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The Fear of Malta

 Pius Mordi 
In the heat of the allegation by Aliko Dangote that international oil companies and NNPCL were denying his refinery access to Nigerian crude oil to buy, some commentators wondered why Dangote did not do his homework and secure a guaranteed regular supply of crude oil from NNPCL and the IOCs before investing almost $20 billion into building what is reputed as the biggest refinery in the world.
 It’s an unusual assumption to make for a project the Nigerian government had repeatedly touted as the final solution to the spectre of importation of refined products that orchestrated the bleeding of the economy through a nebulous oil subsidy regime.
Apart from banking on it, the federal government had also invested public funds into the project.
 Initially put at 20 percent of the stakeholding, Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had claimed on May 22, 2023, when then President Muhammadu Buhari initially commissioned the refinery before its completion that the Dangote Group had paid back 70 percent of the loans it took to construct an oil refinery.
But earlier this July, Dangote himself announced that NNPCL’s shareholding has been whittled down over failure to pay the balance of the value of its stake in June.
 “Now, they only own a 7.2% stake in the refinery,” he declared.
On July 29, 2024, Dangote Refinery’s nightmare was summarily resolved.
President Tinubu unilaterally ordered NNPCL to sell crude oil and in naira to the refinery.
 In addition to committing to supply four of the 15 cargoes of crude oil required yearly at a cost of $13.5 billion, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved that the 450,000 barrels allocated for domestic consumption be offered in Naira to Nigerian refineries, using the Dangote refinery as a pivot.
The reprieve for Dangote came after curious but intriguing layers of false claims were put up by oil industry chiefs from NNPCL to undermine and justify their refusal sell crude oil to the refinery.
After the claim that Dangote’s products were inferior to imported ones fell like a pack of cards with the revelation that the refinery’s laboratory had certified that its own products have superior quality to the ones NNPCL imports, a false narrative was invented.
According to the story promoted by the state oil company, due to operational and technical problems, the refinery was reselling crude oil from the United States and Nigeria.
Stating that it is not authorised for it to resell crude acquired in Nigeria, Anthony Chiejine, Dangote Industries Limited spokesman, urged the public to disregard what he termed as false narratives intended to discredit the refinery.
 Not one to shy away from this sort of war being waged against his conglomerate, Aliko Dangote himself fought back.
He pointedly accused those running Nigeria’s oil industry of mischief for personal interests.
 He alleged some personnel of NNPCL, oil traders and terminals have opened a blending plant in Malta, affirming that the areas of the blending plants are known.
 Pointedly, he said “Some of the terminals, some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened a blending plant somewhere off Malta,” he said.
“We all know these areas. We know what they are doing.”
More than the support Nigerians gave to Dangote in the face of the illogical attempts by NNPCL bigwigs to cripple the refinery, his allegation ruffled feathers.
 Although no names were mentioned, top state operatives queued to exonerate themselves.
 Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director of NNPCL, went a step further to dare Dangote to name the culprits.
The billionaire didn’t have to go that far for the impact was instantaneous.
Even Oando plc which Dangote never mentioned got involved.
 In a tweet amplified by Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman amplified, he said Oando, “Nigeria’s leading indigenous oil firm” debunked rumours that its directors are the owners of an oil blending plant in Malta.
The oil business is denominated in dollars with the chain so complex that Nigeria could have earned incomes across various frontiers.
 The National Shipping Policy enunciated by Ibrahim Babangida’s administration had stipulated that Nigerian-owned ships should be involved in the affreightment of crude oil export.
The policy stipulated that they should be allowed to lift at least 50 percent of crude oil exports.
 Indigenous shipping companies have noted that more than $600 million is spent annually for the transportation of crude oil across the oceans.
Enabling them to be part of it could potentially plough $300 million of that back into the economy.
And given that oil is lifted under Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) terms, more income could have been earned by Nigeria if local insurance companies were involved in the provision of marine insurance cover.
