🗞️ Will petrol scarcity be over soon?
+ Another jet bites the dust
This edition was written by Rosemary Ita, and edited by Adetomiwa. That News News is an independent self-funded project by me (Adetomiwa). Thank you for reading, sharing and donating. I love you like I birthed you 😘
What we missed last week
President Bola Tinubu swore in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) at the State House, Abuja without the customary Senate screening. Kekere-Ekun succees Olukayode Ariwoola who resigned after reaching the retirement age of 70 years.
FG says they will disconnect SIMs not linked to NIN by Sept 15.
Twenty medical students who were kidnapped in Benue State on August 16, 2024, regained their freedom after 8 days in captivity. The Police did not disclose the details of their release.
After almost 4 years in custody, Six protesters arrested during the #EndSARS protests in Lagos in October 2020 have been released. They are Adigun Sodiq, Salaudeen Kamilu, Daniel Joyinbo, Kehinde Shola, Azeez Isiaka and Sodiq Usseni. Many protesters are still in prisons across the country.
The Federal Government has approved an increase in the cost of renewing or obtaining a Nigerian passport effective from September 1, 2024. See the new prices here
Tinubu has approved the use of NNPC dividends to pay for petrol subsidies.
On to this week. In this edition
Networks are downsizing quality
The oil plot thickens (Dangote, NNPCL and petrol scarcity
Another jet seized
Nigerians protest in Imo and Canada
Mpox is getting real
What’s causing your terrible network?
Telecom operators in Nigeria begin “load shedding” in some areas to cut costs.
Load shedding is a process of reducing the supply of network signal available. So if your MTN is not working as well as it used to, now you know why (9mobile users they’ve been shedding our own load since 2020 😭)
This development means that in some areas, mobile phone users are experiencing major network disruptions.
This move is an attempt to keep the lights on while navigating Nigeria’s harsh economic conditions.
On to the oil
Will scarcity be over soon?
After multiple postponements, Dangote refinery says they are undergoing test runs for petrol production now and will begin full petrol production by mid-September
The refinery is expected to produce 650,000 barrels per day.
For weeks, Nigerians have been hawking fuel every day, many petrol stations are closed and petrol scarcity has essentially become the new normal
NNPCL, the institution that is supposed to be in charge of ensuring petrol is accessible and affordable, has other things on its mind - like transferring the responsibility of refineries in Warri and Kaduna to private institutions because they can’t handle all 4 government-owned refineries across the country 🙄
According to reports, the petrol scarcity is still on because petrol supply agents have refused to import petrol for NNPCL because the institution still owes them money and the agents are afraid they won’t get paid
So will scarcity be over soon? Probably not.
Also, the cost of oil production per barrel, which the NNPCL vowed three years ago to reduce to $10, has soared to $48 as the country spent $11.4 billion on operating costs in the first half of 2024. But what’s driving this price tag? House of Representatives Committee on Finance is on the case.
Meanwhile, NNPCL has commenced the shipment of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to Japan and China.
Oil is still spilling in communities
Residents of Rumuoduwere Community in Elelenwo Clan, Obio-Akpor Local Council of Rivers State are fleeing their homes due to a fresh oil spill allegedly caused by Shell Petroleum Development Company.
The spill is reportedly wreaking havoc on the environment, with the thick, sticky substance coating everything.
Authorities have been slow to respond, with officials promising an investigation while the oil company responsible for the spill is very much known (allegedly).
Meanwhile, residents are calling for urgent intervention before they lose more.
Money
Another jet bites the dust
Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd, a Chinese company on a seizing spree has taken possession of another Nigerian-owned aircraft.
This is part of an ongoing battle between the FG and the Ogun State government vs the Chinese firm
The Ogun State government and Zhongshan have been in this dispute since 2016, following the state’s decision to replace Zhongshan as the interim manager of the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone. Zhongshan says the Ogun government defrauded them
This is the 4th Jet that the company has taken possession of thanks to court orders in France and Canada.
The jet seized in Canada has reportedly been there since 2020.
How many jets is the presidency hiding in around the world?
