For the second time in two weeks, Nigeria has avoided a halt to its aviation sector after a surge in jet fuel prices. Emergency talks between airlines and government ministers led to a new tax waiver and a subsidized direct fuel supply for carriers.
Monday, May 25, 2026
Video - Nigeria averts aviation shutdown over fuel dispute
For the second time in two weeks, Nigeria has avoided a halt to its aviation sector after a surge in jet fuel prices. Emergency talks between airlines and government ministers led to a new tax waiver and a subsidized direct fuel supply for carriers.
President Tinubu to run for second term after party primary win
The ruling All Progressives Congress party held its presidential primaries on Saturday after a surprise candidate, Stanley Osifo, challenged Tinubu.
The president ended up getting nearly 11 million votes against 16,500 for Osifo.
Tinubu has won plaudits from foreign investors after rolling out some of Nigeria's boldest reforms, including the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies, ending foreign exchange controls and overhauling the tax code.
The president's chances of re-election were enhanced after an opposition pact to field a single candidate against Tinubu collapsed earlier this month.
Tinubu came into office in 2023 after winning against his two main rivals, who unsuccessfully challenged the result in court, alleging the vote was rigged. Tinubu said he won fairly.
Nigeria Military Issues Security Alert Ahead of Eid-el-Kabir Celebrations
Nigerian military has warned of possibility of attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists on civilian targets using suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices during next Wednesday’s Eid-el-Kabir celebrations across the North East.
The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) gave the warning in a security advisory ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration on Monday in Maiduguri.
In the security advisory signed by its spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) said the terrorists may target areas of high population concentration during the celebrations.
But the Theatre Command assured the public that these threats have been thoroughly anticipated, hence, troops have been forward deployed to critical and vulnerable locations across all sectors of the Theatre ahead of the celebrations.
It also assured that surveillance and ISR assets have been fully activated, patrols have been intensified, and security forces are operating in close coordination with sister agencies, the CJTF, and community vigilance groups to forestall any threat and guarantee a secure festive period for all residents.
The Theatre Command also listed security guidance that members of the public should observe in the days leading up to and throughout the celebrations
The secirity guidance include conduct of Eid prayers and festivities as close to their homes and familiar localities as possible, avoiding large open gatherings where practicable while exercing heightened vigilance in crowded public spaces such as markets, motor parks, banking halls, and prayer grounds.
The Command also urged members of the public to report any suspicious persons, unattended objects, or unusual movements to the nearest military checkpoint, police station, or civil-military liaison point immediately and to cooperate fully with security personnel during patrols and screening operations.
In addition, members of the public are advised to avoid unnecessary movement, particularly at night or in areas with limited security presence.
The Command also urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information or rumours capable of causing public panic and instead, rely on official information from verified government and security channels.
“The Theatre Command calls on traditional rulers, religious leaders, media organisations and community stakeholders to actively engage their communities and encourage the timely reporting of credible security information ahead of and during the celebration period. Your cooperation with security forces remains invaluable to the success of ongoing operations.
“Operation HADIN KAI reassures all residents of the North East that troops are on standby, fully prepared, and firmly in control. The Command remains resolute in its determination to deny terrorists any freedom of action and ensure that the Eid El Kabir celebrations proceed in an atmosphere of peace, safety, and dignity for all. The Theatre Command wishes the entire Muslim community a peaceful and rewarding Eid El Kabir celebration,” the statement concluded.
By Ayorinde Oluokun, PM News
The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) gave the warning in a security advisory ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration on Monday in Maiduguri.
In the security advisory signed by its spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) said the terrorists may target areas of high population concentration during the celebrations.
But the Theatre Command assured the public that these threats have been thoroughly anticipated, hence, troops have been forward deployed to critical and vulnerable locations across all sectors of the Theatre ahead of the celebrations.
