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US Oil Imports From Nigeria To Drop As Trump Plans Energy Emergency Order

Published

7 months ago

January 21, 2025

The President Trump planned an executive order and declaration of a national energy emergency, targeted at enhancing the United States oil and gas production could impact on Nigeria’s oil demand and revenue generation.

This was even as prices of oil, including Nigeria’s Bonny Light dropped to $80 per barrel from $83 per barrel, yesterday, as traders await U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in the hope of some clarity on his policy agenda.

However, the United States used to import a bulk of its crude oil from Nigeria, but the commencement of shale oil, deliberate government policy and other factors, reduced the nation’s oil and gas import in recent times.

Despite the reduction, recent data indicated that the United States oil and gas import from Nigeria was worth $4.73 billion in 2023.

According some experts, the revenue would likely decrease in 2025 and beyond following President Trump executive order and declaration of a national energy emergency.

In an interview with Vanguard, an economist and Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, CPPE, Dr Muda Yusuf, said: “Naturally, if investments in oil and gas increase in the United States and the US of course is a major oil producer that will increase the global supply. If global supply increases, energy prices are likely to fall.

“So, if energy prices fall, of course, that has implications for our own revenue. So it’s likely to negatively impact on our oil price, on our oil revenue but it may be positive for businesses because a reduction in crude oil price or commodity or global oil price typically reduces the cost of petroleum products, including the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol, diesel and jet fuel.

“However, it’s a double-edged sword as changes, if the price increases; it will favour the government and penalize the private sector, who uses energy. If the price drops, it penalizes the government and benefits the citizens and investors because their energy costs will drop.

“That is one implication of the Trump presidency. The second implication is, if he’s able to calm down the situation between Russia and Ukraine. Russia is a major oil producer as well, a major gas producer.

“So, he’s able to calm down Russia and Ukraine and he has the potential to do that because it is part of the commitment that he has made.

“If he’s able to do that, then we are likely to see more production of oil. We are likely to see the lifting of sanctions on Russia and if that happens, oil production will increase and prices will fall. Again, that will affect revenue negatively, but it will benefit businesses because cost of energy will drop.

“So, that is the nexus for me between what is happening with Trump policies and our domestic economy, especially the oil and gas sector.”

On his part, a Port Harcourt-based energy analyst, Dr. Bala Zakka, said: “Major importers from Nigeria, indirectly encourage our nation to be lazy, exporting crude oil instead of processing to add more value to the economy.

“I strongly believe that by reducing importation through his policies, President Trump would encourage increased refining in Nigeria and other African nations. We need to expand our refining capacity to refine more petroleum product and derivatives, capable of adding value to the domestic economy.”

Also, the National President of Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, OGSPAN, said: “Every nation continuously reviews its environment and takes decisions on the best ways and means to grow its economy. Nigeria should do the same in order to reduce dependence on oil and other economies.”

Meanwhile, the Petroleum Products Retail outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, has assured consumers that the coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery and the NNPC Limited owned Port Harcourt refinery would ensure easy flow of petrol during the Yuletide season.

PETROAN in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Dr Joseph Obele said the petrol supply agreement reached with the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery would avert any possible shortage of premium motor spirit during the period.

This, according to Dr Obele, is due to the efforts of PETROAN distribution technical committee incharge of planning and execution of zero-fuel scarcity strategy.

“We are happy that Nigerians are going to travel effortlessly during this period of the year”, the Group added.

Recall that the National President of PETROAN, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, on Monday 2nd December 2024 led the negotiation team of the association to a fruitful strategic business meeting with the management of Dangote Refinery in Lagos.

PETROAN noted that the “sealing of a transactionary deal with Dangote Refinery was the aftermath of a successful buyer-seller negotiation and agreement secured by PETROAN at the strategic meeting.

“PETROAN National President commended the Vice President of Dangote group & Managing Director of Dangote Refinery, Mr. Devakumar V. G. Edwin, for his cooperation and strategies deployed so far to make petroleum products available to all Nigerians throughout the end of year festivities and beyond.”
VANGUARD

Headline

Leader Of UK Christian Group Convicted Of Sexually Abusing Women

Published

4 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

Chris Brain, 68, the leader of a UK Christian group once backed by the Church of England, has been convicted of sexually abusing nine women in his congregation.

A jury delivered the final verdicts on Thursday.

‎Brain led the Nine O’Clock Service, an evangelical movement in Sheffield during the 1980s and 1990s. The group was known for its nightclub-style worship, held at 9 p.m. on Sundays, which included live music and drew large crowds of young people.

‎Prosecutors said Brain used his authority to control members of the congregation, isolating them from family and friends, and used his position to commit sexual assaults. He also maintained a group of young women known as the “lycra nuns” who assisted him, his wife, and his daughter at home, prosecutor Tim Clark told the court.