Meanwhile,
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked the 36 state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to disclose details of any Chinese loans, liabilities, and other external borrowing obtained and guaranteed by the Federal Government. The group isn’t content with vague terms like ‘development’ and ‘infrastructure.’ They want to see contracts, terms, and whether there’s a hidden clause that says "property of China" somewhere.
Nigeria’s food security plans
Over a month into the launch date of the import window on select food items, sources at the Ministry of Finance and Nigeria’s customs service told Guardian NG that there is “nothing on ground” to show that the exercise has kicked off.
The government’s food waiver policy, designed to make food cheaper and more accessible, seems to have been halted by the dollar scarcity.
The policy was supposed to reduce the cost of importing food like maize and rice, cushion the increasing cost of food, and give local farmers easy access to the seeds they need to import.
The FX woes mean that the importation of key farming inputs like seeds and machinery is slowed down, putting the entire food security plan on shaky ground.
The World Bank and Nigeria
The World Bank has approved a series of loans to Nigeria but data reveals that the approved funds are significantly less than the actual disbursements. So far, of $4.95 billion approved loans, only about $790 million has been disbursed - Nairametrics
Among the most prominent of these initiatives is the Nigeria Reforms for Economic Stabilization to Enable Transformation (RESET) Development Policy Financing (DPF) project. With an allocation of $1.5 billion, this project is in the disbursing phase, yet only about $751.88 million has been released to Nigeria since its approval on June 13, 2024.
The Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up Project, approved on December 14, 2023, has $750 million allocated to it but no disbursements. This project is meant to provide 17.5 million Nigerians with improved access to electricity through renewable energy solutions.
The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, approved on September 21, 2023, has received only $20 million of its $700 million allocation. This initiative is designed to aid secondary education accessibility for girls in specific states across Nigeria.
Likewise, the Nigeria for Women Program Scale-Up Project, aimed at empowering women nationwide, has seen a mere $1.99 million disbursed from its $500 million allocation.
A number of these loans require specific criteria to be met before additional funds can be disbursed, so maybe Nigeria just has not met the criteria.
Other money woes
The Nigerian Bureau of Statistics has revealed that domestic air travellers paid 25% more for flights in July 2024 compared to the same period last year.
Nigeria's currency outside banks has reduced, dropping to a N3.66 trillion in July—the largest dip we've seen this year. This is a testament to the CBN’s efforts to try to reduce the money in circulation - it shows that more people are keeping their money in banks, but there was a 0.12% increase in money in circulation, which means people are still pending more (duh)
Protests
IPOB threatens protest
Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have raised the alarm over what they believe is a secret ethnic cleansing of Igbo youths, particularly in Orlu, Imo State.
The group alleged that the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police are behind the act.
The statement said IPOB would start violent protests if this targeted violence isn’t stopped
Students protest in Canada
70,000 students from Nigeria and other countries risk deportation across Canada over the Canadian government’s recent decision to limit study permits and reduce permanent residency nominations.
On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced plans to cut the number of temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions.
The move follows significant changes made in 2021, when the Post-Graduation Work Permit program was abolished.
Last year, the federal government imposed a two-year cap on international student visas.
Reports suggest that this uproar stems from issues ranging from administrative issues to discrepancies in paperwork.
Nigerian nurses stranded because of NMCN
The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has refused to reopen its verification portal, which has been closed since December 2023. This portal is essential for nurses to verify their certificates and work abroad.
The portal was temporarily shut down for an upgrade when the NMCN introduced new requirements for certificate verification for nurses seeking to leave Nigeria.
The National Assembly intervened and halted the implementation of these restrictive requirements, which included two years of qualification experience and a non-refundable application fee. Despite NMCN’s promise to reopen the portal, it remains closed.
The Nigerian government’s constant complaints about the massive migration of healthcare workers abroad have led some countries, like the UK, to suspend the recruitment of Nigerian nurses.
As a result, some nurses abroad are stranded, and others are on the verge of deportation because they cannot verify their certificates.
Affected nurses have tried to reach out to the NMCN, but their efforts have been met with silence.
No Work, No Pay for Doctors
The Nigerian government said it will implement the "no work, no pay" rule against the resident doctors who have gone on strike - Punch
The resident doctors began a seven-day warning strike on Monday, August 26, 2024, to protest the kidnapping of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola who was taken from her home in the middle of the night on 27 December alongside her husband and a nephew.