It also assured that surveillance and ISR assets have been fully activated, patrols have been intensified, and security forces are operating in close coordination with sister agencies, the CJTF, and community vigilance groups to forestall any threat and guarantee a secure festive period for all residents.
The Theatre Command also listed security guidance that members of the public should observe in the days leading up to and throughout the celebrations
The secirity guidance include conduct of Eid prayers and festivities as close to their homes and familiar localities as possible, avoiding large open gatherings where practicable while exercing heightened vigilance in crowded public spaces such as markets, motor parks, banking halls, and prayer grounds.
The Command also urged members of the public to report any suspicious persons, unattended objects, or unusual movements to the nearest military checkpoint, police station, or civil-military liaison point immediately and to cooperate fully with security personnel during patrols and screening operations.
In addition, members of the public are advised to avoid unnecessary movement, particularly at night or in areas with limited security presence.
The Command also urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information or rumours capable of causing public panic and instead, rely on official information from verified government and security channels.
“The Theatre Command calls on traditional rulers, religious leaders, media organisations and community stakeholders to actively engage their communities and encourage the timely reporting of credible security information ahead of and during the celebration period. Your cooperation with security forces remains invaluable to the success of ongoing operations.
“Operation HADIN KAI reassures all residents of the North East that troops are on standby, fully prepared, and firmly in control. The Command remains resolute in its determination to deny terrorists any freedom of action and ensure that the Eid El Kabir celebrations proceed in an atmosphere of peace, safety, and dignity for all. The Theatre Command wishes the entire Muslim community a peaceful and rewarding Eid El Kabir celebration,” the statement concluded.
By Ayorinde Oluokun, PM News
Related story: Boko Haram kill 33 fishermen, loggers in Nigeria
Friday, May 22, 2026
Massive Drug Bust: Nigeria Smashes Meth Cartel and Captures Kingpin
Nigeria's anti-drug agency said it had dismantled a methamphetamine syndicate in the largest seizure of its kind in the country, seizing drugs and chemicals worth about $363 million and arresting 10 suspects, including three Mexicans.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said late on Wednesday that coordinated raids on a farm in Ogun state and linked properties in Lagos state, southwest Nigeria, uncovered an industrial-scale clandestine laboratory and yielded 2.4 tons of methamphetamine and chemical materials.
NDLEA chief Mohamed Buba Marwa said the operation, carried out over 48 hours after months of intelligence work, exposed a network importing foreign "technical expertise" to produce drugs locally.
Seven suspects, including three Mexicans described as meth "cooks", were arrested at the farm used as a lab in Ogun state's Abidagba forest, while the alleged mastermind, Anochili Innocent, a Nigerian, was detained at his Lagos residence. Follow-up operations brought total arrests to 10, the agency said.
The agency said the scale of the haul, equivalent to millions of street doses, highlighted a shift by drug cartels towards setting up production bases in Nigeria.
The crackdown underscores Nigeria's growing role as both a transit and manufacturing hub in the global illegal drugs trade.
Illegal trade has been growing in Nigeria and West Africa, where porous borders allow cartels to expand logistics networks and links to Latin American trafficking groups.
Marwa said the agency will step up its crackdown on local and transnational networks across the country.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said late on Wednesday that coordinated raids on a farm in Ogun state and linked properties in Lagos state, southwest Nigeria, uncovered an industrial-scale clandestine laboratory and yielded 2.4 tons of methamphetamine and chemical materials.
NDLEA chief Mohamed Buba Marwa said the operation, carried out over 48 hours after months of intelligence work, exposed a network importing foreign "technical expertise" to produce drugs locally.
Seven suspects, including three Mexicans described as meth "cooks", were arrested at the farm used as a lab in Ogun state's Abidagba forest, while the alleged mastermind, Anochili Innocent, a Nigerian, was detained at his Lagos residence. Follow-up operations brought total arrests to 10, the agency said.
The agency said the scale of the haul, equivalent to millions of street doses, highlighted a shift by drug cartels towards setting up production bases in Nigeria.