NNPCL rebuffed every move to involve Nigerian companies in the lucrative, but oily business.
 Tinubu’s intervention is timely and appropriate. The only issue is why it took this long for him to call NNPCL top guns to order.
But having started, he should go the whole hog.
Officials in the behemoth’s reputation for their infamous inclination to shield their operations from critical prying eyes of the public, including lawmakers is legendary.
 They definitely misfired in their latest venture to cripple an organisation Nigerians had pinned their hope on getting refined products at a cheaper rate.
 The cartel is powerful, very powerful. They are richer than Nigeria and the government and can go all the way to maintain the status quo.
President Tinubu should sustain the tempo of his intervention and complete the job.
He should get rid of the present crop of managers of the subsidiaries of NNPCL as well as the behemoth itself and open up the company to public scrutiny.
 Will he, can he?
Mr Pius Mordi is a maritime journalist and an Aide to the Delta State governor
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Customs

Beyond euphoria of WCO chairmanship: Stakeholders urge Nigeria to translate global Customs ascendency to reformation of Port industry

Funso OLOJO

The stakeholders at the maritime industry were firm and unanimous in their admonition that the Nigerian government should leverage the ascendency of Nigeria to global Customs top hierarchy to position the Port industry into a world player with improved port efficiency, world class infrastructure and automated port system.
It could be recalled that the Comptroller- General of Customs,  Adewale Adeniyi, in June, 2025 became the first Nigerian to be elected as the Chairman of the World Customs Organization(WCO).
His historic election elicited wild jubilation and encomiums as Nigerians expressed undisguised happiness over the feat.
However, maritime experts who spoke at the one- day seminar organized by the League of Maritime Editors(LOME) in Lagos on Tuesday, September 30th,2025, warned that Nigerians should not be carried away with the historic feat.
The lead speaker, Dr Eugene Nweke, the Head of Research at Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC), who spoke on the theme of the seminar “Nigeria ‘s Chairmanship of WCO Council: The Impact on Nation’s Economy” advised that the position is not a trophy to decorate the shelf but rather it was a call to duty and a rare opportunity for the country to leverage  the feat to stimulate its maritime industry.
 Represented by Francis Aneze-Chukwu, Dr Nweke,  said the country’s new  customs global status will pale into insignificance if Nigeria fails to leverage the position to improve Port efficiency, engender reforms and strengthen regulatory laws to protect legitimate trade
Addressing the gathering which cut across operators of the port industry,  Nweke declared that Nigeria’s July 1, 2025 assumption of the WCO Council chair—an institution representing over 180 customs administrations and 98 percent of world trade—places the nation under an unforgiving global spotlight.
“This position is not for celebration alone; it is power to influence customs standards and champion Africa’s trade future. Leadership without domestic discipline is hollow,” he said.
He warned that despite Customs generating ₦1.3 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, port congestion and inefficiencies continue to drain an estimated $4 billion annually.
Nweke outlined six key reforms under Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi—Time Release Studies, data-driven inspections, advance ruling applications, the Authorized Economic Operator programme, the B’Odogwu single-window migration, and rapid cargo scanners—as the springboard to leverage Nigeria’s WCO status, but cautioned that infrastructure decay, policy flip-flops and entrenched bureaucracy could erode the gains.
Turning his focus to the media, he charged maritime journalists to “educate, interrogate and shape narratives” rather than indulge in “undue praises that make us a collective ridicule,” urging them to become professors of the maritime space and watchdogs of reform.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Dr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima,  who was also represented by Mrs Margaret Ogbonna, Director Regulatory Services department, insisted that Nigeria’s international leadership must be matched by “strong, clear and enforceable laws” to regulate ports and protect shippers.
He called for the urgent passage of the Nigerian Port Economic Regulatory Agency Bill to give the NSC a statutory mandate to curb monopolies, enforce competition and end opaque concession renewals.
 “The world is watching Nigeria, and credibility abroad will only be matched by credibility at home,” he warned.