The government’s decision means the striking doctors will not be paid for the duration of the strike.
However, the government hasn't taken any action to resolve the doctors' case.
Crime
Questionable arrests
The police arrested Tamunobiefiri (PIDOMNigeria), an anonymous whistleblower.
Tamunobiefiri runs an anonymous whistleblower account on Twitter with the username: @99% OPPRESSED
According to reports, PIDOM was abducted by the police on August 5 and held in a cell in Rivers State without food or human contact for six days before being flown to Abuja.
He was initially accused of kidnapping but was later charged with cybercrimes, terrorism financing, and treasonable felony,
Despite being granted bail by the NCCC, PIDOM remains in detention due to strict bail conditions.
Similarly, Idris Abubakar, popularly known as Dadiyata, a known critic of the Nigerian government, was abducted from his home in 2019, and his whereabouts remain unknown to date.
Meanwhile, the EFCC is begging the National Assembly to pass a law that supports and protects whistleblowers in Nigeria. This law has been pending for several years.
Nigerian investigative reporter detained by SSS
Nigerian journalist Adejuwon Soyinka has been allegedly arrested and detained by the State Security Service (SSS).
Soyinka, a former editor of the BBC Pidgin Service, was detained at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos on Sunday upon his arrival from the United Kingdom after being placed on a watchlist.
The reason for his detention was not disclosed, but he was released after 6 hours though they seized his passport.
More than 100 attacks on journalists have been verified in Nigeria this year, according to the Press Attack Tracker.
The attacks on the press and journalists are primarily by state actors with the police accounting for almost 50% of all reported journalist harassment cases in the first half of the year.
NAF demolishing homes for a runway
The Nigerian Air Force has demolished houses in the Magu Barracks, Abuja, displacing over 200 families to make way for the presidential fleet.
According to reports, the NAF claimed that the houses were built on land allocated for the expansion of the presidential fleet's hangar. Therefore, they don't care.
Residents say they were not given adequate notice or compensation before the demolition.
The displaced families are now seeking alternative accommodation and are asking the government to provide them with temporary housing and compensation for their losses.
Shi’ite group clashes with police
The FCT Police Command has reported that two police officers were killed in an “unprovoked” attack by a Shi'ite group at Wuse Junction, Abuja last week Sunday.
The incident was aggravated when the Shi'ite group reportedly attacked using machetes, homemade bombs, and knives.
Three other police officers were injured and are currently receiving medical attention, and three police vehicles were set ablaze.
The Commissioner of Police stated that several arrests have been made in connection with the attack.
Medical
Mpox cases in Nigeria
The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 48 cases of mpox across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The states with confirmed cases include Bayelsa (5), Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Cross River (4 cases each), Benue (3), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Delta, Anambra, Rivers, Plateau (2 each); Nasarawa, Lagos, Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi (1 each), and Osun (2).
Fortunately, there have been no reported deaths in Nigeria this year. However, the situation is more severe globally, with over 2,800 cases and 517 deaths reported across 13 African countries.
A new strain of the virus, known as Clay 1, has emerged in Congo and is spreading to other countries.
In response to the outbreak, the US has donated 10,000 vaccine doses to Nigeria.
These vaccines will be given to frontline workers, people who have been in contact with infected peoplr, and vulnerable groups.
To reduce the risk of infection, Nigerians are advised to: Avoid contact with small rodents, monkeys and other animals that may carry the virus; Wash hands frequently; Cook animal products thoroughly.
Other news
The Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, has resigned for personal reasons - Arise.
Australia plans to cap foreign student numbers starting next year - Vanguard
Hundreds of APC members in Ondo State have defected to the Social Democratic Party ahead of the forthcoming off-cycle governorship election in the state - The Nation.
The FG has prohibited individuals under 18 from participating in WAEC and NECO exams - Tribute.
Shipping agencies have approved N200,000 as minimum wage for workers - Punch
170 female survivors of gender-based violence in have received ₦25.5 million in livelihood and start-up capital in Yobe State - Independent
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