The crackdown underscores Nigeria's growing role as both a transit and manufacturing hub in the global illegal drugs trade.
Illegal trade has been growing in Nigeria and West Africa, where porous borders allow cartels to expand logistics networks and links to Latin American trafficking groups.
Marwa said the agency will step up its crackdown on local and transnational networks across the country.
By Camillus Eboh, Reuters
Chinese investors may take control of Nigeria’s refineries in massive NNPC shake-up
Nigeria may soon hand majority control of two of its most strategic oil assets to Chinese investors as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited pushes a new plan to revive the country’s troubled refineries after years of failed rehabilitation efforts.
The proposal, which insiders say is being modelled on the successful Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas structure, could see Chinese firms acquire up to 51 per cent of the equity in the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries under a long-term technical and commercial partnership with NNPC.
The development marks one of the most significant shifts yet in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector and could deepen China’s influence in Africa’s largest oil-producing economy at a time when the country is struggling to end decades of refinery inefficiency, fuel imports, and mounting public frustration.
The proposed arrangement emerged after NNPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese firms Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co., Ltd. during a meeting in Jiaxing City, China, on April 30, 2026.
The agreement was signed by NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, alongside the chairman of Sanjiang Chemical Company, Guan Jianzhong, and the chairman of Xinganchen Industrial Park Operation and Management Co., Ltd, Bill Bi.
Although officially described as a “potential technical equity partnership,” findings indicate the discussions go far beyond a traditional refinery rehabilitation contract.
The proposal, which insiders say is being modelled on the successful Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas structure, could see Chinese firms acquire up to 51 per cent of the equity in the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries under a long-term technical and commercial partnership with NNPC.
The development marks one of the most significant shifts yet in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector and could deepen China’s influence in Africa’s largest oil-producing economy at a time when the country is struggling to end decades of refinery inefficiency, fuel imports, and mounting public frustration.
The proposed arrangement emerged after NNPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Chinese firms Sanjiang Chemical Company Limited and Xinganchen (Fuzhou) Industrial Park Operation and Management Co., Ltd. during a meeting in Jiaxing City, China, on April 30, 2026.
The agreement was signed by NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, alongside the chairman of Sanjiang Chemical Company, Guan Jianzhong, and the chairman of Xinganchen Industrial Park Operation and Management Co., Ltd, Bill Bi.
Although officially described as a “potential technical equity partnership,” findings indicate the discussions go far beyond a traditional refinery rehabilitation contract.
NNPC adopts NLNG-style model
According to The Punch, sources familiar with the negotiations said the framework under consideration resembles the ownership structure of Nigeria LNG Limited, in which investors hold a majority stake, participate in governance, and remain actively involved in operations over the long term.
Under the proposed structure, the Chinese firms would not only help complete outstanding engineering and rehabilitation work at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, but could also become strategic co-owners with operational responsibilities tied directly to profitability and performance.
For years, Nigeria has spent billions of naira attempting to restore its state-owned refineries with little success. Despite repeated rehabilitation announcements, the facilities have continued to operate below expectations, forcing Africa’s top crude producer to depend heavily on imported refined petroleum products.
Industry analysts say the latest move suggests growing concerns within NNPC that previous refinery repair arrangements may not be sustainable without technically competent investors with financial stakes in the assets.
According to officials familiar with the agreement, the partnership would cover refinery operations and maintenance services to improve efficiency, reliability, and safety standards, while expanding refining capacity and producing cleaner fuels.
The discussions also include plans for petrochemical integration and gas-based industrial projects around the refinery complexes, potentially transforming the facilities into broader industrial hubs rather than standalone refineries.
“The scope includes capacity expansion, yield optimisation, petrochemical integration, and compliance with clean fuel standards, alongside exploration of gas-based industrial projects in Nigeria,” an NNPC official familiar with the discussions said.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Ojulari described the agreement as a major milestone following months of negotiations between both parties.
