Business
Pan-African Payment System To Save Africa $5bn Annually — AfCFTA
Published
4 years agoon
By
Editor
The Secretary-General, African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), H.E Wamkele Mene has said thr commercial roll-out of the Pan-African Payment & Settlement System (PAPSS) will save Africa up to US$5 billion dollars annually.
The Secretary General made the remarks on Thursday at the Commercial Launch of the PAPSS in Accra, Ghana, which held virtually and physically.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PAPSS is a cross-border, financial market infrastructure enabling payment transactions across Africa.
PAPSS ensures instant or near-instant transfer of funds between originators in one African country and beneficiaries in another.
Mene said, “The great liberation struggle heroes of our continent over 60 years ago had a vision of an integrated market in Africa are rejoicing today because the dream of an integrated Africa is becoming a reality in our lifetime.
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“How fitting it is, therefore, that the commercial launch of the PAPSS is taking place here in Ghana, a country that has always been at the intellectual and philosophical vanguard of Pan-Africanism.
“This project is a pioneering effort at achieving a pan-African payments and settlements system which will enable Africa to reduce reliance on third currencies, and more importantly, it has the potential to significantly boost intra-Africa trade.
“The commercial roll-out of the PAPSS is timely and set to boost intra-Africa trade significantly by making cross-border payments less reliant on third currencies.
“It is set to save the continent up to US$5 billion dollars annually, which is the amount currency convertibility costs Africa.”
Mene explained that the African continent had, in the last two years, borne the effects of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to border closures, restrictions and logistical difficulties that had disrupted trade and economies.
“In the midst of this, our Heads of States took the bold decision to commence trading under the very difficult conditions that were caused by the COVID-19.
“Since the commencement of trading under the AfCFTA on Jan 1, 2021, significant improvements were recorded in other key aspects of the implementation of the agreement,” he said.
Mene added: “They include an increase in the number of AfCFTA State parties from 35 (64 per cent) in December 2020 to 39 (73 per cent) at the end of 2021.
“Improvement in the agreement on the AfCFTA rules of origin from 81.8 per cent to 88.6 per cent.
“Activation and operationalisation of the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), a key pillar in the successful implementation of the agreement, in April.”
According to the AfCTA Secretary General, the Appellate body was also being constituted.
He also cited the successful hosting of the second edition of the IATF in Durban, South Africa, in November 2021, where a record US$ 42.1 billion trade and trade-related deals were concluded.
“Continuation of preliminary work on the phase II negotiations covering protocols on Intellectual Property, Investment, Competition Policy, Digital Trade (e-commerce), and Women and Youth in Trade.
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“All these are a testament to the fact that momentum to implement the AFCFTA Agreement, one of the flagship projects of Agenda 2063, to achieve an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, is on course.
“With the launch of the PAPPS, a critical tool of boosting intra-Africa trade, the implementation of the AfCFTA is well positioned to benefit SMEs, young entrepreneurs and those trading across borders in Africa.
“This is by significantly reducing the cost of trading across borders in Africa,” he said.
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Business
NNPCL Reduces Fuel Price After Dangote Refinery’s Adjustment
Published
2 weeks agoon
August 14, 2025By
Editor
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has reduced its premium motor spirit pump price on Thursday, according to DAILY POST.
It was confirmed that NNPCL retail outlets in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have reduced their pump price to N890 per litre from N945.
This new fuel price has been reflected in NNPCL retail outlets such as mega station Danziyal Plaza, Central Area, Wuse Zone 4, Wuse Zone 6, and other of its filling stations in the nation’s capital.
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The latest downward review of fuel price in NNPCL outlets represents an N55 reduction in fuel pump price.
“It was reduced to N890 per litre this afternoon, down from N945,” an NNPCL fuel attendant told DAILY POST anonymously on Thursday.
This comes a Nigerian filling station, MRS Empire Energy, on Thursday adjusted their fuel pump price to N885 and N946 per litre, down from N910 and N955 per litre.
The latest fuel price reduction trend is unconnected to Dangote Refinery’s ex-depot petrol price adjustment by N30 to N820 per litre from N850 and the price of crude oil in the international market.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in the ex-depot (gantry) price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol, by N30, from N850 to N820 per litre, effective from August 12, 2025.
This was disclosed in a statement by the company’s spokesman, Anthony Chijiena, on Tuesday.
The 650,000-barrel-per-day plant said the move is part of its unwavering commitment to national development, assuring the public of a consistent and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products.
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“In line with our dedication to operational excellence and sustainable energy solutions, Dangote Petroleum Refinery will commence the phased deployment of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks for fuel distribution across Nigeria, effective August 15, 2025,” said Chijiena.
The announcement comes as the refinery prepares to commence direct fuel distribution nationwide. The development is expected to lead petroleum product marketers to reduce their pump prices in the coming days.
In Abuja, the retail fuel price stood between N885 and N970 per litre as of Tuesday evening.
Business
Indian Refiners Abandon Russia For Nigerian Crude, As Dangote Refinery Relies On US
Published
2 weeks agoon
August 11, 2025By
Editor
India Refineries have abandoned Russian crude for Nigerian crude, while domestic refiner Dangote Refinery relies heavily on West Texas Intermediate crude from the United States of America.
This followed a recent sanction threat by US president Donald Trump on India over continued patronage of Russian crude.
According to Reuters, industry sources said that Indian Oil Corporation recently bought one million barrels of Nigeria’s Agbami crude for September 2025 delivery in a tender awarded to global trader Trafigura.
Also included are one million barrels of Angola Girassol, one million barrels of US Mars, three million barrels of Abu Dhabi Murban, and two million barrels of Nigerian oil, according to Reuters.
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The report noted that the purchase is part of a broader sourcing spree that has seen Indian refiners secure millions of barrels from non-Russian sources post July 2025.
Meanwhile, Indian refiners secured purchases of Nigerian crude grades; the $20bn Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is relying on around 60 percent on US and other imoorts to feed its processing units.
Data showed that the refinery imported an average of 10 million barrels in July 2025, saying it was increasingly relying on the US for its feedstock despite the naira-for-crude deal with the Federal Government, which kicked off in October last year.
According to Reuters, the Indian Oil Corp and Bharat Petroleum have bought a million barrels of non-Russian crude billed for delivery in September and October after the US pressured India to halt purchases from Russia.
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Indian state refiners had been largely absent from the Nigerian crude market spotlight since 2022; they have in the past concentrated on Russian crude amid the Russian-Ukrainian war. However, the Indian refiners paused Russian purchases in late July 2025 after pressure from US President Donald Trump.
On the part of Dangote Refinery, data from commodities analytics firm Kpler showed that in July, US barrels accounted for about 60 percent of Dangote’s 590,000 barrels per day of crude intake, with Nigerian grades making up the remaining 40 percent.
In July, the Dangote refinery’s crude imports surged to a record 590 kbd—driven largely by US barrels overtaking Nigerian supply for the first time—amid ongoing domestic sourcing challenges, Kpler reports.
“While WTI has held a significant share in Dangote’s import slate since March, this is the first time US crude has overtaken Nigerian supply—a shift driven by several factors,” Kpler stated.
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