Friday, November 6, 2015
Video - President Muhammadu Buhari warns Nigeria's cabinet against corruption
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has warned his incoming cabinet ministers against committing any acts of corruption while in office.. Earlier in the year, President Buhari campaigned on a pledge to stamp out endemic graft in Africa's largest economy.
Britain plans to deport 29,000 Nigerians
Britain is working with the Federal Government on the planned deportation of 29,000 Nigerians from the United Kingdom, an exercise that is expected to commence soon after fulfillment of all legal obligations.
The UK stated that it would continue to maintain dialogue with the FG “on this important and sensitive matter which is of vital importance to our relations.”
The UK High Commission in Nigeria told our correspondent in Abuja that the removal of persons who did not have a right to remain in the UK is carried out in conjunction with relevant Nigerian authorities including the Nigeria High Commission in London.
The acting Nigeria High Commissioner in London, Olukunle Bamgbose, had informed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during his visit to London in October, 2015, that the UK government had placed deportation tag on 29,000 Nigerians.
He expressed worries over the removal policy of the UK government, noting that the migration policy came as a result of the migration crisis created by the troubled regions in the world.
“I think about 29,000 Nigerians have been designated to be deported. We are insisting that due process must be followed before Nigerians are really removed from the UK to Nigeria,” Bamgbose had said.
But responding to inquiries by our correspondent, the Press and Public Affairs Officer, UK High Commission, Joe Abuku, said the UK had always worked with FG to facilitate visas for large numbers of travellers between the two countries and “to ensure the return of the small minority who choose not to return when their visa expired.”
He did not confirm the number of Nigerians that would be affected by the deportation exercise, but stressed that those concerned would be removed “after we have determined nationality.”
PUNCH
The UK stated that it would continue to maintain dialogue with the FG “on this important and sensitive matter which is of vital importance to our relations.”
The UK High Commission in Nigeria told our correspondent in Abuja that the removal of persons who did not have a right to remain in the UK is carried out in conjunction with relevant Nigerian authorities including the Nigeria High Commission in London.
The acting Nigeria High Commissioner in London, Olukunle Bamgbose, had informed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during his visit to London in October, 2015, that the UK government had placed deportation tag on 29,000 Nigerians.
He expressed worries over the removal policy of the UK government, noting that the migration policy came as a result of the migration crisis created by the troubled regions in the world.
“I think about 29,000 Nigerians have been designated to be deported. We are insisting that due process must be followed before Nigerians are really removed from the UK to Nigeria,” Bamgbose had said.
But responding to inquiries by our correspondent, the Press and Public Affairs Officer, UK High Commission, Joe Abuku, said the UK had always worked with FG to facilitate visas for large numbers of travellers between the two countries and “to ensure the return of the small minority who choose not to return when their visa expired.”
He did not confirm the number of Nigerians that would be affected by the deportation exercise, but stressed that those concerned would be removed “after we have determined nationality.”
PUNCH
Video - Nigeria beat Mexico to make it to the FIFA U17 World Cup Final
The Nigerians and Mexicans lived up to all the hype and attacking promise in a thrilling last four at Chile 2015.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Nigeria cancels oil swap bidding
Nigeria's NNPC said on Tuesday it had cancelled bidding for new crude oil swap agreements and will instead directly sell crude oil to refiners, and purchase refined oil products from them.
State oil company NNPC said in a statement that the move was "designed to enshrine transparency and eliminate the activities of middlemen" in the swap scheme.
NNPC had shortlisted 44 companies for the swap agreements for 2016, also called "offshore processing arrangements" (OPAs), but said most of them did not directly operate refineries.
Getting oil products from such companies, NNPC said, would "constitute a significant value loss" for the country.
"Only bona fide owners of refineries identified in the ongoing OPA tender evaluation process will be further engaged," NNPC said in the statement.
Oil-rich Nigeria is reliant on imported gasoline, kerosene and other petroleum products. In addition to the swap arrangement, it also relies on an import subsidy scheme that is itself fraud-ridden and expensive.
Efforts to revamp its own long-neglected refineries this year have met with limited success.
NNPC is currently relying on interim swap agreements made in September after it cancelled the original 2015 deals because they were "skewed in favour of the companies."
The current swap agreement partners are NNPC trading subsidiary Duke Oil, an NNPC joint-venture called Calson, which is with Swiss trader Vitol, and another called Napoil, which is with commodities trader Trafigura.
Sources told Reuters that a non-incorporated joint venture between oil major BP and Nigermed Ltd was involved in such a deal and that Duke Oil's agreement would be done through Sahara Group.
Of these, Vitol, through Varo Energy, and BP directly operate refineries.
Other companies that put in bids for OPA agreements and have direct links to refineries include Litasco, Eni, Cepsa, Totsa, Essar, Saras and Eneos.
Reuters
State oil company NNPC said in a statement that the move was "designed to enshrine transparency and eliminate the activities of middlemen" in the swap scheme.
NNPC had shortlisted 44 companies for the swap agreements for 2016, also called "offshore processing arrangements" (OPAs), but said most of them did not directly operate refineries.
Getting oil products from such companies, NNPC said, would "constitute a significant value loss" for the country.
"Only bona fide owners of refineries identified in the ongoing OPA tender evaluation process will be further engaged," NNPC said in the statement.
Oil-rich Nigeria is reliant on imported gasoline, kerosene and other petroleum products. In addition to the swap arrangement, it also relies on an import subsidy scheme that is itself fraud-ridden and expensive.
Efforts to revamp its own long-neglected refineries this year have met with limited success.
NNPC is currently relying on interim swap agreements made in September after it cancelled the original 2015 deals because they were "skewed in favour of the companies."
The current swap agreement partners are NNPC trading subsidiary Duke Oil, an NNPC joint-venture called Calson, which is with Swiss trader Vitol, and another called Napoil, which is with commodities trader Trafigura.
Sources told Reuters that a non-incorporated joint venture between oil major BP and Nigermed Ltd was involved in such a deal and that Duke Oil's agreement would be done through Sahara Group.
Of these, Vitol, through Varo Energy, and BP directly operate refineries.
Other companies that put in bids for OPA agreements and have direct links to refineries include Litasco, Eni, Cepsa, Totsa, Essar, Saras and Eneos.
Reuters
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Video - Farmers in Nigeria seek more incentives
Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari says he plans to boost agriculture to create jobs and reduce the country's reliance on costly food imports.
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