The  former General Manager of Public Affairs at the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogwu, reminded the gathering that the Customs Service remains the frontline enforcer of border laws and the first symbol of government authority at every port.
“For us who are professionals, the rest of you can look at the signboards and say NPA ports, but we insiders know it is first a customs area.
“That is where customs enforce all border fiscal regulations, demonstrate trade facilitation, and show that they can attract foreign investment,” he said.
While congratulating the Comptroller-General on his global appointment, Ebubeogwu warned that the WCO Council is a “salad of interests—country interests, regional interests, diplomacy and politics,” and urged stakeholders to rally behind Adeniyi to protect Nigeria’s and Africa’s stake in the organization.
 He called on the maritime press to “manage his image and talk up his reputation” so that Nigeria’s tenure at the WCO strengthens the nation’s profile rather than diminishes it.
Earlier in her welcome address, President of the League of Maritime Editors, Mrs. Remi Itie, described Adeniyi’s election as “a historic moment for Nigeria” and a clear signal of the country’s growing influence in global customs affairs.
She noted that as WCO chair, Adeniyi now provides strategic leadership to the global customs agenda on trade facilitation, revenue optimization, security, and digital transformation.
But she challenged participants to go beyond celebration and interrogate how this elevation will “boost the nation’s growth index and possibly change the narrative concerning Nigeria’s trade and image abroad.”
Calling on government to harness the country’s maritime potential to create jobs for Nigeria’s vast youth population, Itie urged coastal states to look beyond federal allocations and invest in maritime opportunities such as seafaring, fishing, agro-tourism and coastal security.
“We cannot run away from global trade,” she said. “Nigeria has the natural resources to create more jobs through the nation’s maritime potentials.”
The speakers and stakeholders agreed that Nigeria’s WCO chairmanship offers a rare chance to align with global best practices on customs governance and trade facilitation.
But they stressed that prestige alone will not cut cargo dwell times that still average 20–25 days—among the worst in West Africa—nor end the corruption and inefficiency that cost traders billions.
 “Let Customs deliver, let industry comply, and let the press profess,” Nweke charged.
The speakers were unanimous in their conviction and submission that  Nigeria’s new global customs power is a weapon.
They believed that without decisive reforms, strong laws and relentless enforcement, the global recognition will remain an unused sword while the nation’s ports will continue to wallow in inefficiency and corruption.
The event witnessed presentations  of awards to deserving industry players such as the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council NSC Barrister Pius Akutah, the Controller of Lagos A Federal Operations unit of Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller MS Shuaibu.
Others were the Tin Can Island Customs Area Controller,  Comptroller Frank Onyeka, the Assistant Comptroller- General Babatunde Olomu and the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola.
Charles Edike, a retired Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs(ACG) presided over the event.
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NRC gears up for resumption of Abuja–Kaduna train services, opens platform for ticket payment 

Funso OLOJO 
Ahead of the scheduled resumption of passenger services on the Abuja–Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC) has opened the online ticketing platform for payment.
According to the NRC management, passengers are encouraged to book their tickets online via https://nrc.tps.ng or visit any of the designated stations to purchase their tickets.
“In preparation for the resumption of services, the journey time has been reduced following a review of the Temporary Speed Restriction (TSR) to enhance operations.
” The new schedule is as follows:
 New Timetable
Abuja – Kaduna
Idu: 8:45 AM
Kubwa: 9:10 AM
Rigasa (Arrive): 11:47 AM
Kaduna – Abuja
Rigasa: 2:30 PM
Kubwa: 5:12 PM
Idu (Arrive): 5:32 PM
“The NRC appreciates the patience and understanding of its esteemed passengers during the suspension period and assures the public that safety, comfort, and customer satisfaction remain our top priorities” the NRC declared.
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Resident alleges threat to life over report of vandalized Lagos Water Corporation infrastructure 

Our reporter
A middle aged man, Mayowa Alonge, has been accused of vandalizing a critical infrastructure belonging to the Lagos State Water Corporation (LSWC).
