Business
Debt Servicing Rose By 14.68% In 2022 – DMO
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
Nigeria’s debt servicing bill went up by 14.68 per cent to N3.36trn in 2022, data from the Debt Management Office has shown.
According to DMO, N2.93tn was spent on external and domestic debt servicing payments in 2021.
Recall that the DMO had earlier reported that Nigeria’s total debt stock stood at N46.25 trillion as of December 2022.
An analysis of DMO showed that the country spent $2.4bn which was equivalent to N1.07 trillion using the current exchange rate of $/N460 to service its external debt last year.
READ ALSO: Why FG’s Debt Is Rising – Debt Management Office
Domestic debt servicing gulped N2.56tn in 2022, with the highest expenditures of N529.88 billion recorded in April.
The PUNCH reports that debt servicing under the President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) regime has maintained an upward trend since 2016.
In 2016, a total of N1.23tn was spent to service the country’s domestic debts. The figure for domestic debt servicing rose to N1.48tn in 2017.
In 2018, the country’s domestic debt servicing bill rose to N1.8tn while the cost of domestic debt servicing came down a bit in 2019 to N1.69tn.
READ ALSO: Just in: Nigeria’s Public Debt Stands At N46.25trn
In 2020, debt servicing rose again to N1.85tn. By 2021, domestic debt servicing rose to N2.05tn
On the other hand, external debt servicing gulped $353.09m in 2016. It went up to $464.05m in 2017 and jumped up to $1.47bn in 2018.
In 2019, the country spent $1.33bn on external debt servicing. In 2020, external debt servicing gulped $1.56bn. By 2021, it became N2.93tn.
The amount spent on external debt servicing was calculated using the CBN’s exchange rate for the year. For instance, the naira-dollar average exchange rates for 2016 and 2017 were N197 and N305 respectively. It was N305 in 2018 and N360 in 2019. It closed at N380 and N420 in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Rising Debt Stock Will Affect Infrastructural Projects, Economy – Expert
Reacting, The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed worry over the country’s debt burden, especially in the face of stunted revenue growth, the large presence of decaying infrastructure and the unsustainable burden of oil subsidy overhang.
In a statement on Thursday, the chamber said the ratio of debt service to government revenue at about 90 per cent remained alarming and unsustainable.
It said both capital and interest payments on borrowed sums exposed the country’s fiscal vulnerabilities and that the government should, as a matter of urgency, emphasise strategies for revenue growth while blocking leakages.
The chamber further advised the government to shift focus to equity financing, divestment or shedding of its equity holdings in state-owned enterprises, real estate, and infrastructure to reduce its debt commitments and improve its fiscal situation.
Also, The International Monetary Fund warned that debt servicing might gulp 100 per cent of the Federal Government’s revenue by 2026 if the government fails to implement adequate measures to improve revenue generation.
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Business
JUST IN: Dangote Refinery Hikes Petrol Ex-depot Price
Published
1 week agoon
June 20, 2025By
Editor
Nigerians may soon pay more for petrol as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Friday increased its ex-depot price for Premium Motor Spirit to N880 per litre, raising fresh concerns over fuel affordability and price volatility in the downstream sector.
Checks on petroleumprice.ng, a platform tracking daily product prices, and a Pro Forma Invoice seen by The PUNCH confirmed the hike, representing a N55 increase from the previous rate of N825 per litre.
The increment would ripple across the entire fuel distribution chain, likely pushing pump prices above N900/litre in some parts of the country, especially in areas far from the distribution hubs.
The hike comes despite global crude prices falling. Brent crude dipped by 3.02% to $76.47, WTI fell to $74.93, and Murban dropped to $76.97 on Friday. The decline in benchmarks offers little relief due to persistent fears of sudden supply disruptions.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Dangote Refinery Sashes Petrol Gantry Price
The refinery has increased its reliance on imported U.S. crude and operational costs amid exchange rate instability, which adds to its pricing pressure.