‎The leader of the UK Christian group was charged with 36 counts of indecent assault and one count of rape involving 13 women between 1981 and 1995. He denied the charges, claiming any sexual contact was consensual.

‎Following a trial at Inner London Crown Court, he was convicted of 17 counts of indecent assault against nine women. He was acquitted of 15 other charges, while the jury could not reach a verdict on four additional indecent assault charges and the rape allegation. The Crown Prosecution Service said it would “carefully consider” whether to seek a retrial.

‎The Nine O’Clock Service had received approval from the Church of England. In 1990, the Archbishop of Canterbury-elect George Carey met with Brain to discuss his methods, and his ordination was expedited. Prosecutors said the group even spent heavily to purchase the costume worn by Robert De Niro in the 1986 film The Mission for his ceremony.

‎Brain resigned shortly before a BBC documentary aired in 1995, accusing him of inappropriate sexual behaviour. Carey later said he was “crushed and let down” when the allegations became public.

‎In court, Brain admitted to receiving massages from congregation members that sometimes became sexual but denied manipulating or controlling them.

‎Bishop of Sheffield Pete Wilcox said in a statement: “What happened was an appalling abuse of power and leadership that should never have occurred. Where concerns were raised in the past and were not acted upon properly, that was a failing of the Church. For those institutional failures, I offer an unreserved apology.”

Headline

Russia Claims More Ukraine Land As Hopes For Summit Fade

Published

4 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

Russia on Saturday said its forces had taken two villages in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, increasing the military pressure as world leaders struggle to broker an end to the conflict.

South Africa added its voice to those calling for a summit between Ukraine and Russia.

Russian forces are slowly advancing in the embattled eastern region of Donetsk, grinding closer to Kyiv’s key defensive line in costly metre-for-metre battles.

Moscow’s defence ministry said on Telegram that its forces had captured the villages of Sredneye and Kleban-Byk.

The taking of Kleban-Byk would mark a further advance towards Kostiantynivka — a key fortified town on the road to Kramatorsk, where a major Ukrainian logistics base is located.

On Friday, Russia said its troops had captured three villages in the Donetsk region it claimed to have annexed in September 2022.

On Saturday, Ukrainian military officials said its forces had stopped a Russian advance and recaptured the village of Zeleny Gai in the Donetsk region in a post to Telegram.

In July, Russia claimed the capture of the village, on the border with Dnipropetrovsk, adding that it was an important stronghold used by Ukraine to protect the area.

– Ramaphosa backs summit –
The latest Russian advances come as hopes dim for a summit between Russian and Ukrainian presidents — a solution championed by US President Donald Trump as part of his efforts to end the conflict.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday added his voice to calls for a Russia-Ukraine summit during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“President Ramaphosa stressed the urgency of holding bilateral and trilateral meetings between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine and the United States as key to signal a firm commitment to ending the war,” said a statement from his office.

Ramaphosa, who currently chairs the G20, also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, the statement added. He will speak with other European leaders in the coming weeks.

Ramaphosa spoke on Monday with Vladimir Putin, whom he described in October at the BRICS summit as a “dear ally” and a “valued friend”.

However, for the first time since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, South Africa earlier this year backed a UN resolution declaring that Russia had launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Zelensky said he had told Ramaphosa he was ready for any kind of meeting with Putin.

“However, we see that Moscow is once again trying to drag everything out even further,” he said on X.

He called on the Global South to send “relevant signals and (push) Russia toward peace”.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said “no meeting” was planned as Trump’s mediation efforts appeared to stall, while Zelensky accused Russia of trying to prolong the offensive.

AFP

Headline

US Suspends Work Visas For Nigerian, Foreign Truck Drivers

Published

17 hours ago

August 23, 2025

Editor

The United States government has suspended the issuance of work visas for Nigerian and other foreign truck drivers, citing job security concerns and safety risks for American citizens.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision on Thursday, saying it takes immediate effect.

According to him, the rising number of foreign truck drivers on U.S. highways is both threatening lives and reducing opportunities for American truckers.

“Effective immediately, we are pausing all issuance of worker visas for commercial truck drivers.

“The increasing number of foreign drivers operating large tractor-trailer trucks on U.S. roads is endangering American lives and undercutting the livelihoods of American truckers,” Rubio said.

The move comes under President Donald Trump’s renewed clampdown on immigration since returning to office in January 2025.

As part of new measures, travellers from countries with high visa overstay rates or weak travel databases will be required to pay a bond of $5,000 to $15,000 before obtaining certain categories of visas.

The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria also directed all visa applicants to disclose their social media handles from the past five years, warning that failure to comply could result in denial of applications and possible ineligibility for future visas.