The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says Nigeria’s crude oil grades have become a steady preference for many European refiners. Maryamu Idris, executive director, crude and condensate, NNPC Trading Limited, said this at a panel presentation at the Argus European crude conference in London, United Kingdom. According to her, Nigerian crude flow to Europe increased after the ban on Russian crude caused a supply gap. Idris also said the Nigerian crude benefitted from the absence of Russian urals and diesel. She said six months before the war, 678,000 bpd of Nigerian crude grades went to Europe — compared to 710,000 bpd six months later and 730,000 bpd so far this year. “This trend makes it evident that Nigerian grades are increasingly becoming a significant component in the post-war palette of European refiners,” Idris said. “Several Nigerian distillate-rich grades have become a steady preference for many European refiners, given the absence of Russian Urals and diesel. “Forcados Blend, Escravos Light, Bonga, and Egina appear to be the most popular, and our latest addition — Nembe Crude – fits well into this basket.” However, Idris said Russian crude affected Nigeria’s crude export to India, as the European country offers a discounted price to the Asian nation. This, she said, led to a dip in demand from the once-dependable Asian market. According to Idris, in addition to the substantial price shocks impacting commodity and energy prices globally, the conflict triggered a situation where India – a primary destination for Nigerian grades — increased its appetite for discounted Russian barrels. “To illustrate the extent of this shift, Nigeria’s crude exports to India dwindled from approximately 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the six months preceding the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine to 194,000 in the subsequent six months afterwards,” Idris said “And so far, this year, only around 120,000 bpd of Nigerian crude volumes have made their way to India.” ‘NIGERIA FACED PRODUCTION CHALLENGES’ Idris said COVID-19 pandemic caused production challenges for Nigeria in the second half of 2022 and early 2023, with reduced investment and supply chain disruptions also contributing. She said ageing oil fields and oil theft contributed to the decline in production during the period. But Idris said the challenges were fast becoming a thing of the past with the implementation of a new framework for the domestic PIA 2021. This, she said, will rejuvenate the business landscape and reposition NNPC for a more commercial approach. Also, the director said NNPC has secured vital partnerships with notable financial institutions to promote upstream investments to restore and sustainably grow production capacity in the coming years. “NNPC Limited is championing concerted efforts in partnership with host communities and private stakeholders to address the security and environmental challenges in the Niger Delta to further fortify production growth,” she said. “We have already begun seeing significant progress on the rebound. In September 2023, Nigeria recorded its highest crude oil and condensate output in nearly two years, reaching 1.72 million barrels per day.” Idris said this is the beginning of the country’s production rebound.

  The Canadian high commission says its visa application centres in Abuja and Lagos remain open to the public despite the suspension of operations in the nation’s capital. The high commission announced a discontinuation of its services in Nigeria on Tuesday, hours after a fire outbreak gutted a section of its building in Abuja. The Canadian government said the explosion killed two people, including a locally engaged employee, adding that operations in Abuja had been suspended till further notice. However, in a statement released on Thursday by Demilade Kosemani of the public affairs department, the high commission said the suspension of operations did not affect visa applications. As we continue to mourn the passing of our dear colleague from the High Commission of Canada in Abuja, please note the following information below,” the statement reads. “Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC clients: processing of applications continues). “Regardless of the suspension of operations at the High Commission of Canada in Abuja, the Visa application centres in Abuja and Lagos remain open. For status updates send a webform. (https:// www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-status.html). “Consular assistance for Canadians in Nigeria who require emergency assistance: sos@international.gc.ca or +1 613 996 8885 or via our whatsapp on +1-613-909-8881.” The Canadian government had said it would work with local authorities to determine the cause of the explosion.

  Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday said his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike remains his principal. The governor stated this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the rededication service of the 2023/2024 Legal Year of the Rivers State Judiciary that was equally attended by Wike. The event was held at the Saint Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Hospital Road in the state capital. The moment Governor Fubara and Wike met at the rededication service of the 2023/2024 Legal Year at the Saint Cyprian’s Anglican Church in Port Harcourt. It was the first time both politicians would be meeting in public since the political crisis in the state. pic.twitter.com/dfyG7EiowA — Channels Television (@channelstv) November 9, 2023 He described the recent political crisis in the state as a thing of the past, calling again for peace in the oil-rich state. Fubara noted that Rivers State can if the actors and their supporters are peaceful. “My oga remains my oga. Whatever that has happened is in the past. I have not sent anybody to malign anybody,” the governor said. He said that although it has been a trying time for the state, the current phase of political misunderstanding will pass and the promises his administration made to the people will be delivered. The governor also warned those pledging support for him to stop using abusive words on perceived opponents, saying that he did not authorise them to malign anybody According to him, in trying to attain development, the devil will always attack, but that what is most important is to “identify the devil and push it out”. It was the first time the two politicians who were the major characters in the recent political fight would be meeting each other in public in the state. Wike who is the FCT Minister arrived at the church service almost at the end and had a handshake with his successor before sitting on the same row with him while the service lasted. At the start of his speech, Governor Fubara jokingly appealed to the congregants to suspend the recognition of guests in order not to commit another impeachable offence.

  Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday damaged two mosques in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of completely destroyed mosques in the current conflict to 59 and partially destroyed mosques to 136, according to Gaza’s Interior Ministry. “Israeli occupation aircraft bombed and completely destroyed Khalid bin al-Walid and Al-Ikhlas mosques in Khan Yunis,” said a ministry statement. Ikrami al-Mudallal, spokesman for the Ministry of Endowments in the Gaza Strip, added that Israel also targeted a third mosque in Gaza, Al-Sahwa Mosque, bringing the total number of completely destroyed mosques to 59. al-Mudallal said, “The number of mosques completely demolished has risen to 59, in addition to varying degrees of damage to 136 mosques and three churches, since the start of the Israeli war on Gaza on Oct. 7.” Targeting civilian facilities such as houses of worship is a violation of the rules of war. Israel has claimed Hamas fighters hide in and around these sites. Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 Over 10,000 Palestinians, including children and women, have been killed since then. The Israeli death toll, meanwhile, is nearly 1,600, according to official figures. (Yeni Safak)

  Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State has said the assault on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, is regrettable. Uzodimma stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, on Thursday. Ajaero was beaten after he was arrested in Imo while leading a protest for better salaries in the state. “I was not aware that the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was in my state. What I did was that to condemn the action. I have never had disagreement with the labour union.” “It has nothing to do with my government. Whether Joe Ajaero is the president of NLC or not, I will not wish this to happen to any human being. Of course I have to apologize because it happened in my state. ‘I am a Christian and believe in God. I can’t support violence. I can never support violence. Whatever happened to Joe Ajaero in my state which I am not aware of that led to him being assaulted must be regretted by both my government and myself. Going forward I will also like him to do thing in a more civilized manner. That was the point I was making. A man who is from my state to go on street without clearing me out; without bringing all the allegations before me The NLC had directed aviation unions to blacklist Imo airport and also declared Uzodimma persona non-grata.

  Former students of Model Secondary School located in Jalingo the Taraba state capital have allegedly stabbed their teacher to death. The teacher identified as Bassey Sardauna was stabbed outside the school premises while on board a tricycle to go home. Speaking to Channels Television via a telephone interview, the vice principal academics of the school Tsokwa Sani disclosed that the issue leading to his stabbing started from an inter-house inspection which was disrupted by an ex-student of the institution who stormed the school to sign a form. “Trouble started when a former student accompanied his colleague to school to sign a Nigeria Air Force form,” he said. ”Usually on Thursdays, we hold inter-house inspections and in the process the said former students stormed the school and tried interrupting, so one of them withdrew and stepped back and asked the other to withdraw and apologise since they are in the school for a purpose. ”The former student declined saying he cannot withdraw and cannot apologise. ”In the process, the teacher flogged the former student asking that they should leave the school premises which led to an upheaval that the students reacted by shouting at the former students and they subsequently left the school premises. ”We usually close by 1:40 pm, so, at about 1:20 pm I was reliably informed that the former students regrouped with some louts and were hiding waiting for the teacher to step out. ”On getting such information we asked that he should not step out on foot but rather be taken out in a colleague’s vehicle, a decision he declined saying the former students cannot stand him in a battle,” he added. “In that regard, some of his colleagues numbering three decided to accompany him to the roadside where he boarded a tricycle, and in the process of the tricycle taking off the former students alongside the touts attacked him and stabbed him in the leg. ”He was taken to the Federal Medical Centre Jalingo for medical attention after losing so much blood and gave up in the process.” His remains have been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre Jalingo. Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state Abdullahi Usman has confirmed the attack. He disclosed that a discrete investigation had been launched into the incident as directed by the Commissioner of Police and the culprits would be arrested and charged to court according to law.

