Economy

US tackles OPEC over rising Oil prices

Joe Biden, US President

—-rallies allies to saturate global market with excess supply

Eyewitness reporter with agency report

Amidst controlled supplies of oil in the international market by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) and its allies( OPEC +), which has raised global oil prices, the United States of America (USA) has perfected a plan to crash the soaring oil prices.

To achieve this, the US has beckoned on its allies to join it in releasing their strategic oil reserves that will saturate the global oil market with excess supply and crash the galloping prices of crude.

The Joe Biden administration came to this conclusion as the last resort after its appeal to OPEC and its allies, OPEC+, to raise production quota to boost oil supplies failed.

Consequently, governments from some of the world’s biggest economies may have agreed with the US in principle when they said they were looking into releasing oil from their strategic reserves, after a rare US request for a coordinated move to cool global energy prices ahead of a meeting of major oil-producing nations.

The Biden administration has asked a wide range of countries, including China for the first time, to consider releasing stocks of crude.

Other major consumers India, Japan and South Korea were also involved in discussions.

As the world economy rebounds from the pandemic, Washington and other nations have been frustrated that producers in OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies such as Russia, have rebuffed US requests to speed up additional oil supplies.

OPEC nations, for their part, have said that world economies remain too fragile to warrant increasing supplies quickly.

To that end, the market slumped on Friday after Austria announced that it would reimpose a full nationwide lockdown due to soaring coronavirus cases, and Germany, Europe’s largest economy, may soon follow suit.

International benchmark Brent was down 2.7 percent to US$79.11 (RM330) a barrel, the lowest since early October.

The market has been weakening for several weeks as investors have started to anticipate an increase in supply worldwide.

With gasoline prices and other costs rising, Democratic US President Joe Biden also faces political pressure ahead of midterm congressional elections next year.

A Reuters poll in October showed 67 percent of US adults agreed that inflation is a very big concern.

Members of Biden’s national security team had discussed the need to meet fuel demand, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said.

“That is an ongoing conversation and one we are having with a number of partners,” she added.

OPEC+ plans to meet on December 2nd, 2021.

The group has been raising output by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) per month, gradually unwinding record production cuts made in 2020 when the pandemic dissipated fuel demand.

This week, Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo said OPEC expects an oil supply surplus to begin building next month.

Other countries have been pressing OPEC for some time, including China and India.

“This is not a case of supplies not being available,” Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Oil Minister, told a conference in Dubai on Wednesday.

“There are five million barrels a day of supplies available which have not been released for whatever reason.”

While OPEC+ has been raising oil output by 400,000 bpd per month since July, the producer group still has about 3.8 million bpd in supply cuts that it has not yet returned to the market.

Several of the group’s members have been unable to meet production targets due to years of under-investment.

“Half of (OPEC+’s) members can’t meet their quotas given their own under-investment,” Goldman Sachs analysts said.

OPEC+ in April 2020 cut output by more than 10 million barrels a day in response to the swift spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

China’s state reserve bureau told Reuters it was working on a release of crude oil reserves, but declined to comment on the US request.

It would also mark the first time that China, the world’s No. 2 oil consumer and largest importer, would be involved in a coordinated release with the United States.

China held its first-ever public auction of oil reserves in September.

Consultancy Energy Aspects said in a note to clients that Beijing is expected to release another 10 million to 15 million barrels of crude from its reserves in eastern Zhoushan in its next auction round.

“Any oil released from the Chinese SPR needs to be refilled within 90 days,” Energy Aspects said.

“The market should focus on where these countries will find crude to refill these tanks given just how low stocks are.”

The United States has the largest strategic reserve at more than 600 million barrels.

The US SPR was set up in the 1970s after the Arab Oil Embargo to ensure the nation had adequate supply to weather an emergency.

In the last several years, the shale boom has pushed US output to rival that of Saudi Arabia and Russia.

That has enabled the United States to become less dependent on energy imports from other nations, particularly members of OPEC.

The United States and its allies have coordinated strategic petroleum reserve releases before, such as in 2011 when supplies were hit by war in OPEC member Libya.

Economy

Dangote splashes N720bn on 4000 CNG- powered trucks, lifts 42m MSMEs

–as Presidency, stakeholders hail bold move

Funso OLOJO

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has invested over N720 billion to implement its landmark initiative of deploying 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks for the nationwide distribution of petroleum products, which is expected to save Nigerians over N1.7 trillion annually.

This bold step will see the privately-owned refinery absorb over N1.07 trillion annually in fuel distribution costs.

The initiative is also poised to significantly benefit over 42 million Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) by reducing energy costs and enhancing profitability.

