Crime Facts

FG stops cooking gas exports to tackle soaring prices

The Federal Government has stopped the export of locally produced Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, to prioritise domestic supply. The measure, announced by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, on Tuesday, is intended to mitigate the soaring price of gas and will take effect from November 1, 2024. This information was contained in a statement by the spokesman for the Minister, Louis Ibah, in Abuja. Ibah stated that the decision was reached after the minister convened a high-level meeting in Abuja with stakeholders to address the skyrocketing prices and their attendant hardship on Nigerians. The PUNCH reports that the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (cooking gas) has skyrocketed from N700/kg in June 2023, around the time President Bola Tinubu assumed office, to N1,500/kg in October 2024.This represents about a 114 per cent increase within 16 months. In a move to tackle the soaring price of cooking gas, the Minister established a high-level committee in November 2023, led by the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Mr Farouk Ahmed, along with key stakeholders in the LPG value chain. However, despite this effort to address the issue, prices have continued to fluctuate, recently soaring to N1,500 from an average of N1,100–N1,250 per kg. But the minister, in a new directive to reduce prices, outlined short-term and long-term targets. He said, “With effect from November 1, 2024, NNPCL and LPG producers are to stop exporting LPG produced in the country or import equivalent volumes of LPG exported at cost-reflective prices.” In terms of the pricing framework, he directed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to meet with stakeholders to derive the pricing framework within 90 days. The statement added, “Pricing Framework: NMDPRA will engage stakeholders to create a domestic LPG pricing framework within 90 days, indexing price to the cost of in-country production, rather than the current practice of indexing against external markets, such as those in the Americas and Far East Asia, whereas the commodity is produced in-country and the Nigerian people are required to pay a much higher price for an essential commodity with which the country is naturally endowed.” Proffering a long-term solution, the statement noted that within 12 months, facilities will be developed to blend, store, and deliver LPG, ending exports until the market achieves sufficiency and price stability. The statement highlighted that the Minister expressed deep concern over the continuous increase in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly known as cooking gas, in the country. Ekpo’s directives are a step towards addressing the inherent challenges and ensuring that Nigerians have access to affordable cooking gas.

Dangote Refinery Now Supplying Bulk Of Domestic Jet Fuel — Report

Oil marketers have said that the bulk of jet fuel consumed locally is now being supplied by the Dangote Refinery. According to a report by Energy Intelligence, jet fuel marketers say fuel from the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery make up the bulk of jet fuel utilised locally, less than six months after it began production. “We’re already buying from Dangote [now] it’s slightly cheaper or at least the same price as imports,” Asharami Synergy’s managing director, Foluso Sobanjo, told Energy Intelligence in an interview this week. The downstream subsidiary of Sahara Group is now Nigeria’s leading airline fuel supplier with a market share of over 20%. Sobango reckoned that the Dangote jet currently goes for a $2-$3 per metric ton discount to imports. He pointed out that the 10,000-20,000 ton “coaster” volumes available regularly from the plant are also much more convenient. “Prices have fallen as the plant has ramped up production — despite large volumes of Mideast and Asian jet fuel passing right by the Nigerian coast on the way to Europe. Sources say Dangote is now operating at more than 300,000 b/d and finally began selling gasoline last month.” Industry ClarificationThe clarification came after the Airline Operators of Nigeria approached Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo last week, demanding that they would henceforth, prefer to purchase Dangote’s jet fuel. The meeting later sparked local press reports, alleging that Keyamo had mandated Dangote as the country’s sole domestic jet fuel supplier. Sobanjo also corrected local reports that Dangote had started selling jet fuel locally in naira. Domestic petrol and diesel sales switched to the local currency, after a government-brokered deal for Dangote to buy Nigerian crude in naira. While the jet is still sold in US dollars per ton for the time being, that could soon change, he said. “By eliminating the influence of international market fluctuations, we can stabilise the price of jet fuel, which will now be clearer and cheaper as payments will be made in naira,” Keyamo was also quoted as saying. Shifting Trade FlowsDangote has shipped 1.1 million tons (35,000 b/d) of jet overseas since it began exports in March, according to Kpler tanker tracking. That includes almost 290,000 tons of jet sent to Europe and 315,000 tons to South America, with the rest mostly staying in West Africa. Exports have tailed off slightly since September in line with higher domestic sales. Energy Intelligence calculated that since April, an additional 94,000 tons of Dangote jets have been shipped to other ports in Nigeria, mainly Lagos. The refinery’s management had previously suggested around three-quarters of Dangote jet production would be sold by sea with the rest loaded onto road tankers heading inland. Dangote jet now makes up at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s jet fuel supply and almost half of the fuel used across West Africa, according to Energy Intelligence calculations. Nigeria’s jet fuel imports have collapsed from 13,000 b/d last year — when they made up all of the country’s supply — to just 5,000 b/d so far in 2024. Jet imports into West Africa from outside of the region have similarly dropped from 34,500 b/d in 2023 to just 17,900 b/d so far this year. Loading schedules show Dangote jet heading to Benin, Senegal, Togo, the Gambia and Gabon in the region. Dangote’s owner has previously said the plant will eventually produce enough jet fuel to supply all of Africa. Supply SecurityLocal fuel marketers had warned that Dangote would not necessarily solve the problem of regular stock-outs at the capital’s Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, which relies on road tankers for 100% of its supply. But “there have been no supply disruptions in Abuja this year,” says Sobanjo. He attributed the stable supply chain to a lighter rainy season which has kept roads passable.

