Business
Oil Production Rises 26.57m Bpd In February — OPEC

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries said crude oil production increased by 203,000 barrels per day ( bpd) in February to an average of 26.57 million barrels per day.
According to OPEC’s monthly oil market report obtained by Punch Online on Wednesday, the Organisation left the crude oil demand forecast unchanged.
“Crude oil output increased mainly in Libya and Nigeria, while production in Iran and Iraq decreased. Libya’s production climbed by around 144,000 bpd, the largest growth seen last month, while output rose in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia by 47,000 bpd and 18,000 bpd, respectively.”
Released on Tuesday, the monthly oil market report indicated that the production in Iran and Iraq declined by 15,000 bpd and 14,000 bpd, respectively.
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“Demand for OPEC crude is projected to stand at about 28.5 million bpd in 2024, 1.1 million bpd higher than in 2023, while demand for OPEC crude in 2025 is expected to reach about 28.8 million bpd.”
Meanwhile, “the non-OPEC output forecast for 2024 has been revised downward. OPEC natural gas liquids and non-conventional liquids production is expected to increase by around 60,000 bpd to average 5.5 million bpd this year, and additional growth of 110,000 bpd is forecast for 2025 to an average 5.6 million bpd.”
Non-OPEC liquids output is forecast to grow by 1.1 million bpd to average 70.5 million bpd in 2024. “This reflects a 120,000 bpd downward revision, compared with the previous month’s assessment, due to the extension of additional voluntary adjustments in 2Q24 by some countries,” it said in OPEC’s report.
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In 2025, “non-OPEC liquids production is expected to reach 71.9 million bpd, with a growth rate of 1.4 million bpd. The main drivers for liquid supply growth are projected to be the US, Brazil, Canada, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Norway, while production is forecast to see a major decline in Mexico and Angola.
“The global oil demand growth forecast for 2024 remains unchanged from last month’s assessment at 2.2 million bpd, year-on-year.
“Total world oil demand is projected to reach 104.5 million bpd this year, ‘supported by strong air travel demand and increased road mobility, including on-road diesel and trucking, as well as healthy industrial, construction, and agricultural activities, particularly in non-OECD countries,” OPEC said.
Oil demand in the OECD is forecast to grow by around 300,000 bpd year over year, led by OECD Americas and further supported by a minor uptick from OECD Europe and Asia Pacific.
In the non-OECD, OPEC said in its latest report that oil demand is expected to grow by 2 million bpd year over year, driven by China and supported by the Middle East, other Asia, India and Latin America.
In 2025, global oil demand is expected to see a robust year-over-year growth of 1.8 million bpd. “The OECD is expected to grow by 100,000 bpd on an annual basis, while demand in the non-OECD is forecast to increase by 1.7 million bpd”, OPEC’s monthly oil market report stated.
Business
Report Any MRS Filling Stations Selling Fuel Above N739 Per Liter — Dangote Refinery To Nigerians

Dangote Refinery has urged Nigerians to report any MRS filling station outlets nationwide selling fuel above the N739 per liter announced price.
The company disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The refinery insisted that its petrol being at retail outlets remain N739 per liter while the gantry price is N699.
It further called on other filling station owners to patronize its refined petroleum products at the N699 rate.
“We also call on other petrol station operators to patronize our products so that the benefits of this price reduction can be passed on to Nigerians across all outlets, ensuring broad-based relief and a more stable downstream market.”
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Recall that Aliko Dangote, the president of Dangote Refinery, had pegged the retail price of his petrol at a maximum of N740.
DAILY POST reports that MRS filling and other filling stations had reduced fuel prices to between N739 and N912 per liter in Abuja.
However, reports emerged that some MRS filling stations were selling above the N739 per liter announced price benchmark.
Business
Naira Records Significant Appreciation Against US Dollar

The Naira recorded significant appreciation against the United States dollar on Monday at the official foreign exchange market to begin the week ahead of Yuletide on a good note.
The Central Bank of Nigeria’s data showed that the Naira strengthened to N1,456.56 per dollar on Monday, up from N1,464.49 traded on Friday last week, 19th December 2025.
This means that the Naira gained N7.93 against the dollar when compared with the N1,464.49 was exchanged as of Friday, December 19, 2025. DAILY POST reports that Monday’s gain at the official FX market is the first since December 15th.
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Meanwhile, at the black market, the Naira remained stable at N1500 per dollar on Monday, according to multiple Bureau De Change operators in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
The development comes as the country’s external reserves stood at $44.66 billion as of last week Friday.
Business
CBN Revokes Licences Of Aso Savings, Union Homes As NDIC Begins Deposit Payments

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operating licences of Aso Savings and Loans Plc and Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc, citing persistent regulatory infractions and deepening financial distress in the two primary mortgage banks.
The revocation, which took effect on December 15, 2025, was carried out under Section 12 of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 and Section 7.3 of the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria, the CBN said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
According to the apex bank, the affected institutions failed to meet minimum paid-up share capital requirements, had insufficient assets to cover their liabilities, recorded capital adequacy ratios below prudential thresholds, and consistently breached regulatory directives.
“The CBN remains committed to its core mandate of ensuring financial system stability,” a statement, signed by the apex bank’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali said.
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Following the licence revocation, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) was appointed liquidator of the defunct banks in line with the law.
The Corporation said it has commenced the liquidation process and begun verification and payment of insured deposits to customers.
Under the deposit insurance framework, depositors are entitled to receive up to two million naira per depositor, with payments made through BVN-linked alternate bank accounts.
Depositors with balances above the insured limit will receive the initial two million naira while the remaining sums will be paid as liquidation dividends after the realisation of the banks’ assets and recovery of outstanding loans.
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The NDIC said depositors may submit claims either online or physically at designated branches of the closed banks, while creditors will be paid after all depositors have been fully settled, in accordance with statutory provisions.
The two mortgage banks have faced prolonged operational challenges, including depositor complaints, governance concerns, and delisting from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) in 2024 for failure to submit audited financial statements for more than six years.
The CBN assured the public that the action was taken to strengthen the mortgage banking sub-sector and protect depositors, adding that banks whose licences have not been revoked remain safe and sound.
This means the two financial institutions can no longer operate as licensed financial institutions.
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