“All parties recognise mutually beneficial opportunities for the development and long-term sustainable profitability of NNPC’s refining assets in Nigeria and the collective weight required for success,” he said.
He added that the partnership represents an important step toward identifying technical equity partners capable of restarting and expanding the country’s struggling refineries.
However, officials stressed that the agreement remains non-binding and subject to extensive technical, financial, operational, legal, and regulatory due diligence before any final commercial arrangement can be executed.
The Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, said the model could help solve longstanding operational inefficiencies that have plagued Nigeria’s refining sector for decades.
According to him, the critical difference in the new arrangement is that the Chinese partners would become equity holders rather than ordinary contractors, giving them stronger incentives to ensure the facilities work efficiently and profitably.
“This is an innovative way of getting the assets to work in an efficient and sustainable way. The third party they have brought is taking equity. He’s a part-owner of the refinery and so would want the refinery to work so he can get returns on his investment,” Isong said.
The Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation project was previously awarded to Italian engineering company Maire Tecnimont, while separate rehabilitation work had also commenced at the Warri refinery.
If the talks progress into binding agreements, the deal could significantly reshape Nigeria’s downstream oil industry while expanding Chinese participation in the country’s refining, petrochemical, and gas sectors.
According to The Punch, sources familiar with the negotiations said the framework under consideration resembles the ownership structure of Nigeria LNG Limited, in which investors hold a majority stake, participate in governance, and remain actively involved in operations over the long term.
Under the proposed structure, the Chinese firms would not only help complete outstanding engineering and rehabilitation work at the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, but could also become strategic co-owners with operational responsibilities tied directly to profitability and performance.
For years, Nigeria has spent billions of naira attempting to restore its state-owned refineries with little success. Despite repeated rehabilitation announcements, the facilities have continued to operate below expectations, forcing Africa’s top crude producer to depend heavily on imported refined petroleum products.
Industry analysts say the latest move suggests growing concerns within NNPC that previous refinery repair arrangements may not be sustainable without technically competent investors with financial stakes in the assets.
According to officials familiar with the agreement, the partnership would cover refinery operations and maintenance services to improve efficiency, reliability, and safety standards, while expanding refining capacity and producing cleaner fuels.
The discussions also include plans for petrochemical integration and gas-based industrial projects around the refinery complexes, potentially transforming the facilities into broader industrial hubs rather than standalone refineries.
“The scope includes capacity expansion, yield optimisation, petrochemical integration, and compliance with clean fuel standards, alongside exploration of gas-based industrial projects in Nigeria,” an NNPC official familiar with the discussions said.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Ojulari described the agreement as a major milestone following months of negotiations between both parties.
“All parties recognise mutually beneficial opportunities for the development and long-term sustainable profitability of NNPC’s refining assets in Nigeria and the collective weight required for success,” he said.
He added that the partnership represents an important step toward identifying technical equity partners capable of restarting and expanding the country’s struggling refineries.
However, officials stressed that the agreement remains non-binding and subject to extensive technical, financial, operational, legal, and regulatory due diligence before any final commercial arrangement can be executed.
The Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, said the model could help solve longstanding operational inefficiencies that have plagued Nigeria’s refining sector for decades.
According to him, the critical difference in the new arrangement is that the Chinese partners would become equity holders rather than ordinary contractors, giving them stronger incentives to ensure the facilities work efficiently and profitably.
“This is an innovative way of getting the assets to work in an efficient and sustainable way. The third party they have brought is taking equity. He’s a part-owner of the refinery and so would want the refinery to work so he can get returns on his investment,” Isong said.
The Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation project was previously awarded to Italian engineering company Maire Tecnimont, while separate rehabilitation work had also commenced at the Warri refinery.
If the talks progress into binding agreements, the deal could significantly reshape Nigeria’s downstream oil industry while expanding Chinese participation in the country’s refining, petrochemical, and gas sectors.
By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa
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