  Despite recent moves by the Central Bank of Nigeria to strengthen the foreign exchange market, the naira closed trading on the Investor & Exporter forex window on Thursday at N996.75/$. This is a 13.95 per cent decline from the N874.71/$ it closed trading on Wednesday. So far, the naira has lost 27.75 per cent of its value since opening the week at N780.23/$ according to details on FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange. Since firming up against the dollar last week, after news that the apex bank was clearing some of its backlog broke, the naira has been on a steady decline in both the official and parallel markets. So far, the naira has lost about 40 per cent of its value in 2023, earning the tag of one of the worst performing African currencies from the World Bank. In the parallel market, the currency has lost value too, falling from N950/$ as of Friday to close to N1,140/$ as of Thursday according to Bureaux De Change operators who spoke to The PUNCH. This represents a 20 per cent decline. A trader who only gave his name as Kadri said, “Dollar is N1,100 if you want to sell. It is N1,140 if you want to buy.” Another trader, Awolu, stated that he would buy the dollar at N1,100 from our correspondent.   He said, “Dollar is N1,100 if you want to sell to me.” Earlier in the week, the President of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria, Aminu Gwadabe, told The PUNCH that the dollar was gaining against the naira because people who had bought it at a higher price were resisting its fall. He said, “Speculators are always looking at elements of sustainability. Once they sense that it (the injection) is not continuous, they begin to react. They begin to react. It is the reaction of the market we are witnessing. Also, there is resistance. There are people that bought at a higher price that this does not favour. People are not willing to take further losses.” Concerned with the fall of the currency, the presidency recently stated that it is planning policies to strengthen the local currency. A Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr Tope Fasua, who was representing the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, at an event, said: “For those who are speculating and praying and wishing that the currency would become nonsense, I believe that the central bank is rolling out the policies and the government that I serve, led by the President, will shock some of them

  Togo has handed five soldiers prison sentences over the murder of a high-ranking colonel a day after the president’s 2020 inauguration. At a military court on Tuesday evening, the five soldiers — including the former head of the army — received jail terms of between five and 20 years, according to an AFP correspondent at the hearing. Lieutenant-Colonel Bitala Madjoulba, who commanded the country’s elite 1st Rapid Intervention Battalion, was found dead in his office in a military base on May 4, 2020, the day after President Faure Gnassingbe was sworn in for his fourth term. An autopsy found that the 51-year-old, a fervent Gnassingbe supporter whose unit helped crush mass protests in 2017 and 2018, died of a bullet wound. But the investigators were tight-lipped about their probe, and the death of a figure in the inner circle of the country’s military posed a challenge to the authorities in Togo, where the armed forces have been the cornerstone of power for 60 years. Seven soldiers went on trial last month for “murder, complicity in murder, complicity in obstructing the course of justice and conspiracy against the internal security of the state”. General Abalo Kadangha, the former head of Togo’s army, was given 20 years behind bars. Two other soldiers including the victim’s driver received 15 years’ imprisonment and two others five years. Two defendants were acquitted. Those convicted were stripped of their military status and ordered to pay the state damages of more than $1.6 million (1.5 million euro). “The conviction does not bring our relative back to us, so we cannot speak of satisfaction. However, we are satisfied that justice has finally been done,” Narcisse Dourma, lawyer for the colonel’s family told AFP.   Togolese media had suggested the crime was the result of divisions within the military, “a settling of scores”. Opposition figures had criticised the silence of the authorities and called for an independent inquiry. The late colonel’s home village in Siou, more than 500 kilometres (300 miles) north of the capital Lome, has seen protests demanding greater transparency over his death. Gnassingbe came to power in 2005 after the death of his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for 38 years. He has since been re-elected in elections that were all contested by the opposition. AFP

  Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. Father Mathew Kukah, has said his criticism of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was never personal. According to him, the only problem he had with the former President was his inability to manage the country’s diversity. Daily Trust reports that Father Kukah was always at loggerheads with the Buhari government and was one of the fiercest critics of the administration. In fact Kukah in his December 2022 Christmas Message, the last to be delivered under the watch of Buhari, declared that the former President had made Nigeria more vulnerable and succeeded in splitting the country.     “Clearly, in almost every department and with all indicators, our nation has become a tale of two cities. We have wars between the rich and the poor, men and women, across generations, along party lines, social classes, religion, ethnicity and so on. The centre has given up in almost every department,” he wrote Also, Buhari’s former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, never spared a moment to fire back at Father Kukah. In fact Adesina once accused the Bishop of being angry with Buhari for not patronising him. But on Wednesday, Kukah in an interview on Arise said he has no personal grudge against the former President. He also said Adesina who was always defending him was merely doing his job and teased him to probably relocate to Daura where there’s a branch of Foursquare Church where he is a Pastor so that he can be closer to his “Godfather.”   When asked if he was missing his friend, Buhari who he was always criticising, he said, “Buhari has served his term. He also knew and I respect him for that, that there was nothing I was saying that was personal. I imagined poor Adesina and his team had a job to do and they needed to do that job even though there was nothing to say. “I will respect and I hope that Pastor Adesina knows that there is a Foursquare Gospel Church in Daura, I believe that the President of Foursquare Gospel Church should send him there as a Pastor so that he is quite close to his Godfather. “But having said that, I mean President Buhari had finished his term and he is gone and there is very little else to be said for and against. But everybody knew we had a job to do. There was nothing I said about President Buhari that was personal, that was disrespectful, I just felt he was doing thing that is, especially in the area of managing our diversity and look, I’m talking to Ministers now who served in that government, I cannot call names, I am shocked to hear the kind of things people are saying, those who served in that government, that is for another day.” On six months of President Bola Tinubu in power, he stated while the six months might be too short to rate a sitting President, many expected him to hit the ground running having prepared for the race for over 20 years. However he stated that the leadership selection structure “is so self-constraining” “I am not making excuse for anybody, I am just saying the very fact that you had to rely on governors to give you names of Ministers and you rely on external agencies to be able to do things that ordinarily you who is composing the team needs to be able to do.” “I mean a court decides who is going to come in at what time depending on the excuse that the person has. So, I totally agree with you that by now you would have thought, ‘okay, this is what we want to do, this is who can do it and this is how it needs to be done.” However, he said the best solution is to continue to hold those in power responsible and they have no excuse not to perform. “If you stand up to be elected and you are elected, you must be prepared to face the consequences of that election, that means we must constantly hold your feet to the fire. So that’s why I am saying institutions and instruments of engagement must be in full glass. But also we must help to clarify public policies by articulating the things that need to be done and where the country needs to be heading.”

  German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has explained why no fewer than 14,000 Nigerians living in the country risk deportation. Scholz said it was attributed to the spike in the number of Nigerians seeking asylum, with a great number of them without identification cards, adding that approximately 12,500 Nigerians were in a condition of tolerance in Germany as a result of the Nigerian government’s reluctance to admit people without the necessary identity documents. Speaking during a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Tuesday, Scholz said: “The current spike in Nigerians filing initial asylum claims in 2023 has sparked worries. Nearly 14,000 Nigerians might be deported, and the great majority of them do not have the necessary identification cards. “We are prepared to collaborate in order to enhance migration,” the German Chancellor said, adding that Germany would be happy to send back any Nigerian national who had behaved well. In his remarks, President Tinubu alluded to the potential for cooperation in order to resolve the matter of deportation. He also underlined the fact that his administration was ready to allow people return, especially those recognised as fellow citizens and had behaved well. Tinubu said: “Nigeria is prepared to welcome them back as long as they have behaved well, but only if they stand to gain something from it. Rather, we ought to cease providing the 640 million euros in development funding. “If someone is a compatriot and has ‘behaved well, we are willing to accept them back. We’re prepared to collaborate in order to enhance migration.’’ Nigeria had long been one of the top 10 countries of origin for German asylum applicants, but recently, the proportion has begun to decline.