FG delays zero-duty tax on imported food

The Federal Government’s plans to reduce the price of food commodities through implementation of a zero per cent duty and exemption from value-added tax on selected basic food items are increasingly becoming difficult to achieve. The challenge is underscored by alarming increase in the average price of imported food items, which rose to 878.3 price point index in September 2024, reflecting broader economic pressures. On July 8, 2024, the Federal Government announced a 150-day duty-free import window for food commodities to ensure a reduction in food inflation in Nigeria. The food commodities include maize, husked brown rice, wheat, and cowpeas. It said the programme was meant to help cushion the effects of various factors contributing to food scarcity and price hikes in the country. The idea was to remove or significantly reduce import duties and value-added tax to encourage an inflow of food imports and drive down consumer prices. However, the scheme failed to take off three months after the government announced the plans. The government’s bureaucratic process and the failure of the Federal Ministry of Finance to publish a list of importers qualified to participate in the process as required by the guidelines earlier issued by the Customs in August were cited as reasons for the delay in the commencement of the scheme. At a press briefing early this month, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, said the government has ordered maize and wheat imports to stabilise the food market. The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, couldn’t be reached when our correspondent called to confirm if the awaited item had been imported. While the government is yet to begin implementation of the policy, the price of imported food has continued to increase. According to the National Bureau of Statistics monthly inflation report, the 878.3 price point index on imported food items in September was a rise of 30.6 price index or 3.61 per cent from 847.7 in August 2024. Further analysis showed that the average price of imported food price has surged by 72.3 percentage points or 8.97 per cent from the 806.0 average price index in July 2024 when the policy was announced and 878.3 in September. On a year-to-date, this increase was a surge of 185.7 price index points or 26.81 growth from 692.6 in January 2024, indicating more reliance on foreign food products amidst food supply shortages in the country. A month-by-month analysis showed that in January, Nigeria recorded an imported inflation rate of 26.29 per cent. This increased to 29.81 per cent in February, marking a notable jump of 3.52 per cent in the inflation rate from January. The trend continued in March, with the imported food inflation rate climbing to 32.89 per cent, an increase of 3.08 per cent from February. In April, the inflation rate further increased to 34.01 per cent, growing by 1.12 per cent from March, showing a slight deceleration in the rate of increase. May recorded an imported food inflation rate of 34.83 per cent, indicating a continued upward trend. The increase in the inflation rate is 0.82 per cent from April. The figure was 806.0 in June, 826.2 in July, 847.7 in August and 878.3 in September. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria has released 547.7m (N823.19bn at the official exchange rate of N1,503.3/$1, as of June 30, 2024) to Nigerians for importing food items in the second quarter of 2024. The amount is a reduction of $142.48m or 20.6 per cent from $689.88m recorded in the first quarter of 2024 and N80.76bn or 8.93 per cent from N903.95bn recorded in Q1 when converted to naira. In six months, the CBN has released a total of N1.73tn. An analysis showed that Nigerians spent $164.43m in January, $303.91m in February, $221.54m in March. The apex bank also allocated $153.27m In April, $197.21m in May and $197.22m in June.