The initiative, which eliminates transportation costs for fuel marketers and large-scale consumers, is expected to help reduce pump prices and inflation.

From 15 August, Dangote will begin the direct delivery of petrol and diesel to filling stations, industrial facilities, and other high-volume consumers.

According to a statement from the refinery, it aims to meet Nigeria’s daily consumption of 65 million litres of refined petroleum products.

This includes 45 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 15 million litres of diesel, and 5 million litres of aviation fuel.

With the average logistics cost estimated at N45 per litre, the refinery will cover over N1.07trn annually in free distribution expenses.

Dangote Group is investing N720 billion in the acquisition of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks as well as the establishment of nationwide CNG ‘mother and daughter’ stations, among other infrastructure to implement the free distribution initiative.

This strategic programme forms part of Dangote’s broader commitment to eliminating logistics bottlenecks, enhancing energy efficiency, promoting environmental sustainability, and supporting Nigeria’s economic development.

The company noted that lower fuel distribution costs will help reduce production costs, ease inflationary pressures, and stimulate economic growth.

The initiative is also expected to resuscitate dormant filling stations, fostering job creation in the process.

Over 15,000 direct jobs are projected to be created across the logistics chain, including drivers, station managers, and attendants at the CNG stations.

The refinery also emphasised that this programme would help curb cross-border smuggling of petroleum products and support a more efficient and environmentally friendly distribution system.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has described the initiative as a pivotal moment in the Federal Government’s push to mainstream gas-powered transportation.

Commercial Coordinator of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), Tosin Coker, praised the move as a strong vote of confidence in Nigeria’s gas-fuelled future.

“Dangote Group’s acquisition of 4,000 CNG trucks is not only impressive in scale but also highly strategic,” he said.

“It signals to the market that CNG is no longer a distant prospect but a current, practical solution to high energy costs, emissions, and supply chain challenges.

” PCNGI regards this as a milestone achievement in our efforts to accelerate gas-powered transport adoption.”

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) also commended the development, calling it a timely resolution to longstanding challenges in the downstream sector.

IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, stated that the new model would significantly reduce logistical burdens for independent marketers by delivering more affordable fuel directly to filling stations.

“Our pipelines have been non-functional for years, yet nothing has been done to revive the infrastructure linking the country’s 21 depots.

“We’ve had to rely on expensive transport from coastal depots,” Ukadike said.

“Dangote’s intervention lifts a huge burden off the shoulders of independent marketers.”

Development Economist and Policy Analyst, Professor Ken Ife, said the initiative would drive down the price of PMS and yield widespread benefits for Nigerians.

CEO, Financial Derivatives Company, Bismarck Rewane, dismissed concerns about the refinery becoming a monopoly, arguing that inefficiencies in the sector have been systemic and long-standing.

He added that the scheme would help curb the parasitic role traditionally played by middlemen.

“What Dangote is doing achieves two key objectives: delivering products across the entire country at a uniform price by eliminating bridging costs, and significantly reducing logistics expenses through the use of CNG-powered trucks to reach every corner of the nation.

“In economic terms, middlemen—who typically do not invest—are often viewed as parasitic, extracting margins simply for distributing goods.

“Dangote is bypassing this layer by directly handling distribution and, notably, providing credit facilities to the retail end of the business,” he said.

Energy expert and co-founder of Dairy Hills, Kelvin Emmanuel, said Dangote’s decision to absorb logistics costs marks a turning point that could finally allow Nigerians to enjoy the benefits of local refining.

Energy analyst Ibukun Phillips described the move as “revolutionary”, suggesting it could reshape Nigeria’s energy sector by improving affordability and access, particularly in rural communities.

“Rural consumers, who typically pay more despite earning less, stand to benefit immensely.

“This could also revive abandoned filling stations and promote equitable distribution,” she explained.

Economy

NNPCL raises alarm over syndicated attacks to distract leadership from ongoing reforms

Funso OLOJO

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has raised the alarm over what it described as a coordinated sabotage campaign on its management.

In a statement by the management of the Corporation, the attack was being sponsored by whom it described as ‘known and faceless actors’ to distract its management from its reform agenda that is meant to rid the corporation of the endemic corruption that has eaten deep into the operations of the national oil company.

” The management of NNPCL has uncovered an emerging coordinated sabotage campaign being waged by a syndicate of known and faceless actors, both outside and within various levels of the organisation.

“This group is actively spreading lies and misinformation simply to discredit NNPC Ltd.’s leadership and derail the organisation’s ongoing transformation into a corruption-free, performance-driven energy company, in line with the mandate of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Their tactics include planting scandalous and fabricated reports, curated to distract leadership, mislead the public, and undermine the commitment of our dedicated workforce and reform-minded Nigerians.

