Business

Budget 2023: Fears As Oil Price Drops 3% To $73.87 Per Barrel

Published

3 years ago

March 26, 2023

There were fears, weekend, as the price of Nigeria’s premium oil grade, Bonny Light, dropped to $73.87 per barrel, from $76.37, recorded last week, indicating a fall of three percent.

The Federal government had benchmarked the 2023 budget at $75 per barrel and 1.8 million barrels per day, bpd, including condensate, which Nigeria has the capacity to produce between 300,000 – 400,000 barrels per day, bpd.

The drop in price that also affected other crudes was attributed to the global economic slowdown, especially some developed economies that buy commercial oil from Nigeria and other major oil nations.

In its latest report obtained by Vanguard, yesterday, Goldman Sachs – a research organization – disclosed that based on the global economic slowdown, it would not be possible for oil to hit $100 per barrel this year, which it had earlier forecasted.

Goldman Sachs noted that the current poor state of the global economy has already culminated in the collapse of two big banks in the United States.

The report which now expects oil price to hover at $94 per barrel in the coming 12 months, before landing at $97 per barrel in 2024, stated: “Oil prices have plunged despite the China demand boom given banking stress, recession fears, and an exodus of investor flows.”

Oil price, production

In its March 2023 Monthly Oil Market Report, Monthly Oil Market Reports, MOMRs, obtained by Vanguard, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, that Nigeria’s oil production rose MoM by 3.8 percent to 1.306 million bpd in February 2023, from 1.258 million bpd recorded in the preceding month of January 2023.

Also, on year-on-year, YoY, the nation’s oil production increased by 3.8 percent to 1.306 million bpd in February 2023, from 1.258 million bp/d recorded in the corresponding period of 2022.

Budget 2023 challenged — OGSPAN

Despite the rise in oil output, the National President, Oil, and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, OGSPAN, Mazi Colman Obasi, observed that Nigeria might be challenged to meet its 1.8 million bpd OPEC quota, excluding condensate, because of increased pipeline vandalism, oil theft and illegal refining in the Niger Delta.

He said: “The governments still have a long way to go in funding the budget. We should not be comfortable because of the recent increase in production. There are indications that the recent gains remain by far less than the huge volumes we still lost to oil thieves in the Niger Delta.”

But in another interview with Vanguard, the Lead promoter, EnergyHub Nigeria, Prof. Felix Amieyeofori, noted that the current market situation would be short-lived.

He said: “This is seasonal. The average price forecast as China stabilizes this year will be around $80-100 bpd. It will bounce back.”

New administration should implement PIA — EnergyHub

He said: “The new Government in 2023 must ensure full implementation of the PIA in order to optimize the operating environment for investors. Otherwise, funding will be a challenge. There must be collective efforts from all sectors and agencies between government and the private sectors to midwife the 2023 budget targets.”

We intend to produce 2.2 million bpd — NNPC Limited

Recently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited said in 2023, Nigeria was working to realize an average of 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), including condensate.

Speaking in an interview session at the 13th global United Arab Emirate, UAE virtual energy forum, Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer (GCEO), NNPC Limited, who attributed low production to the limited investment of the past, had said: “In our case, we have a different challenge other than just a lack of investment in the last four to five years. There has been no investment in the last four to five years. That is correct. That is true in many other jurisdictions where cash flows do not support the investment.

“In our case, we had a different challenge – security challenge – that became very manifest in early-2022. And of course, we took definite steps to bring back production and this is paying up.

“For instance, in around July, our net crude oil, excluding condensate, came down to around 1 million bpd. That is the lowest ever in the history of our country and our industry.”

He also said: “So for us, we see a trajectory of restoring production, including condensate, within the year. Definitely, we believe that we can hit our target of 2.2 million bpd but our OPEC target is 1.8 million bpd, but we know that it is practical to do 2.2 million within 2023.”
VANGUARD

Business

NNPCL Raises Fuel Price

Published

1 week ago

October 13, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has increased the pump price of petrol from ₦865 to ₦992 per litre, marking a fresh hike that has sparked widespread concern among motorists and consumers .

As of the time of filing this report, the company has not released any official statement explaining the reason for the sudden adjustment.

During visits to several NNPC retail outlets, The Nation observed fuel attendants recalibrating their pumps to reflect the new price.

At NNPC filling station on Ogunusi road, Ojodu Berger, petrol attendants at the station said they were instructed to change the price to reflect the new rate N992 per litre.

However, checks at Ibafo along the Lagos /Ibadan expressway showed that NNPC outlets still displayed the old price of N875 per litre, although they were not selling to commuters.

Most of the NNPC stations were not dispensing fuel.