On Thursday, the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said his 650,000-barrel capacity refinery is “increasingly” relying on the United States for crude oil.
This came as findings showed that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is projected to import a total of 17.65 million barrels of crude oil between April and July 2025, beginning with about 3.65 million barrels already delivered in the past two months, amid ongoing allocations under the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude policy.
Dangote informed the Technical Committee of the One-Stop Shop for the sale of crude and refined products in naira initiative that the refinery was still battling crude shortages, which had led it to resort to imports from the United States.
READ ALSO:Dangote Stops Petrol Sale In Naira, Gives Condition For Resumption
On Monday, the president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Festus Osifo, accused oil marketers of exploiting Nigerians through inflated petrol prices, insisting that the current pump price of PMS should range between N700 and N750 per litre.
He criticised the disparity between falling global crude oil prices and the stagnant retail price of petrol in Nigeria.
“If you go online and check the PLAT cost per cubic metre of PMS, convert that to litres and then to our Naira, you will see that with crude at around $60 per barrel, petrol should be retailing between N700 and N750 per litre.”
He asserted that if Nigerians bear the brunt of higher fuel costs, they should be allowed to enjoy the benefit of low pricing.
His forecast of increased costs now appears spot on, considering the latest developments.
Marketers are already adjusting. Depot owners and fuel distributors in Lagos and other cities anticipate a domino effect, with new price bands expected to follow Dangote’s lead.
Many had held back pricing decisions since Tuesday, when the refinery halted sales and withheld fresh PFIs. The delay fueled speculation, allowing opportunistic price hikes across various depots.

The Naira, which has seen steady appreciation against the Dollar all week, closed stronger on Friday, trading at ₦1,580.44 in the official forex market.
Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s website show the Naira gained ₦4.51k against the Dollar on Friday alone.
This marks a 0.28 per cent appreciation from Thursday’s closing rate of ₦1,584.95 in the official foreign exchange window.
The local currency maintained consistent strength throughout the week, recording gains daily.
READ ALSO: Naira Appreciates Against Dollar At Foreign Exchange Market
On Monday, May 19, it traded at ₦1,598.68; on Tuesday, at ₦1,590.45; and on Wednesday, at ₦1,584.49.
These gains suggest increased investor confidence and improved forex supply, contributing to the naira’s performance.
Meanwhile, the CBN, at its 300th Monetary Policy Committee meeting held Monday and Tuesday, retained the Monetary Policy Rate at 27.5 per cent.
Business
BREAKING: Again, Dangote Refinery Cuts Petrol Price
Published
1 month agoon
May 22, 2025By
Editor
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a nationwide reduction in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, with new prices now ranging between ₦875 and ₦905 per litre, depending on location.
The ₦15 per litre cut applies across all regions and partner fuel stations, and was confirmed via an official announcement posted on Dangote Refinery’s social media channels on Thursday.
Major marketers participating in the new pricing regime include MRS, Ardova, Heyden, Optima Energy, Techno Oil, and Hyde Energy — partners in the distribution of Dangote-refined products.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Dangote Refinery Sashes Petrol Gantry Price
Under the previous pricing structure, Lagos residents paid ₦890 per litre, while prices reached ₦920 in the North-East and South-South regions. With the latest adjustment, Lagos now pays ₦875 per litre, while the North-East and South-South will see prices drop to ₦905.
A regional breakdown of the revised prices is as follows: Lagos: ₦875, South-West: ₦885, North-West & Central: ₦895, North-East & South-South: ₦905 and South-East: ₦905.
In its announcement, Dangote Refinery encouraged consumers to purchase fuel only from authorised partner stations and urged the public to report any cases of non-compliance via its official hotlines: +234 707 470 2099 and +234 707 470 2100.
“Our quality petrol and diesel are refined for better engine performance and are environmentally friendly,” the company said.
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