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Nigerian Government reiterates commitment to reposition gas sector

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Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo
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The Federal Government on Thursday, reiterated its commitment to reposition the gas sector for effective service delivery.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made this known while declaring open the 2021 World Energy Day Conference in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has as its theme: “Energy Transition: Gas as the Fuel of Choice”.

Osinbajo, represented by the Minister of State for Power, Goddy Agba, stressed the importance of gas in actualising energy transition.

According to him, we cannot execute this transition without gas. Gas enables this transition with options for AutoGas on vehicles and even more importantly gas power to replace dirty coal plants across the world.

“Gas is cleaner than coal or oil and initially was touted as a critical transition fuel.

“Later, climate change policy, particularly in the West, began to turn against gas with very strict policies from many lenders against even funding upstream, midstream or downstream gas projects.

“This has created the scenario we face today with insufficient gas investment without commiserate replacement by renewable leading to scarcity and high prices,’’ he said.

While restating Nigeria’s commitment to lead local and global discussions on the position of gas in the new world order, Osinbajo said that the Federal Government had given the go ahead for the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Train 7.

According to him, Train 7 is more than N10 billion investment that will keep Nigeria in the top five globally in Liquefied Natural Gas and position the country to benefit from the critical role that gas will play in the Energy Transition.

He pointed out that the Federal Government inaugurated the Decade of Gas under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

“Mr President said on March 29, when we declared 2020 as “The Year of Gas” In Nigeria, it was to demonstrate our resolve that gas development and utilisation should be a national priority.

“Now, we are going a step further to dedicate this decade to industrialising Nigeria using gas.

“As part of the Decade of Gas, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna—Kano Natural Gas Pipeline set for completion in 2023, will not only allow for gas power and industries across Nigeria but will also create the ability to ramp up renewable.
“This is as we will have base load power to balance intermittent solar power plants that need to be built to meet our climate goals.

The vice president, however, expressed concern over inadequate investments in energy to meet net-zero targets.

“There is simply not enough investment in renewable to support the intended accelerated pace of removal of Fossil fuels.

“Today, fossil fuels satisfy 83 per cent of primary demand for energy.

“Unfortunately, investment in fossil fuels has also dropped by 40 per cent since 2015 without the requisite ramp up in renewable.’’

According to Osinbajo, if we have learnt anything over the past few weeks is that the Energy Transition will not be easy, it will not be seamless and it will not be done without difficult choices.

The vice president said that the risks of trying to make 30-year commitments in reaching net-zero were plain and apparent for all to see.

“The Economist reported that since May, the combined prices of oil, coal and gas increased by 95 per cent. It was also reported that Britain has turned back on some coal-fired power stations.

“I surely believe that the Energy Transition was not meant to make energy less available and unaffordable.

“These events if not handled carefully may turn global public sentiment against climate change policies,’’ Osinbajo said.

Earlier, Dr Al-Mujtaba, the President, ACCI, commended the Federal Government for crafting a gas agenda which became Nigeria’s response to the energy transition question.

According to him, the gas commercialisation agenda, the Autogas initiatives and other policy response have provided much needed answers to Nigeria’s need for energy transition.

Similarly, Mr Olawale Rasheed, the Director Policy, ACCI, stressed the need for Nigeria meeting her target on reduction on carbon emission without undermining national interest.

“Basically, we are saying we need gas it is good for us and gas is cleaner,’’ Rasheed said.

Also speakinhg, Mr Olakpode Sowunmi, Chief Executive Officer CABTRI called for increased capacity to produce more gas.

According to him, the tempo is how we can increase our capacity to produce more gas.

People ask the question we flare a lot of gas why can’t we use that for cooking gas but it is not exactly the same.

“It is like you have water in the river, but that do not necessarily translate to drinking water.

“The gas needs to be processed for it to be useful for domestic consumption,’’ he said. (NAN)

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Business & Economy

Tinubu Tables ₦58.18trn 2026 Budget, Projects Sustained Economic Stability

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Tinubu on Friday presented a ₦58.18 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the National Assembly of Nigeria, declaring that Nigeria’s economy is showing measurable signs of stabilisation following years of structural pressure.

