Business

Govt Moves To Revive Few Moribund Ports

Published

4 years ago

January 21, 2022

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council are set to revive six moribund ports whose contracts were signed in 2006.

To commence the process, ICRC on Wednesday held a meeting with NSC, which is the owner of the projects, and the concessionaires, according to a statement.

The purpose of the meeting was to get the six inland container depots located in each of the geopolitical zones of Nigeria to become operational.

The statement quoted the commission’s acting Director-General, Mr. Mike Ohiani, as saying that when completed, these ICDs would bring the required benefit to the country Nigeria.

“We are not unaware that at the material time that the contracts were signed, ICRC as a commission had not been set up, so no proper outline business cases were done for the projects like we now do, but I want us to have a frank discussion so that we can chart a way forward,” he said.

The commission reminded the concessionaires and that NSC that by its Act, it is to take custody of all PPP contracts including the ones for the ICDs.

The states where the ports are located and the level of progress by the concessionaires were listed as Oyo State (10 per cent), Abia State (five per cent), Plateau State (29.7 per cent), Kano State (55 per cent), Katsina State (68 per cent) and Borno State (five per cent).

According to the statement, the concessionaires told the ICRC that the 16 years’ journey had been fraught with various challenges that had hampered any progress that could have been recorded.

It said the concessionaires complained of poor cooperation from state governments, which they said mostly delay in meeting their own part of the agreement, citing land provision as an example.

They said another major challenge was the lack of narrow gauge rail lines in and out of the dry ports, which they noted was important to make the operation of the ports efficient.

They added that access to funds also remained a major issue as banks and foreign investors made unreasonable demands for assets and bank bonds before the release of funds.

The concessionaires unanimously stressed the need for the ports being constructed to be given the status of port of origin and destination and also to be registered with the International Chamber of Commerce upon completion.

(PUNCH)

Business

JUST IN: Otedola Sells Shares In Geregu Power For N1trn

Published

14 hours 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.

Business

Fuel Price Cut: NNPCL GCEO Ojulari Reveals Biggest Beneficiaries

Published

19 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, has said Nigerians are the biggest beneficiaries of the ongoing fuel price reductions, triggered by competition in the downstream oil sector.

Ojulari made the remarks on Sunday while speaking with journalists after briefing President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.

He described the current fluctuations in petrol prices as a natural outcome of Nigeria’s transition away from dependence on fuel imports.

According to him, increased competition in the market ultimately favors consumers, adding that the present volatility will ease over time.

“Where there is healthy competition, the buyers are the ultimate beneficiaries. We should also bear in mind that the market will stabilise,” Ojulari said. “There may be some tension along the way because we are undergoing a major transition.”

His comments come amid an ongoing fuel price war that has resulted in successive reductions at petrol stations across the country in recent weeks.

Earlier in December 2025, Dangote Refinery cut its gantry price to about N699 per litre. Following this move, MRS filling stations, NNPCL outlets, and other marketers reduced pump prices to between N739 and N901 per litre in Abuja.

Business

Naira Records Massive Appreciation Against US Dollar Into Christmas Holidays

Published

3 days ago

December 27, 2025

Editor

The Naira gained massively against the United States dollar in the last three days at the official foreign exchange as trading ended for the Christmas holidays.

Central Bank of Nigeria data showed that the Naira strengthened further on Wednesday to N1,443.37 per dollar, up from N1,449.99 on Tuesday.

This means that since Monday this week, the Naira has recorded a significant N13.18 gain against the dollar, according to the apex bank data.

Similarly, at the black market, the Naira traded on Wednesday at N1,490 per dollar, an appreciation from the N1,500 exchanged on Monday but the same rate as on Tuesday.

The uptrend comes amid the rise in the country’s external reserves to $45.24 as of December 23rd, 2025.

DAILY POST reports that the Naira gained against the dollar at the official market on Monday and Tuesday.