Economy

Youth Group Begs FG to Issue License to Repentant Refiners

Published

4 years ago

15/08/2021

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to issue modular refinery licenses to repentant refiners, who have formed and registered themselves into co-operative societies in order to dissuade them from returning to the creeks.

YEAC in an open letter to the President recalled that Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo, (then Acting President) in 2017, had assured of the establishment of modular refineries for youths involved in artisanal crude oil refining in the Niger Delta as a way of curbing oil theft, vandalism and environmental pollution in the country.

The Executive Director of YEAC, Mr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, also recalled that the Minister of State for Environment, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, had also directed artisanal crude oil refiners to register and form into co-operative societies for the easy issuance of modular refinery licenses.

Mr Fyneface, who is also the National Facilitator, Project with Artisanal Crude Oil Refiners for Modular Refineries in the Niger Delta, said as a result, the group has commenced the process of registering artisanal refiners for the formation of co-operative societies for modular refineries, since 2019.

He spoke at the inauguration and presentation of three cooperative societies in Delta State to the federal government namely, Delta North Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd, Delta Central Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd, and Delta South Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd.

The advocacy centre also announced that the group was on the move to inaugurate more modular refinery co-operative societies in the other Niger Delta States.

“It is against these brief backgrounds that we write you this open letter to formally present to you, three Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Societies of artisanal crude oil refiners in Delta State for you to issue them Modular Refinery Licenses as promised.

“They are Delta North Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd with Christian Obokana (08033938770) as President; Delta Central Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd with Cyril Oghenevwede (08032364268) as President and Delta South Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd, with Clever Donokoromor (07065439069) as President.

“These three co-operative societies are also today collectively inaugurated as the pioneer members of Delta State Association of Modular Refinery Multi-Purpose Co-operative Societies with Clever Donokoromor as the Chairman.

“These are the authentic platforms of the real artisanal crude oil refiners who have stopped and embraced your policy on Modular Refineries as alternative means of livelihood in Delta State. In the days ahead, we will inaugurate and also present to you, Modular Refinery Co-operative Societies in the other Niger Delta States.”

Again, the Advocacy Centre appealed to the federal government to establish a scheme similar to PAGMI, to polish and streamlined artisanal refiners just like it was obtainable with artisanal gold miners in the North.

“While thanking you for taking this bold step to address issues around youths and artisanal crude oil refining in the Niger Delta through modular refineries, it is our recommendation that you speed-up the process and also kindly consider and establish a Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) for artisanal crude oil refiners in the Niger Delta, similar to the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMI) in parts of the North and Western Nigeria.

“We look forward to having you issue Modular Refinery Licenses to these Co-operative Societies so that they do not cite government unseriousness and return to the creeks to cause more damage to oil facilities and our fragile environment.

“On our part as an organization, we will continue partnering with your government to address this and related issues in the Niger Delta and strengthen our facilitation of international development partners to co-fund the Modular Refinery projects for artisanal crude oil refiners in the Niger Delta,” he stated.

Economy

TotalEnergies Sells 10% Stake in Renaissance JV to Vaaris

Published

28 minutes ago

14/01/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

TotalEnergies EP Nigeria has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Vaaris for the divestment of its 10 per cent non-operated interest in the Renaissance JV licences in Nigeria.

The Renaissance JV, formerly known as the SPDC JV, is an unincorporated joint venture between Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (55 per cent), Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd (30 per cent, operator), TotalEnergies EP Nigeria (10 per cent) and Agip Energy and Natural Resources Nigeria (5 per cent), which holds 18 licences in the Niger Delta.

In a statement by TotalEnergies on Wednesday, it was stated that under the agreement signed with Vaaris, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will sell its 10 per cent participating interest and all its rights and obligations in 15 licences of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly oil.

Production from these licences, it was said, represented approximately 16,000 barrels equivalent per day in company’s share in 2025.

The agreement also stated that TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will also transfer to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest in the three other licences of Renaissance JV which are producing mainly gas, namely OML 23, OML 28 and OML 77, while TotalEnergies will retain full economic interest in these licences, which currently account for 50 per cent of Nigeria LNG gas supply.

Business Post reports that the conclusion of the deal is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals.

