Business

50% PoS Operators Close Shops Over Naira Scarcity

Published

3 years ago

February 7, 2023

Over 50 per cent of Point of Sale operators have closed their shops as scarcity of new and old naira notes bites harder, it has been learnt.

The National Chief Aggregating Officer of the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, Hussein Olanrewaju, who made this disclosure on Monday, said the impact of the ongoing shortage of new and old naira notes had worsened the plight of their members.

While noting that agents should be given preferential treatment in access to the new notes, he lamented that some Nigerians had taken advantage of the situation to charge unreasonable fees.

He said, “Operators are licensed bodies that provide platforms which agents leverage on. Currently, agents do not have any preferential treatment to deliver this service, hence, more than 50 per cent of agent shops have been closed down as we speak.

“Some agents, however, go extreme to buy these monies and those who do not, move from one ATM point to another incurring lot of cost in the process which will also reflect on the service charge.

“It’s worthy to note that some Nigerians have taken advantage of this situation to charge people unreasonable charges.”

Hussein further stressed that the ongoing policy meant to swap cash in unbanked areas might not achieve its mandate due to the low number of agents selected for the scheme.

He added that including more agents remained the best solution to easing the financial stress Nigerians were currently facing.

“As designed by the CBN, the exercise is going as expected. However, it doesn’t really translate to profit for agents. Out of over 1.4 million agents, only 30,000 agents were picked to participate in the cash swap programme, the number is too small and can barely effect any change.

“Agents are the ones available and accessible to ease the financial stress Nigerians are currently facing,” he concluded.

Business

NNPCL Announces Restoration Of Escravos-Lagos Pipeline

Published

2 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced the complete restoration of the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) in Warri, Delta State, following the recent explosion on the asset.

The chief corporate communications officer (CCCO) of the nation’s oil company, Andy Odeh, in a statement, said that the pipeline is fully operational, reiterating the company’s resilience and commitment to energy security.

“NNPC Limited is pleased to announce the successful restoration of the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) in Warri, Delta State.

“Following the unexpected explosion on December 10, 2025, we immediately activated our emergency response, deployed coordinated containment measures, and worked tirelessly with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the damaged section was repaired, pressure-tested, and safely recommissioned.

“Today, the pipeline is fully operational, reaffirming our resilience and commitment to energy security. This achievement was made possible through the unwavering support of our host communities, the guidance of regulators, the vigilance of security agencies, and the dedication of our partners and staff.

“Together, we turned a challenging moment into a success story, restoring operations in record time while upholding the highest standards of safety and environmental stewardship.

“As we move forward, NNPC Limited remains steadfast in its pledge to protect our environment, safeguard our communities, and maintain the integrity and reliability of our assets. Thank you for your trust as we continue to power progress for Nigeria and beyond,” the statement read.

Business

Dangote Unveils 10-day Credit Facility For Petrol Station Owners

Published

3 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

The Dangote Group has announced a 10-day credit facility backed by a bank guarantee for petrol station owners and dealers, alongside free direct delivery and other incentives, as part of a new supply arrangement.

The company disclosed this in a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday, inviting petrol station operators across the country to register to benefit from the offer.

According to the statement, participating dealers will enjoy “a 10-day credit facility backed by a bank guarantee,” with a minimum order requirement of 5,000 litres.

“Our free direct delivery service will commence soon,” the group said, adding that the offer is open to “all petrol station owners and dealers.”

The Dangote Group further called on operators to register their stations to access the supply arrangement.

“Register your petrol stations today to benefit from our competitive gantry price,” the statement read.

The company also disclosed that petrol supplied under the arrangement will be sold at a gantry price of ₦699 per litre.

For enquiries, the group provided the following contact numbers: 0802-347-0470, 0809-324-7070, 0809-324-7071 and 0203.

The announcement follows a recent petrol price adjustment by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the refinery reduced its ex-depot petrol price from ₦828 to ₦699 per litre, representing a ₦129 cut or a 15.58 per cent reduction.

An official of the refinery, who spoke to PUNCH Online on condition of anonymity, confirmed the adjustment, saying, “The refinery has reduced petrol gantry price to ₦699 per litre.”

The new price reportedly took effect on December 11, 2025, marking the 20th petrol price adjustment announced by the refinery this year.

Business

JUST IN: Otedola Sells Shares In Geregu Power For N1trn

Published

3 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

Billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, has sold his majority stake in Geregu Power Plc for N1.088 trillion in a deal financed by a consortium of banks led by Zenith Bank Plc.

The Nigerian Exchange, NGX, made this announcement on Monday.

Otedola’s Amperion Power Distribution Company Ltd reportedly held nearly 80 percent of the power generating company.

With this new development, Otedola, Chairman of First Holdco Ltd, parent company of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, will reportedly now concentrate on expanding his interest in the Nigerian banking sector, although he still retains some shares in Geregu.

Otedola is said to currently own 17.01 percent of First Bank — its single largest shareholder since the bank was established in 1894.