FBN Holdings appoints Adebowale Oyedeji, ex-Nova Bank MD, as GMD

FBN Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Adebowale Oyedeji as group managing director (GMD). In a statement on Friday, FBN Holdings said the appointment of Oyedeji, managing director (MD) of Nova Commercial Bank is with effect from November 13. FBN Holdings said prior to his appointment, Oyedeji was the managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Nova Commercial Bank, where he contributed to the institution’s conversion to a commercial bank as well as its foray into retail banking. The company said the appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and ratification of the shareholders at the annual general meeting (AGM). According to the statement, Oyedeji would replace Nnamdi Okonkwo, who will be retiring from the company following the completion of his term. “At FBNHoldings, Wale would lead the executive teams at the HoldCo and the various subsidiaries to Implement its new 5-year Strategic plan,” the company said. Speaking on the appointment, Femi Otedola, the chairman of FBNHoldings, said the board is pleased to welcome Oyedeji “to the Holdco and looking forward to him building on the solid foundation of 130-year-old franchise and sustaining its undisputed leadership position”. ABOUT ADEBOWALE OYEDEJI Oyedeji earned a bachelor of science in agricultural economics from the University of Ibadan and a master of science in financial economics from the University of London. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and an advanced management programme of Harvard Business School alumnus. Oyedeji has over 30 years of banking experience spanning corporate banking, treasury, commercial banking, and general management. He served as managing director of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) UK between 2008 and 2011. In October 2011, Oyedeji was appointed to the board of GTB, where he served as executive director for the corporate banking group. He also served as an independent non-executive director of Stanbic IBTC Bank. Oyedeji began his career with Ernst and Young, where he trained as an accountant.

NNPC still sole Dangote petrol buyer – Marketers

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited is still the sole off-taker of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery despite the recent directive of the Federal Government that other oil marketers were free to start loading PMS from the plant. Oil marketers revealed on Wednesday that NNPC would continue to be sole off-taker of the product from the $20bn Lekki-based plant until its agreement with the Dangote refinery as regards the lifting of PMS terminates. They, however, did not tell when the agreement between both organisations would end. Officials of NNPC and the Dangote refinery also did not respond to enquiries on when the agreement would end. On October 11, 2024, the Federal Government in a statement from the finance ministry, announced that oil marketers were now free to negotiate purchase of petrol directly from the Dangote refinery without recourse to NNPC. “Moving forward, petroleum product marketers are now able to purchase PMS directly from local refineries without the intermediary role of NNPC. Marketers are encouraged to initiate direct purchases from refineries on mutually negotiated commercial terms, which will promote competition and improve market efficiency,” it stated in the statement. But after meeting with officials of the Dangote refinery on Tuesday, members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria revealed that NNPC was still the sole off-taker of Dangote petrol pending the termination of an agreement between Dangote and NNPC. In a notice to IPMAN members in the Western Zone, issued by the Zonal Chairman, South-West, Dele Tajudeen, the association said, “The IPMAN National Vice President, Zonal Chairman of Western Zone, IPMAN members, and PTD Zonal Chairman met with the Vice President of Dangote Group and many other notable staff members of the Dangote refinery yesterday, October 15, 2024. “We had a very useful and fruitful discussion on the direct purchase of products from the Dangote refinery. The Vice President of Dangote confirmed that the Minister of Finance/ Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and the Minister of Petroleum Resources have directed them to commence sales of products to marketers who have duly registered with the refinery, but they are still having a pending agreement with NNPC Ltd which still subsist. “Until and when the agreement is terminated by either party, the direct sales will still be on hold.” The notice stated that the IPMAN National Executive Council would hold a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday “in that respect.” It added, “In view of this, marketers who are yet to officially register as IPMAN members should do so without wasting time as such marketers will not benefit from this opportunity when we eventually commence lifting from the Dangote refinery.” Both the Dangote refinery and NNPC did not respond when contacted to react to the development. However, major oil marketers told our correspondent that they were still lifting products from the Dangote refinery through the deal between NNPC and the Lagos-based refinery. “There is a subsisting deal between NNPC and Dangote refinery and it is based on that deal that we major marketers are lifting PMS from the refinery using PFI (proformer invoice),” a major dealer who spoke in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, stated.