“These are calculated efforts by those who feel threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change—clear evidence of the lengths to which they will go to obstruct the transformation of Nigeria’s foremost energy institution.

“We expect a surge of defamatory content in the days and weeks ahead.

” NNPC Ltd. remains undeterred. The transformation is underway, and no amount of sabotage will stop it.

“We urge our dedicated staff, stakeholders, and all patriotic Nigerians to stay focused, ignore the noise and not be discouraged. We remain on mission.

It could be recalled that after the removal of Mele Kyari as the Group Managing Director of the NNPCL, the new management uncovered an homonguous scale of misappropriation of public funds running into billions of dollars which led to the sack of some of the senior staff, including the Managing Directors of the State- owned Refineries.

The investigation launched into the financial recklessness of the past administration of the NNPCL involved the sum of $2.96billion.

In May,2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) detained Mr Kyari over the investigation.

The anti- graft agency also uncovered a staggering N80 billion in multiple bank accounts belonging to one of the sacked Managing Directors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) refineries.

The discovery was part of an ongoing investigation into the alleged misappropriation of $2.96 billion for refinery rehabilitation.

It could also be recalled that the anti-graft agency arrested former managing directors and senior officials of the three major state-owned refineries, including Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC), and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC).

Also recall the new NNPCL management had also fired the Managing Directors of the three refineries under its purview

Economy

Dangote Refinery purchases 4,000 CNG tankers for direct distribution of petrol, diesel to marketers, dealers

Funso OLOJO

The Dangote Refinery has concluded plans to commence direct sales and distribution of Petroleum Motor Spirit(PMS) known as petrol and Automotive Gas Oil(AGO) known as diesel to consumers nationwide.

This initiative, said the management of the Refinery, is meant to make the products accessible and cheaper to the final users as the cost of logistics will be borne by the Refinery.

To this end, the Refinery has purchased a total of 4000 CNG – powered tankers for this purpose.

The initiative, declared the Refinery management, is designed to transform Nigeria’s fuel distribution landscape.

“Effective 15th of August 2025, the Refinery will begin the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and diesel to marketers, petrol dealers, manufacturers, telecoms firms, aviation, and other large users across the country, with free logistics to boost distribution network.

“To ensure smooth take-off of this scheme, Dangote Refinery has invested in the procurement of 4,000 brand-new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers.

“This phase of the programme will continue over an extended timeframe.

“The refinery is also investing in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations, commonly referred to as daughter booster stations, supported by a fleet of over 100 CNG tankers across the country to ensure seamless product distribution.

“This strategic programme is part of our broader commitment to eliminating logistics costs, enhancing energy efficiency, promoting sustainability and supporting Nigeria’s economic development.

“It affirms our dedication to improving the availability and affordability of fuel, in support of broader efforts to strengthen the economy and improve the well-being of all Nigerians.

“Under this initiative, all petrol stations purchasing PMS and diesel from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will benefit from this enhanced logistics support.

“Key sectors such as manufacturing, telecommunications, and others will also gain from this transformative initiative, as reduced fuel costs will contribute to lower production costs, reduced inflation, and foster economic growth.

“Players in these key sectors and others can purchase directly from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

“In addition, the refinery will offer a credit facility to those purchasing a minimum of 500,000 litres—allowing them to obtain an additional 500,000 litres on credit for two weeks, under bank guarantee.

“This pioneering effort marks a major milestone in our vision to revolutionise Nigeria’s energy sector.

“Dangote Refinery is dedicated to ensuring that no place is left behind.

“Our goal is to provide equitable access to affordable fuel for all Nigerians, regardless of location, making energy more accessible and sustainable for everyone, wherever they may be.

“It is expected to revitalise previously inactive petrol stations, thereby driving job creation, stimulating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), increasing government revenue, improving fuel access in rural and underserved communities, and strengthening investor confidence in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.

“This initiative is inline with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reflecting our shared commitment to economic progress, stability, and inclusive development.

“We sincerely thank the Federal Government for its continued support, especially through the Naira-for-Crude scheme, which has helped stabilise fuel supply amid global price volatility.

“It marks a major revolution in the midstream and downstream sectors and stands as a key example of President Bola Tinubu’s bold and reformative economic policies.

“We invite marketers, petrol dealers, manufacturers, telecom companies, and all key stakeholders to embrace this landmark initiative.

“The registration process, including Know Your Customer (KYC) verification, will take place from 16 June to 15 August, spanning a total of 60 days” the management of the Refinery declared in a statement.