 The incident occurred at No. 9, Ago-Owu Street, off Kayode Street, Onipanu, Lagos State, where Alonge allegedly broke the bricks and removed the iron lid cover protecting a major pipeline interjection station along the railway axis connecting Ijora Olopa to Iju Waterworks.
According to Niyi Kolawole, the complainant and administrator of the affected family property, Alonge reportedly told some residents in October 2024 that he intended to remove the heavy iron lid of over a century-old interjection point of the LSWC pipeline in the area.
Few days later, it was observed that the bricks had been broken and the heavy iron lid over the manhole had been removed.
 This incident reportedly occurred around October 2024.
On noticing that Alonge has  allegedly  went ahead with the removal of the iron , sparking safety concerns and due to the potential environmental and safety hazards posed by the vandalism, Niyi Kolawole promptly notified the Lagos State Water Corporation in January 2025.
Prior to this, on December 13, 2024, Kolawole had submitted a petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Police,  State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Panti,Yaba, Lagos, detailing the vandalism and requesting that the alleged culprit be investigated and held accountable.
Niyi Kolawole further said, he  also wrote the Lagos State Governor on the issue, of which he later saw the letter minuted to the Lagos State Water Corporation for action , but nothing has been done up till now.
Kolawole further alleged that Mayowa Alonge was invited by the police and reportedly confessed to committing the crime and selling the iron for ₦133,000.
He also said Alonge later claimed to have bribed the officers in charge with ₦350,000 to have the case dropped.
He further alleged that during a visit to the State CID at Panti for verification, some police officers pressured him to drop the case, with one officer reportedly threatening to detain him if he returned.
Although petitions were sent to the Lagos State Government, the DCP,  Panti and the Managing Director of Lagos State Water Corporation and agents visited the crime scene to verify the claims, no action has been taken to address the issue so far .
Furthermore, Kolawole said for being a good citizen by reporting such collateral damage to government asset and threat to human lives , instead of being commended, he is being threatened, including Mayowa Alonge and his relatives, lamenting that his life and  that of his family is in great danger.
Kolawole is therefore urging the Lagos State Government to urgently secure the manhole with a durable lid like the old type to prevent flooding and potential accidents involving children and pedestrians, particularly as the culprit continues to evade justice and community safety being risked.
In response  to our reporter phone call, the accused, Mayowa Alonge, said he removed the said Lagos State Water Cooperation manhole lid when they carried out renovation  of their grand father’s house where they currently reside at No 9,Ago- Owu Street, off Kayode Street, Onipanu.
The renovation, he said, was jointly funded with Debo Kolawole who is his cousin and a brother to Niyi.
He further  explained that the manhole lid is  located at the setback between their house and the railway line known as railway axis interjection station running from Ijora Olopa to Iju Water Works, Lagos State.
Alonge  further said Niyi petitioned the State Criminal Investigation Department(SCID), Musiliu Smith Street, Panti -Yaba, Lagos accusing him of taking the said lid and sold to scrap metal dealers.
 “I never sold the water Cooperation manhole lid nor bragged of bribing the police.
“I told the police I sold the metal scraps removed from the renovated house for ₦133,000.
“The police however ordered me to go and replace the lid. I have not been able to do so because I presently do not have any job to enable me fund it. Am hopeful of doing so soonest”, Mayowa Alonge, the accused, told our reporter on phone .
On the other hand , when our reporter called the Chief Security Officer(CSO) of the Lagos State Water Cooperation, Mr Babajide Kassim and Mr Bimbo an independent security agent sent to investigate the vandalism, both declined to speak when contacted.
They both evaded answering the questions  from our reporter that  bothered on safety of Lagosians and criminality rather was seeking to know  how our reporter was able to get  their phone numbers regardless of the fact they are public figures. They however abruptly terminated the calls with our reporter.
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