assembly’s role in further strengthening the PIA, noting that, “The National Assembly’s pivotal role in enacting and tirelessly overseeing this transformative legislation has yielded remarkable results: more than $16 billion Post-PIA investment commitments, significant improvements in oil production, robust revenue generation, and improved regulatory compliance landscape.”
The lawmaker said the path forward demanded sustained engagement from the National Assembly, which meant enhanced oversight, carefully targeted legislation to address the security challenges, and unwavering support for regulatory agencies.
He said by diligently building on the robust foundation laid by the PIA, Nigeria could not only achieve its goal of becoming a leading global petroleum producer but also ensure sustainable development for the host communities and the broader Nigerian economy.
“Before the PIA, we operated under a fragmented regulatory structure, a table of overlapping mandates that hindered efficiency and accountability.
“The PIA swept this away, creating two distinct, powerful regulatory bodies: the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the NMDPRA. This clear delineation of roles has been a game-changer.
“According to NEITI audits, our baseline compliance rate in 2015 stood at 94 per cent. While seemingly high, it masked underlying inefficiencies and vulnerabilities.
“Post-PIA implementation, we have seen a tangible enhancement in regulatory effectiveness. The NUPRC alone generated an astounding N4.344 trillion in revenue during 2023, representing a 14.89 per cent increase compared to 2022 figures.
“This is not just about collection; it’s about a more efficient and transparent system at work,’’ he said.
He also noted that the impact of the PIA on sector growth was vividly evident in Nigeria’s oil production recovery and its subsequent contribution to our national economy.
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