Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Video - Oil workers and Nigerian government continue negotiations to end strike
Nigerian government says it's made major headway in talks with striking oil workers. Even though Monday's session was inconclusive, talks continued on Tuesday, the 12th of July. Until workers call off their strike, Nigeria is teetering on the verge of a fuel crisis. Kelechi Emekalam has the latest on the industrial action that's threatening to cripple Africa's largest economy.
Paul Le Guen appointed new Super Eagles coach
According to the PUNCH, the football house picked the Frenchman, from a three-man shortlist that included Salisu Yusuf and Tom Saintfiet.
It is also understood that the NFF will consider Yusuf as an assistant coach. The former Kano Pillars boss had earlier said he was not interested in being second in command to anybody.
The official said: “As it is now the position of the deputy has been thrown open because Yusuf is still insisting that he would not work as an assistant to Le Guen.
“Those who worked on their entries picked the Frenchman and with the hope that Yusuf could learn a lot from him for the immediate future but he (Yusuf) appears to have some other ideas so the federation will now have to consider a new person altogether to replace Yusuf.”
Football referees in Nigeria threaten boycott
President of Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Tade Azeez, has said they might be forced to pull out of Nigerian leagues, because of several assaults on match officials.
Angry fans descended on referee Daniel Akure and his assistants, following Warri Wolves 1-1 draw at home with league leaders, Wikki Tourists last weekend.
According to reports, one of Akure’s assistants escaped the assault, by running into Wikki’s team bus.
Azeez has warned that such attacks will no longer be tolerated.
“The attack on referees has surprisingly continued with Sunday’s attack on the referee who handled the Warri Wolves versus Wikki Tourists game,” he said in a statement released by the body.
“The NRA has considered it necessary to boycott all matches involving any team where referees are either harassed or physically assaulted by them and their supporters.”
Angry fans descended on referee Daniel Akure and his assistants, following Warri Wolves 1-1 draw at home with league leaders, Wikki Tourists last weekend.
According to reports, one of Akure’s assistants escaped the assault, by running into Wikki’s team bus.
Azeez has warned that such attacks will no longer be tolerated.
“The attack on referees has surprisingly continued with Sunday’s attack on the referee who handled the Warri Wolves versus Wikki Tourists game,” he said in a statement released by the body.
“The NRA has considered it necessary to boycott all matches involving any team where referees are either harassed or physically assaulted by them and their supporters.”
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
FIFA president Gianni Infantino set to visit Nigeria
Fifa president Gianni Infantino will meet senior football association leaders from across Africa on a two-day working visit to Nigeria in July.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Monday Infantino will arrive in Abjua on 24 July and will meet "a legion of African FA presidents".
Infantino, elected in February this year, will be accompanied by new Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura.
NFF president Amaju Pinnick met Infantino for talks in Paris on Sunday.
"The Fifa president and secretary-general will arrive in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Sunday 24th July on a two-day working visit to Nigeria," Pinnick said on the NFF website.
The statement said the Fifa officials will meet Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari and hold a meeting "with a legion of African FA presidents, who are expected in Nigeria" at the same time.
Nigeria is seen as one of the giants of African football even though the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the second time in succession.
The NFF has been dogged by factional disputes over its leadership and Fifa has threatened Nigeria with suspension from international competition because of irregularities in the leadership voting process.
Aliko Dangote plans to end Nigeria's gasoline problem
A plan by Africa's richest man to transform one of the continent's largest oil industries is taking shape on a swampy piece of land outside Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos.
Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote is constructing a refinery that has the capacity to turn 650,000 barrels of oil into gasoline, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel — enough to potentially satisfy all the country's daily needs.
When completed, it could end Nigeria's reliance on imported gasoline and diesel.
A weeks-long shortage of imported fuel that occurred earlier this year is one reason why economists believe Africa's biggest economy is poised to enter a recession.
"By and large, you are looking at the future of the country," Dangote, who made his $14.4 billion fortune from his sugar, flour and cement companies, told journalists during a visit to the construction site of the refinery and adjoining fertilizer plant.
When Nigerians go to the pump, they're usually filling up with imported gasoline and diesel. The country has four refineries, but they barely work, so Nigeria exports its crude and buys back the fuel it needs.
Disputes and strikes have periodically led to disruptions in fuel importation, leading to shortages across the country.
By refining oil at home, Dangote says importation will end.
"I mean, it's simple, you have it here. As you're producing, it's going into the market," he said.
Supply and demand
Nigeria is Africa's largest economy and most populous country. Those aspects may ultimately undermine Dangote's ability to serve the country's fuel needs, said oil and gas analyst Bala Zakka.
Nigeria doesn't produce enough power to keep the lights on all the time, and those who can afford it rely on gasoline or diesel generators.
As the population grows, Zakka says demand may outstrip supply.
"Strategic domestic, strategic commercial and strategic industrial are being run on generators. And those generators will require so much diesel and petrol. And that will mean we will not have even enough for the automobiles," Zakka said.
Another problem Dangote may face is oil supply. Pipelines are targets for oil thieves and, more recently, organized militants. Attacks by a group calling itself the Niger Delta Avengers have cut Nigeria's oil production by as much as half.
Refinery administrators have cited pipeline attacks as one reason they can't produce enough gasoline.
Dangote plans to build the pipeline supplying oil to the refinery underwater, in hopes that will keep saboteurs away. He also plans to build two natural gas pipelines to feed power plants.
If Dangote's refinery pays off, Zakka said it will be a signal to other refiners that Nigeria is ready for investment.
"I wouldn't want to say he's a guinea pig, but Dangote is definitely going to be a pilot test," Zakka said.
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