NNPC sells PMS to IPMAN at N995/litre

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has agreed to sell Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria at N995 per litre. This followed the intervention of the Department of State Services in the controversy between the two parties. The National Vice President of IPMAN, Hammed Fashola, told our correspondent that the intervention of the DSS solved a lot of problems facing marketers. Fashola also confirmed that through their intervention, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority agreed to pay the association’s outstanding N10bn while resolving issues about the direct purchase of petrol from the Dangote refinery. “We really appreciate their intervention. They are doing their job. Anywhere they have seen that there may be a crisis, it is their duty to intervene. And their intervention brokered peace and understanding between the parties, and everybody agreed to work together,” Fashola stated. Asked to disclose how much the NNPC will sell PMS to IPMAN, he replied, “For now, tentatively, I think they are offering us N995 per litre.” With the N995 ex-depot price, Fashola assured that IPMAN members would no longer sell at prices much higher than that of major marketers, saying, however, that distance is another factor for pricey PMS. “Our members sell at N1,200 or so and this depends on the location. I think with the N995, there will be a little reduction. Don’t forget that if you transport a product from Lagos to a far distance, you will pay for transportation and other charges. “We want to work on that because we want to have a common ground. When we sit down and look at the price analysis offered to us, and factor in all our expenses, we want to have a uniform price as much as possible. “So, I will not be able to tell you the exact price now, but we are working on it, especially in the Lagos axis and other zones. We will look at the transportation cost and all that. At the end of the day, we will fix the price for ourselves,” he stated. The IPMAN leader emphasised that IPMAN is interested in prices that would be competitive, saying the price disparity has been a disadvantage to independent marketers. “The price disparity has been a disadvantage between us and the NNPC Retail and major marketers. So, we are trying to look at how to close that gap so that we come back fully into the business. The lack of direct supply has been our problem, and now that we are solving that problem, I don’t think that disparity will be there again,” he stressed. Fashola explained that the price differential is the reason for the queues in some filling stations in the cities. “The queues you see are because of that difference in prices, that’s why people are saying there are queues. There are no queues; it is the price disparity that is causing the queues. So, if there is not much difference, we have filling stations everywhere; just drive in, buy fuel, and go. But that so much difference in the price is creating that scenario of queues,” he narrated. Reacting to the directive that marketers can now buy petrol directly from local refineries, Fashola said the association would meet with Dangote this week. “For now, we intend to meet with Dangote this week to see how we work out the modalities and all that. The Federal Government has given a directive and we want to take full advantage of that,” he posited. The IPMAN vice president stressed that the association is not ignoring the NNPC either as it would patronise the best price. “At the same time too, we are not ignoring NNPC. So, whichever way, we are ready to do business with NNPC. It depends on the price, we go for the best. IPMAN had revealed on Thursday that the cost of petrol from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to NNPC was about N898/litre, but noted that NNPC was selling the same product to independent marketers at N1,010/litre in Lagos. The association, which controls over 70 per cent of filling stations nationwide, kicked against this and threatened to down tools, as it also demanded a refund from NNPC for earlier petrol supply payments made by its members. The IPMAN national president, Abubakar Maigandi, who spoke during a live television interview on Thursday, argued that the price was higher than what NNPC paid for the product from the Dangote refinery. He also noted that independent marketers’ funds had been held by the national oil company for about three months. According to him, NNPC purchased the product from the refinery at N898/litre but is asking marketers to buy it at N1,010/litre in Lagos; N1,045 in Calabar; N1,050 in Port Harcourt; and N1,040 in Warri. “Our major challenge now is that independent marketers have an outstanding debt from the NNPC and the company collected products through Dangote at a lower rate, which is not up to N900, but they are telling us now to buy this product from them at the price of N1,010/litre in Lagos; N1,045 in Calabar; N1,050 in Port-Harcourt; and N1,040 in Warri,” Maigandi stated.

