By Adedapo Adesanya

A court in the United Kingdom has taken sweeping action against a Nigerian oil trader, Mr Abdulrahman Musa Bashar, freezing his assets worldwide in a bid to secure repayment of a long-running debt dispute tied to failed fuel transactions.

The order, issued by the High Court in London, prevents Mr Bashar and his firm, Ultimate Oil and Gas FZCO, from selling, transferring, or otherwise dealing with assets across multiple jurisdictions, including Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and France. The restriction applies up to the value of the outstanding liability, with disclosed holdings estimated at nearly $170 million.

According to Business Day, the dispute traces back to oil trading agreements between 2022 and 2023, when Dubai-based Petrichor Energy supplied gasoil and Jet-A1 aviation fuel to Ultimate.

Court filings indicate that while deliveries were completed, payments were inconsistent and ultimately fell short, leaving the supplier to pursue legal and arbitration routes to recover its funds.

In an attempt to resolve the matter, Mr Bashar entered a personal repayment agreement in early 2024, backing the company’s obligations with his own guarantee.

He also issued a series of signed cheques as security. However, these measures failed to yield results, as the debt remained unsettled and the cheques were rejected upon presentation.

The court’s decision to impose a global freeze was influenced by what it described as troubling conduct during the dispute. Evidence suggested that assets were being sold without proceeds going toward the debt, alongside concerns that not all holdings had been fully disclosed.

The newspaper reported that testimony also pointed to an alleged warning from Mr Bashar that he might move assets out of reach if negotiations broke down, an assertion the court treated as a credible risk of asset dissipation.

The ruling adds to a growing list of legal challenges facing the businessman. He has previously been sanctioned by English courts for failing to comply with orders in a separate commercial dispute, and was also convicted in Dubai, the UAE, in a different cheque-related case.

With the freezing order now active, Petrichor has expanded its recovery efforts beyond the UK, initiating enforcement actions in both the UAE and Nigeria.

The move aims to block any pathways through which assets could be shielded, while also enabling seizure or control where legally permitted.

In a further escalation, the English court has directed two Nigerian-linked companies associated with Mr Bashar to grant access to a Delta State storage facility, allowing the creditor to recover fuel cargoes tied to the unpaid transactions. Failure to comply could trigger additional legal consequences, including contempt proceedings.

Despite ongoing attempts by Mr Bashar and his company to overturn the freezing order, the court has so far declined to lift the restrictions, leaving the enforcement process firmly in motion.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The World Bank’s financing arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Norwegian investment fund (Norfund) have committed up to $83.2 million to expand solar hybrid mini-grids across Nigeria, in a move expected to connect nearly half a million new users to electricity.

The funding will support five renewable energy companies, Darway Coast Nigeria Limited, GVE Projects Limited, Prado Power Limited, PriVida Power Limited and StarTimes Energy, to build 315 mini-grid sites across underserved communities.

The projects are projected to deliver about 494,189 new electricity connections. Renewable energy solutions

IFC says the intervention is aimed at closing Nigeria’s massive electricity gap, noting that more than 85 million people in the country still live without access to power.

The institution said expanding distributed renewable energy will not only improve electricity access but also cut energy costs and support small businesses in rural areas.

According to IFC, “By supporting distributed renewable energy solutions, this initiative will help expand access to reliable electricity while reducing energy costs, strengthening local economies, and enabling income-generating activities.”

For operators already working in the sector, the new funding is expected to speed up expansion plans.

The chief executive of Darway Coast Nigeria Limited, Mr Henry Ureh, said the support will allow companies to scale faster and reach more communities that have remained off the national grid for years.

“Access to reliable electricity allows us to expand our operations, support local businesses, and create jobs in the communities we serve,” he said.

Nigeria’s off-grid power space has been growing steadily, but access remains uneven. Data from the Africa Solar Industry Association shows that the country currently has over 4.8 gigawatts of installed solar capacity, but only about 115 megawatts come from mini-grids serving rural communities.

The IFC has been one of the biggest institutional backers of this segment. Last year, it announced a separate $16 million financing package for Nigerian developer Virtuitis to build 97 mini-grids expected to serve over 140,000 off-grid consumers by 2027, showing a steady increase in international interest in decentralised power solutions.

With grid supply still unreliable in many parts of the country, mini-grids are increasingly becoming the most practical solution for rural electrification as they supply adequate but limited power for limited power consumption.

For many communities, the impact goes beyond electricity. Reliable power is expected to support trading activities, agro-processing, small manufacturing and education, all of which have struggled under years of unstable supply. But operators also warn that sustained policy support and stable regulation will be key to scaling beyond pilot-level projects.

As deployment begins across the 315 sites, observers are keen on understanding how quickly these projects can move from funding to actual connections to where they are needed.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

As part of efforts to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment, a daily environmental sanitation monitoring and enforcement system has been introduced by the Oyo State government.

At a press briefing to mark his first 100 days in office, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Ademola Aderinto, explained that the government has shifted from the traditional monthly environmental sanitation exercise to a more proactive system that encourages residents to take responsibility for maintaining cleanliness on a daily basis.

He noted that this approach is being reinforced by continuous monitoring and enforcement by environmental health officers

“We are now enforcing daily environmental sanitation. Our officers are on the field every day to ensure compliance, and cleanliness must become a daily responsibility,” he stated.

According to him, to strengthen operations, the government has re-engaged 930 Environmental Vanguards, sweepers, and waste packers, while also procuring two brand new compactor trucks with the support of Governor Seyi Makinde to enhance waste evacuation.

Highlighting the ministry’s achievements, the Commissioner said the ministry has expanded its impact through strategic workforce deployment and innovation, adding that the 930 Environmental Personnel has been structured to improve enforcement and sanitation coverage.

Mr Aderinto hinted that with sweepers now operating twice daily to ensure cleaner roads across the state, while also benefiting from enrolment in the Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme.

The ministry also launched the Oyo Soro Soke (Oyo SSS) Environmental Whistleblower platform accessible via mobile applications and WhatsApp, empowering residents to report environmental violations and promote community participation in environmental governance.

In addition, the ministry strengthened operational capacity by introducing a first-of-its-kind waste segregation system across government offices, and initiated Public-Private Partnerships for the construction of modern public toilets.

The Commissioner expressed gratitude to the Governor for the opportunity to serve, assuring that the confidence reposed in him will not be misplaced, also appreciating members of the Executive Council for their strong inter-ministerial collaboration, as well as the Permanent Secretary, Dr Sunday Ojelabi, for his support.

Highlighting other achievements, he noted improved media engagement by the Ministry, with regular press briefings and public advisories on issues such as flooding, heat waves, cholera, and Lassa fever.

The Commissioner added that the Ministry has regulated charcoal production through a structured framework, commemorated World Earth Day with tree planting, intensified efforts to end open defecation, and strengthened interventions against diseases through inspections and environmental monitoring.

Reaffirming his commitment, Mr Aderinto assured residents that the Ministry will sustain and build on these gains, saying, “The future of our environment in Oyo State is bright. What we have achieved in 100 days is only the beginning.”