News
Minister Urges NNPCL to Abandon State Refineries and Invest in Dangote

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has called on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to cease operations at Nigeria’s struggling Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri refineries.
He urged the company to instead shift focus toward acquiring a larger equity stake in the Dangote Refinery, a private sector-driven enterprise that is already making significant strides in boosting the country’s petroleum refining capacity.
Lokpobiri’s recommendation was made public during his speech at the ongoing Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria Summit in Lagos.
In his address, Lokpobiri, represented by Dangana Tende, Deputy Director of Upstream at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, stressed that the government is committed to fully implementing deregulation in the downstream sector of the oil industry.
He emphasized that NNPCL’s future should be tied to investment in private refineries, such as the Dangote Refinery, rather than operating outdated state-run refineries that have continuously failed to meet expectations.
He noted that “we urge the state oil company to take equity in the other upcoming refineries rather than focus on running state-owned ones.
The government will ensure that downstream deregulation is implemented 100 percent.”
This bold statement comes at a time when Nigeria’s four major refineries – Port Harcourt, Kaduna, and Warri – have remained non-functional for nearly 24 years, despite significant financial injections for turnaround maintenance.
These facilities, with a combined capacity of 445,000 barrels per day, have yet to produce any substantial output in decades, making Nigeria reliant on imports for refined petroleum products.
Over the years, the NNPCL has repeatedly made promises to bring the Port Harcourt Refinery back online, setting several deadlines for the production of petroleum products.
However, none of these targets have been met, and the refinery continues to drain resources without delivering results.
This situation has heightened the need for a shift in strategy, which Lokpobiri has firmly advocated for.
Meanwhile, the Dangote Refinery has emerged as a game-changer for Nigeria’s oil industry.
With a refining capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the facility began distributing Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) on September 15, 2024, with NNPCL acting as the sole off-taker.
This move is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel and stabilize the local market.
Currently, NNPCL holds only a 7.2 percent stake in the Dangote Refinery, a figure that Lokpobiri believes should be increased to reflect the government’s commitment to supporting private initiatives that contribute to national energy security.
He highlighted that investing more in the Dangote Refinery and other private refineries would be more beneficial for Nigeria’s future than continuing to pump resources into moribund state-run facilities.
The call to abandon the state-owned refineries has sparked conversations about the future of Nigeria’s oil industry, especially as the country moves towards full deregulation of the downstream sector.
Lokpobiri’s recommendation underscores the government’s intention to foster a competitive and efficient oil sector driven by private enterprise, as well as its determination to end the era of wasteful spending on refineries that offer little return on investment.
News
Peter Obi Questions Why Nnamdi Kanu Is Still in Detention

2027 presidential hopeful aspirant, Peter Obi, has questioned the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying the situation doesn’t make sense to him. Obi explained that he would push for a political solution to Kanu’s case and other similar issues across Nigeria rather than allowing them to drag on.
Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics, Obi said it was hard to understand why Kanu was still in detention over allegations like insulting those in power. When asked if he supports a political approach to the IPOB leader’s case, Obi responded, “Why is he still being held? It doesn’t make sense to me.
“Some say he used vulgar words… I haven’t seen it myself. But even if he did, it doesn’t affect me. If I’m president and people call me a thief or an idiot — as they already do — it doesn’t bother me. My job is to ensure people can feed themselves.”
He also stressed that the same approach would apply to similar situations across the country. “If there’s a bandit somewhere in the North East, I’ll go there and meet him. That’s how you create dialogue and say, enough is enough. After that, action will follow,” Obi added.
Entertainment
Seun Kuti Says Tinubu’s Policies Are to Protect Politicians Not Ordinary Nigerians

Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying his only real achievement so far is shielding criminals. Kuti believes most of Tinubu’s harsh economic policies were never about helping ordinary Nigerians but rather designed to protect the political elite from facing justice.
The Grammy-nominated musician also called out FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, saying Wike’s biggest concern during his latest media chat wasn’t about solving Nigeria’s problems but about the new opposition coalition trying to shake things up. According to Kuti, Wike was upset that some opposition politicians are now turning against Tinubu despite all the president has allegedly done to shield the political class.
In a video shared online, Kuti mocked Wike’s recent comments saying, “That media chat deserves some plots of land in my books. Wike even revealed that during Amaechi’s time as Rivers governor, his wife was allegedly collecting N4 billion monthly. It would’ve been nice if he mentioned how long that lasted.” He added that Wike and other Tinubu loyalists are only interested in protecting the status quo. “If you listened carefully, Wike wasn’t talking to Nigerians, he was warning the opposition politicians not to scatter things.”
Kuti stressed that when politicians claim Tinubu has made tough decisions for the country, it’s all a cover-up. “The only bold thing this president has done is bury crimes under more crimes. But for those crimes to stay buried, it takes wickedness. That’s why Nigerians are suffering. Something was taken from the people, and now we’re paying the price,” he said.
News
JCI Nigeria Hosts Collegiate Conference “LAYIPO ’25” in Ibadan For Young leaders

Ibadan is full with energy this week as student leaders from different universities and polytechnics across Nigeria troop into the city for this year’s JCI Nigeria Collegiate Conference, famously called LAYIPO ’25.
The conference, which is a key event for young people under the JCI Nigeria Collegiate body, is holding at Ilaji Resorts in Ibadan. It brings together hundreds of young, passionate individuals for leadership training, networking, and discussions aimed at building future changemakers.
In the weeks leading to the conference, there was a lot of excitement and anticipation both on radio and social media. One of the major highlights was the special LAYIPO ’25 session aired on Diamond FM, the University of Ibadan’s radio station, where people got more information about the event and what to expect.
As expected, the first day was filled with high energy. Football match took place between the different local organizations present. The opening ceremony was held on the second day. That day, delegates took part in sessions like Life After School (LAS), public speaking competition, alongside trainings about personal branding, and building ideas. Truly, the atmosphere amazing.
Throughout the conference, attendees have been participating in different training sessions covering topics like personal leadership, project management, campus development, and media relations. Earlier this year, JCI Nigeria Collegiate leaders visited the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ibadan as part of their preparations. This shows JCI Nigeria’s commitment to building partnerships and young leaders in Nigeria.
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