Corpses in Enugu mortuaries will attract #40 daily henceforth

Enugu State Government has clarified the controversial mortuary tax imposed on corpses in the state, stating that it was not intended as a revenue-generating measure but rather to discourage excessive storage of deceased bodies in mortuaries. The Executive Chairman of Enugu State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Emmanuel Nnamani, said this on Saturday while reacting to the Mortuary Tax circular addressed to all mortuary attendants. According to the circular, ESIRS in line with the provisions of Section 34 of the Birth, Deaths and Burials Law Cap 15 Revised Laws of Enugu State 2004, approved the implementation of the mortuary tax. “The sum of N40 only is to be paid by owners of a corpse once it was not buried within 24 hours. The amount continues to count daily. “Kindly ensure that owners of corpses make the payments before collection of the corpses for burial and then remit same to the ESIRS in any commercial bank under the mortuary tax in Enugu State IGR Account,” the circular read. Reacting, Nnamani said that the tax was not new to the state, adding that it was within the Enugu State Mortuary Tax Law which had been in existence for years. According to him, the amount to pay as the mortuary tax was N40 daily, not N40,000. “It is an indirect tax paid by mortuary owners, not deceased family and it is just N40, not N40,000. Since its introduction, nobody has been denied burying their dead ones. “It means that if the corpse stays in the mortuary for 100 days, the mortuary is expected to pay to the state a sum of N4,000. “The tax is not meant to generate revenue but to discourage people from taking their dead ones to the mortuary all the time,” Nnamani stressed.

NERC: FG incurred N380bn electricity subsidy bill in Q2 2024 — down by 40%

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says the federal government incurred an electricity subsidy obligation of N380 billion in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024. The NERC, in its quarterly report released on Friday, said the electricity subsidy bill dropped by N253.24 billion (40 percent) from N633.3 billion recorded in Q1. The drop, according to the commission, was due to the upward review of tariff for Band A customers in April. “It is important to note that due to the absence of cost-reflective tariffs across all DisCos, the Government incurred a subsidy obligation of ₦380.06 billion (52.51% of total NBET invoice) in 2024/Q2 (average of ₦126.69 billion per month),” NERC said. “Between 2024/Q1 and 2024/Q2, the subsidy obligation of the government reduced by – ₦253.24 billion, from ₦633.30 billion (90.57% of total GenCo invoice) to ₦380.06 billion (52.51% of total GenCo invoice). “The significant decrease in the subsidy obligation of the FGN is a result of the policy directive of the Government to implement reviews of tariffs charged to Band A customers while the tariffs for Band B-E customers remain frozen at the rates payable since December 2022.” The NERC said in the absence of cost-reflective tariff, the government covers the resultant gap (between the cost-reflective and allowed tariff) in the form of subsidies. The commission said for ease of administration, the subsidy is only applied to the generation cost payable by DisCos to NBET at source in the form of a DisCo’s Remittance Obligation (DRO). On April 3, NERC approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A classification. The commission said customers under the classification, who receive 20 hours of daily power supply, will pay N225 per kilowatt (kW) — up from N66. Following the development, the agency said the approved tariff would reduce electricity subsidy for the 2024 fiscal year by about N1.14 trillion.