Business

CBN Directs Banks To Refund Failed ATM Transactions Within 48hrs

Published

1 week ago

October 11, 2025

Editor

The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed Deposit Money Banks and other financial institutions to refund customers for failed Automated Teller Machine transactions within 48 hours, in a sweeping reform aimed at protecting consumers and restoring confidence in the banking system.

The directive is contained in a draft guideline released by the apex bank on Saturday, titled “Exposure of the Draft Guidelines on the Operations of Automated Teller Machines in Nigeria.”

The document, signed by Musa I. Jimoh, Director of Payments System Policy Department, was circulated to banks, payment service providers, card schemes, and independent ATM deployers, with a call for stakeholder feedback by October 31, 2025.

Under the draft, failed “on-us” transactions, where customers use their own bank’s ATM, must be reversed instantly. If technical glitches prevent immediate reversal, the bank is required to manually refund the customer within 24 hours.

For “not-on-us” transactions, involving other banks’ ATMs, refunds must be processed within 48 hours.

“Customers must not be made to suffer for failed transactions caused by system errors or network failures,” the circular stressed.

In a significant shift, the CBN mandated banks and ATM acquirers to deploy technology that automatically reverses failed or partial transactions, removing the need for customers to lodge complaints.

Institutions holding customer funds due to failed disbursements must reconcile and return balances immediately.

According to the apex bank, these measures respond to widespread frustration over delayed refunds and poor customer service and form part of a broader effort to enhance consumer protection, improve reliability, and modernise Nigeria’s payment infrastructure in line with global standards.

The guidelines will also overhaul ATM operations nationwide. Banks and card issuers are now required to deploy at least one ATM for every 5,000 active cards, with phased targets of 30% compliance in 2026, 60% in 2027, and full compliance by 2028. Any future deployment, relocation, or decommissioning of ATMs must receive prior approval from the CBN.

To ensure safety, ATMs must be fitted with anti-skimming devices, CCTV cameras, and placed in enclosed or well-lit areas.

Machines are expected to comply with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards, maintain audit logs, and display functional helpdesk contacts. At least 2% of all ATMs must feature tactile symbols for visually impaired customers.

ATMs are also required to dispense cash before returning cards, allow free PIN changes, issue receipts for all transactions except balance inquiries, display clear transaction fees, dispense only clean banknotes, and provide backup power to reduce downtime.

Downtime must not exceed 72 consecutive hours, after which operators must inform the public of the cause and expected restoration time.

The CBN will enforce compliance through regular audits, on-site inspections, and monthly reports from ATM operators detailing deployments and locations. Defaulting institutions risk sanctions, though fines were not specified.

The apex bank explained that the overhaul was necessary due to rising complaints about failed transactions, cyber fraud, and declining service quality, noting that “the goal is to build a payments system that works seamlessly for everyone, urban and rural users alike.”

Nigeria’s electronic payments landscape has grown rapidly in recent years, with 200 million cardholders and rising reliance on digital banking, but network failures, poor infrastructure, and delayed reversals have continued to undermine confidence.

The fresh guidelines, coming eight months after a revision of ATM fees, are expected to streamline service delivery, enhance transaction security, and hold banks accountable. Stakeholders are invited to submit feedback ahead of the final policy adoption, which could take effect before the end of the year.

Business

Nigerian Stock Market Hits 10th Consecutive Uptrend As investors Gain N308bn

Published

1 week ago

October 10, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Stock Market recorded its 10th consecutive uptrend as investors raked in N308 billion gain on Thursday.

This comes as the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, market capitalisation, which opened at N92.490 trillion, appreciated by 0.33 per cent to close at N92.798 trillion on Thursday.

Also, the All-Share Index added 0.33 per cent, or 485.25 points, to close at 146,204.34, compared with 145,719.09 recorded on Wednesday.

Increased trading in Eunisell Interlinked, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Sunu Assurances, Industrial and Medical Gases, Mecure, and 27 other advancing stocks boosted market performance on Thursday.

To this end, the market breadth also closed positive with 32 gainers and 21 losers.

Further analysis showed that Eunisell Interlinked and Caverton Offshore Support Group led the gainers’ chart by 10 per cent each, closing at N44 and N6.93 per share, respectively, while FTN Cocoa Processors led the losers’ table by 6.67 per cent, closing at N5.60 per share.

Market activity showed a decline in the number of deals and volume traded but an improvement in trade value.

Accordingly, a total of 346.99 million shares worth N27.43 billion were traded in 24,691 deals, compared with 525.72 million shares worth N13.61 billion exchanged in 25,597 deals on Wednesday.

Fidelity Bank topped the activity chart with 42.01 million shares valued at N861.54 million.

According to DAILY POST, NGX has continued its bullish run from last month’s end to date.