By Adedapo Adesanya

The chief executive of Dangote Refinery, Mr David Bird, has said the 650,000-barrel-per-day plant has a surplus of jet fuel to serve the global markets, amid continued disruptions caused by tensions in the Middle East.

“We’re very grateful ​to be seen as a reliable, high-quality and dependable ⁠supplier able to land our product competitively all over the ​world,” Mr Bird said at the S&P Global Energy Middle East ​Petroleum and Gas Conference in London, as per Reuters.

Jet fuel has been one of the fuels most acutely affected by the Iran war and closure of the Strait of ​Hormuz, where over 20 per cent of the world’s crude and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG).

The development has led to market opportunities for refiners based outside the Gulf region, such ​as Dangote, to supply global markets.

Mr Bird said the refinery is ‌currently ⁠running flat out at nameplate capacity and is planning what the executive described as a “ruthless replication” project to double capacity.

“We will bring 700,000 barrels per day of fully complex refining capacity on stream by ​the end of ​2028,” Mr Bird ⁠said.

He added that long-lead items have been purchased and the company is in the process of ​awarding construction contracts.

The group could then lift refining ​capacity ⁠to 2.1 million barrels per day with another refinery planned in East Africa, helping it to become a significant player in crude and refined products ⁠flows, ​Mr Bird said.

He also said the Dangote Refinery, which commenced operations in 2024, has helped Nigeria’s domestic market, with the country having gone from fuel scarcity ​to absolute fuel abundance since the $20 billion refinery came online.

Last month, Mr Bird revealed that the refinery was the world’s largest exporter of jet fuel in April, with S&P Global Commodities at Sea data showing that the refinery recorded a surge in aviation fuel exports after the escalation of conflict in the Middle East altered established shipping and supply patterns across key markets.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Nigeria’s largest power generation company, Egbin Power Plc, has rewarded the stellar contributions of its exceptional employees in the past year.

The company recently held its prestigious Employee Recognition Awards (ERA) 2026, which brought together the management team and staff to honour outstanding performers in the business and top talents across different departments, reinforcing the company’s culture of excellence.

The highlight of this year’s ceremony was the recognition of the Top Performance Award winners. Amos Oshanugo of the Instrumentation & Control Department emerged as the Top Performer, driving home a brand-new Chery Tiggo 2 Pro SUV, while Chidima Celestine of the Operations Department and Endurance Otaru of the Business Operations Department were recognised as first and second runners-up, respectively, each receiving cash rewards.

“At Egbin Power, we believe excellence is not an accident. It’s built through hard work, teamwork, and the courage to go beyond expectations. That’s why we are passionate about celebrating excellence, commitment, teamwork, and the people whose efforts continue to power Egbin forward every single day,” the company’s chief executive, Mr Mokhtar Bounour, said.

“The initiative spotlights those who go above and beyond, those who quietly make extraordinary contributions, and those who consistently raise the standard across our organisation.

“These efforts are seen, valued, and rewarded. When we celebrate results, we create a ripple effect. It motivates teams to raise the bar, strengthens accountability, and deepens our shared commitment to powering Nigeria. Our people are our greatest asset, and their growth and success will always be a priority for us,” Mr Bounour added.

Oshanugo, who won the grand prize, said: “First, I give all glory to God for this incredible blessing and the grace to excel. I am deeply grateful to the Chairman of the Board, the management of Egbin Power, and our leadership for this profound recognition and reward. My heartfelt thanks go to the Instrumentation & Control Department and the entire Egbin Power staff. This milestone belongs to all of us because at Egbin, we work as a team, and teamwork is truly the key to our success.”

Celestine expressed: “This recognition motivates me to work even harder, uphold excellence, and contribute more to our collective success. I remain committed to the values of safety, reliability, and teamwork that drive our plant forward. Thank you for believing in me.”

Also commenting on the award, Otaru appreciated the Chairman, Board of Directors, and management of Egbin Power for fostering a culture that values excellence, dedication, and teamwork.

“Receiving this recognition inspires me to continue raising the bar, embracing new challenges, and contributing to the achievement of Egbin Power’s strategic objectives. This award is particularly meaningful because it reflects not only individual effort but also the support, collaboration, and encouragement of my colleagues and my Head of Department. I am grateful to everyone who has contributed to my professional growth and success,” she noted.

Other employees across different departments were recognised as top talents for the year 2025. The annual awards ceremony symbolises Egbin Power’s commitment to rewarding exceptional contributions, dedication, and excellence that impact the growth and success of the organisation.

As Egbin Power continues to lead Nigeria’s power sector, the ERA remains a cornerstone of its people strategy, reinforcing the philosophy that a strong recognition culture fuels performance. By celebrating commitment and innovation, the company creates an environment where employees are inspired to exceed goals, embrace responsibility, and pursue continuous improvement.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday disclosed that it has commenced an investigation into the alleged misuse of authorised access credentials and unauthorised disclosure of information from its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database.

A few days ago, Mr Lere Olayinka, the media aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, posted the voter registration details of a popular actor turned politician, Mr Emeka Ike.

The URL on the slip showed that the information was harvested from the admin page of the electoral umpire, triggering calls for an investigation into the unauthorised access to citizens’ data.

Apparently worried by the controversies generated by this, INEC today, via a statement signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mr Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said it’s looking into the matter.

It also disclosed that the Department of State Services (DSS) has shown interest in the case by conducting “an independent investigation.”

INEC explained that as part of the ongoing CVR exercise nationwide, authorised INEC Registration Officers were granted controlled access to specific components of the CVR system to enable them to register new applicants, process requests for transfer of registration and update voter records where necessary.

“Such access is restricted to official duties only and is withdrawn at the conclusion of the exercise,” it noted.

“The audit trail from the preliminary investigation has enabled the commission to identify the user account through which the information was accessed.  Accordingly, relevant personnel have been questioned, and all units connected with the incident are cooperating fully with the investigation,” it stated.

The electoral body stated that it “is also examining all technical, administrative and operational factors associated with the matter in order to establish individual responsibility and determine the circumstances surrounding the use of those credentials and identify any breach of internal access-control protocols before taking appropriate action against anyone involved.”

“Preliminary findings from the commission’s audit trail so far, however, indicate that there was no external breach of the CVR database, no hacking incident, and no unauthorised external access to the Commission’s ICT infrastructure.

“Rather, the information in question was accessed through valid user credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing CVR exercise but released without authority,” it added.

INEC disclosed that, “The incident under investigation relates to the retrieval of a specific voter record and does not indicate any compromise of the commission’s broader voter registration infrastructure or the personal data of over 90 million registered voters.”

It emphasised that security, confidentiality and integrity of voter data are taken with the utmost seriousness and remains committed to transparency, institutional integrity, and the protection of voters’ personal information.