Tagged “Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” the 2026 fiscal plan is aimed at locking in recent macroeconomic gains while translating economic recovery into improved living standards for citizens.

According to the President, Nigeria’s economy expanded by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, while inflation moderated significantly, falling to 14.45 per cent in November 2025 from 24.23 per cent in March 2025.

“With stabilising food and energy prices, tighter monetary conditions, and improving supply responses, we expect the disinflationary trend to persist into 2026, barring major supply shocks,” Tinubu said during the presentation on December 19, 2025.

The President highlighted additional positive indicators, including improved crude oil production, rising non-oil revenues, renewed investor confidence, and external reserves climbing to a seven-year high of approximately $47 billion.

Under the proposal, the Federal Government projects ₦34.33 trillion in revenue against planned expenditure of ₦58.18 trillion, resulting in a budget deficit of ₦23.85 trillion, equivalent to 4.28 per cent of GDP. Tinubu emphasised that the fiscal framework is built on realism, prudence, and growth-driven assumptions.

He further assured lawmakers of tighter discipline in budget implementation, stressing that fiscal spending in 2026 would be more outcome-focused.

“Every naira spent or borrowed must deliver measurable public value,” the President said.

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CBN Governor Reassures U.S. Investors on Nigeria’s Economic Reforms, Stability

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CBN Governor, Yemi Cardoso
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The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has reassured United States investors of Nigeria’s commitment to macroeconomic stability and market-driven reforms, amid global economic uncertainty.

Cardoso gave the assurance during high-level engagements with U.S. business leaders and institutional investors in Washington, D.C., including the U.S.–Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable.

Speaking at the forum, the CBN governor said Nigeria remains focused on rules-based economic management, transparent markets, and predictable policy frameworks to restore investor confidence and drive sustainable economic growth.

He highlighted recent reforms in the foreign exchange market, the adoption of orthodox monetary policy measures, ongoing banking sector reforms, and the modernisation of the payments system. According to him, the reforms are aimed at stabilising the economy and supporting private-sector-led development.

The roundtable, convened by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center, focused on macroeconomic stabilisation, regulatory clarity, and opportunities to scale bankable projects across key sectors of the Nigerian economy. Discussions also emphasised efforts to deepen commercial and investment ties between Nigeria and the United States.

Commenting on the outcome of the engagement, President of the U.S.-Africa Business Center, Ms. Kendra Gaither, said investors are increasingly prioritising policy credibility and consistency.

She noted that clarity of rules, credible reforms, and disciplined economic management are critical factors driving investor interest, adding that Nigeria’s evolving message of discipline and opportunity is important in a global economy seeking stability and predictability.

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Tinubu Welcomes Nigeria’s Removal from FATF Grey List, Pledges Continued Financial Reforms

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President Bola Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the removal of Nigeria from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, describing it as a major milestone in the nation’s economic reform and global credibility drive.

The FATF, the world’s foremost body for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing, announced Nigeria’s delisting on Friday at its plenary session in Paris, France.

The decision formally removes Nigeria from the list of countries under increased monitoring, following the nation’s successful completion of its FATF Action Plan after over two years of sustained reforms and inter-agency coordination.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said the development reflects Nigeria’s progress in strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.

“Rather than treat our placement on the grey list in 2023 as a setback, we saw it as a call to action,” the President said. “This delisting is a strategic victory for our economy and a renewed vote of confidence in Nigeria’s financial governance.”

The President credited the achievement to far-reaching legal, institutional, and operational reforms implemented under his administration through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), in collaboration with the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, and other key ministries.

Tinubu commended the Director/CEO of the NFIU, Ms. Hafsat Abubakar Bakari, and her team for their diligence and professionalism, as well as the contributions of several ministries, agencies, and private sector representatives who participated in the National Task Force on AML/CFT.

He also acknowledged the support of international partners including France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Nations, and the European Commission, for their technical assistance throughout Nigeria’s reform process.

President Tinubu assured that his administration will sustain and deepen the reforms that led to the country’s delisting.

“This is not just a technical accomplishment,” he said. “It marks the beginning of a new chapter in our financial reform agenda as we continue building a system Nigerians and the world can trust.”

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