“TotalEnergies EP Nigeria has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Vaaris for the sale of its 10 per cent non-operated interest in the Renaissance JV licences in Nigeria.

“Under the agreement signed with Vaaris, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will sell to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest and all its rights and obligations in 15 licences of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly oil. Production from these licences represented approximately 16,000 barrels equivalent per day in the company’s share in 2025.

“TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will also transfer to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest in the 3 other licenses of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly gas (OML 23, OML 28 and OML 77), while TotalEnergies will retain full economic interest in these licenses, which currently account for 50 per cent of Nigeria LNG gas supply. Closing is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals,” the statement reads in part.

The development is part of TotalEnergies’ strategies to dump more assets to lighten its books and debt.

Economy

NGX RegCo Revokes Trading Licence of Monument Securities

Published

10 hours ago

14/01/2026

Aduragbemi Omiyale

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The trading licence of Monument Securities and Finance Limited has been revoked by the regulatory arm of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group Plc.

Known as NGX Regulations Limited (NGX Regco), the regulator said it took back the operating licence of the organisation after it shut down its operations.

The revocation of the licence was approved by Regulation and New Business Committee (RNBC) at its meeting held on September 24, 2025, a notice from the signed by the Head of Market Regulations at the agency, Chinedu Akamaka, said.

“This is to formally notify all trading license holders that the board of NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo) has approved the decision of the Regulation and New Business Committee (RNBC)” in respect of Monument Securities and Finance Limited, a part of the disclosure stated.

Monument Securities and Finance Limited was earlier licensed to assist clients with the trading of stocks in the Nigerian capital market.

However, with the latest development, the firm is no longer authorised to perform this function.

Economy

NEITI Advocates Fiscal Discipline, Transparency as FG, States, LGs Get N6trn in Three Months

Published

10 hours ago

14/01/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has called for fiscal discipline and transparency as data showed that federal government, states, and local governments shared a whopping N6 trillion Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements in the third quarter of last year.

In its analysis of the FAAC Q3 2025 allocation, the body revealed that the federal government received N2.19 trillion, states received N1.97 trillion, and local governments received N1.45 trillion.

According to a statement by the Director of Communication and Stakeholders Management at NEITI, Mrs Obiageli Onuorah, the allocation indicated a historic rise in federation account receipts and distributions, explaining that year-on-year quarterly FAAC allocations in 2025 grew by 55.6 per cent compared with Q3 of 2024 while it more than doubling allocations over two years.

The report contained in the agency’s Quarterly Review noted that the N6 trillion included 13 per cent payments to derivative states. It also showed that statutory revenues accounted for 62 per cent of shared receipts, while Value Added Tax (VAT) was 34 per cent, and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) and augmentation from non-oil excess revenue each accounted for 2 per cent, respectively.

The distribution to the 36 states comprised revenues from statutory sources, VAT, EMTL, and ecological funds. States also received additional N100 billion as augmentation from the non-oil excess revenue account.

The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr Sarkin Adar, called on the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) FAAC, the National Economic Council (NEC), the National Assembly, and state governments to act on the recommendations to strengthen transparency, accountability, and long-term fiscal sustainability.

“Though the Quarter 3 2025 FAAC results are encouraging, NEITI reiterates that the data presents an opportunity to the government to institutionalise prudent fiscal practices that will protect the gains that have been recorded so far in growing revenue and reduce vulnerability to commodity shocks.

“The Q3 2025 FAAC results are encouraging, but windfalls must be managed with discipline. Greater transparency, realistic budgeting, and stronger stabilisation mechanisms will ensure these resources deliver durable benefits for all Nigerians,” Mr Adar said.

NEITI urged the government at all levels to ensure the growth of Nigeria’s sovereign wealth and stabilisation capacity, by committing to regular transfers to the Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Fund and other related stabilisation mechanisms in line with the fiscal responsibility frameworks.

It further advised governments at all levels to adopt realistic budget benchmarks by setting more conservative and achievable crude oil production and price assumptions in the budget to reduce implementation gaps, deficit, and debt metrics.

This, it said, is in addition to accelerating revenue diversification by prioritising reforms that would attract investments into the mining sector, expedite legislation to modernise the Mineral and Mining Act, support reforms in the downstream petroleum sector, as well as the full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to expand domestic refining and value addition.