New bill requires tax ID for bankers, stockbrokers to open bank accounts

The federal government has proposed a new bill that will require individuals engaged in banking, insurance, stock-broking, or other financial services to provide a tax identification number (TIN) before they can create a new account or operate an already-existing one. The bill, which has been submitted to the national assembly, aims to foster tax compliance and improve the country’s revenue collection process. The bill, dated October 4, is titled “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Assessment, Collection of, and Accounting for Revenue Accruing to the Federation, Federal, States, and Local Governments; Prescribe the Powers and Functions of Tax Authorities, and for Related Matters”. “A person engaged in banking, insurance, stock-broking, or other financial services in Nigeria shall make the provision of a tax ID, a precondition for opening a new account or operating an existing account,” the document reads. Also, the bill stipulates that any non-resident supplying taxable goods or services to any individual in Nigeria or deriving income from the country is required to register for tax purposes and obtain a tax ID. However, non-resident individuals who derive only passive income from investments in Nigeria will not be obliged to register; instead, they will need to supply the pertinent data as directed by the relevant tax body. The bill under consideration confers jurisdiction upon the applicable tax authority to automatically register and issue tax IDs to individuals who are required to apply for one but choose not to do so. In such cases, the bill states that the tax authority is required to promptly notify the individual of their registration and the issuance of the tax ID. According to the document, failure to comply with the requirements may result in administrative penalties. The bill states that if a taxable individual does not register for taxes, they will be penalised N50,000 in the first month of non-compliance and N25,000 in each month after that.

Fuel scarcity looms, IPMAN warns

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Alhaji Okanlawon Sulaiman Olanrewaju has said that the current price which the NNPC is imposing on marketers is too high and may cause another round of fuel scarcity. Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Friday, he stated that NNPCL wants to sell at N1,010 to marketers, added that the price is even higher than what the nation’s petroleum company sells at its outlets. “The problem IPMAN is facing in the downstream oil sector is confounding. We realize that what NNPC is imposing on us is too much. “NNPCL is the sole off taker from Dangote oil refinery and the amount the NNPCL wants to sell to us is too high. “NNPC wants to sell at N1,010 to IPMAN. This price is even higher than what NNPCL sells at their retail outlets after including transportation cost. “That’s a very difficult situation they are putting us. We may not be able to survive in that kind of situation because we’ll have to sell to same members of the public. “Definitely, it’s like they want to tag us as bad marketers”. Okanlawon, who described the situation as unacceptable to marketers, said that, “We don’t really know why they are doing that but definitely, we’ll not accept it. It won’t work”. He continued, “presently, our members have paid a lot of money about N15 billion into NNPCL account for months and they’ve not given us the product. “This is for about two to three cargoes at the old price of N750 per litre. And now they want to increase the price after about three or four months. “They’ve asked us to top up the money paid to them before we pick the product. And that’s what they have been doing always. “We cannot continue doing that. Our president has instructed that every member of the IPMAN should stay put until further notice as we’ll be having our NEC meeting on Wednesday next week. “It means that marketers will not pay that money until our discussion”, he said. While lamenting the situation, the IPMAN spokesperson said that marketers take loans for business in banks, adding that the loans attract high interest rate. “Economically, what they want us to do doesn’t sound well. Because we sourced the money from banks and we’re paying money on it. “We all know the way interest rate is going up in banks. They also go to banks even with better negotiation powers than us individual marketers. The IPMAN official, who agreed that the stay off directive by leadership of the association to marketers could lead to non- availability of fuel in circulation, said that it is likely to disrupt distribution of fuel, “because by the time we didn’t pick product for sometimes and we start exhausting what we have, definitely, there’s going to be scarcity”. He was also against the call for return to fuel subsidy regime, saying that, “returning to the subsidy era will distort all the process already in place. “Achievements have been made. There may be some hitches along the line, but it’s better we take these steps. It may be tough now. “The step the government is taking is good. By the time we’re in full deregulation, it’s going to bring about real competition in the downstream oil sector which is good for the economy. “NNPC should not be the sole off taker of Dangote fuel. If it’s opened up, the price would be crashing down. We the IPMAN members are not finding it easy because we can’t plan our business.”