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Courageous Steps by Tinubu in making Nigeria a destination of choice for investors , says Edun

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The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to steer the economy in the right direction has propelled Nigeria to become the destination of choice for most investors.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun made this known yesterday at a press briefing in Marrakech, Morocco.

Highlighting Nigeria’s current investment climate and the opportunities available for foreign and domestic investors, the finance minister said Nigeria has taken bold, courageous steps to improve its economy and is now a prime destination for investment.

Edun acknowledged that more work is needed but believes that Nigeria is on the right path towards economic recovery, job creation, and inclusivity for women and young people.

He insisted that the opportunity being presented is not only to showcase what Nigeria has done but to also allow people to gain a better understanding of the progress that has been made.

The Minister noted that some countries now see Nigeria’s progress as an inspiration but lack the courage to take similar steps.

According to him, “regarding the opportunity to attract investment, there have been many conversations and in all honesty the narrative is that with the bold courageous steps that Nigeria has taken, we are now at the forefront almost number one on people’s list when they want to look at where to invest, that is now the narrative.

“There is more to be done but Nigeria is definitely on the right path, taking the right decisions for the economy to recover and for it to attract foreign direct investment as well as domestic investment in other to recover true economic growth, job creation and at the same time achieve inclusivity of women and young people.”

The finance minister added that “the opportunity we have had, not so much to stand in front of people and showcase but that they get the opportunity within this environment to understand even more clearly what has been done and the truth is there are some countries here that say that ‘these are steps we would like to take but they do not believe they have essentially the courage to do it’.

With regards to debt restructuring, the finance minister said the goal is to improve or modify the terms of the debt so that the borrower can better meet their obligations.

Edun agreed that waiting to restructure debt is not always the best approach but instead suggested being proactive and looking for opportunities to improve the conditions under which the debt was borrowed.

However, he pointed out that given the current global economic climate, debt is becoming less affordable due to high interest rates.

He noted that, if a borrower has access to cheap financing, they should take advantage of it as long as they are comfortably servicing the debt.

In situations where a borrower can afford to do so, they should try to pay down debt in order to avoid it becoming a burden.

Speaking about more government borrowing but this time from the Central Bank, the finance minister underscored President Tinubu’s commitment to fiscal responsibility, rule of law, and a responsible approach to managing government finances, particularly in the context of borrowing from the central bank.

According to him, one of President Tinubu’s key priorities is to adhere to the legal framework and regulations already in place and this, the minister explained, extends to the President’s commitment to staying within the limits for “Ways and Means”.

Edun emphasized that President Tinubu is aware of the importance of fiscal responsibility, even though he may resort to overdraft borrowing, “his goal is to ensure that the government doesn’t exceed the statutory limits set for such borrowing.

Moreover, the minister said that there has been a realization of the need to reduce the reliance on borrowing from the central bank, which might have been excessive or appeared to be spiraling out of control in the past.

On the talks with the World Bank on $1.5 billion budget support, the minister confirmed that Nigeria was in talks with the World Bank to access the facility.

According to Wale Edun, “it has free money through IDA International Development Association. It is for the poorer countries and right now I think we qualify as one of the countries that can borrow in the normal window of World Bank funding but also some concessionary IDA funding and that means that effectively the interest rate will be zero.

“So, therefore, there is no stigma attached to qualifying for World Bank funding to help finance development. In this particular case, it has long been in the pipeline, and we are hoping that the funding will come through soon.

“A lot of hard work is being done. There is a Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday, that should be able to discuss this, as well as other initiatives for financing on reasonable terms. We have talked about the high costs of money, the World Bank money is the cheapest”.

Speaking on the current level of hardship Nigerians are going through as a result of putting an end to subsidy on fuel and exchange rate unification, the finance minister said “these are painful reforms and Mr. President is a man of empathy who promised not to leave the vulnerable and poor behind.

“As you know there is a set of interventions being rolled out which, day by day, should improve things. More food has been grown, fertilizers are being released, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transport is the order of the day, while the government buses, conversion kits are on the way, there is take-up of that initiative by the private sector.

“So day by day we are moving closer to affordable and even cleaner energy simply because the price of petroleum products has been put where it really stands rather than having cheap fuel which is below the market price and below its value. Now you are seeing the right value and that is making the move to cleaner and finer energy.

He also added that one of the benefits of some of the measures taken, “is the fact that there has been a 30 per cent reduction in smuggling of petroleum products across the border, I think is a major achievement of that all important step to remove fuel subsidy.

Meanwhile, the Minister has been appointed as the Chairman of the African Governors’ Forum of the World Bank.

The African Governors’ Forum is a platform for African finance ministers and central bank governors to engage with the World Bank on issues of mutual interest.

The African Caucus was established in 1963 to strengthen the voice of African Governors.

A statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, said that this marks the first time Nigeria has assumed the role of Chairman in 60 years.

It said: “World Bank Appointment: Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Mr. Wale Edun has been appointed to Chair the African Governors’ Forum of the World Bank.

“This marks the first time Nigeria has assumed the role of Chairman in 60 years.

‘’The appointment presents a unique opportunity for Nigeria and the implementation of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.’’

According to the IMF’s guiding principles for the caucus, the forum’s Chairman is determined by rotation based on the alphabetical order of African countries.

This system ensures that each country takes its turn to lead the group, preventing one nation from chairing the forum twice while others have yet to assume the role.

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Update : FG confirms continuation of crude, refined product sales in Naira initiative, Says Wale Edu

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The Federal Government has confirmed the crude and refined product sales in Naira initiative remains a standing national policy and will continue indefinitely.

However, the policy will stay in place as long as it serves the public interest and supports Nigeria’s broader economic goals.

This assurance was contained in the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Federal Ministry of Finance on Wednesday morning amid growing inquiries on the status of the policy.

The Ministry stated the initiative, first approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), is a long-term strategic directive and not a short-term or provisional measure.

According to the Ministry, stakeholders have reconvened to reiterate their full support and ongoing commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the initiative.

The policy, which mandates the transaction of crude oil and refined petroleum products in Naira, is aimed at strengthening the country’s economic sovereignty, enhancing local refining capacity, and stabilizing the foreign exchange market by reducing the demand for dollars in domestic petroleum transactions.

The Ministry explained that this policy is structured to foster energy security and encourage investment in domestic refining infrastructure.

“The Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative is not a temporary or time-bound intervention, but a key policy directive designed to support sustainable local refining, bolster energy security, and reduce reliance on foreign exchange in the domestic petroleum market,” the statement reads.

While acknowledging that the transition involves complexities, the government admitted that existing challenges are being systematically addressed.

“As with any major policy shift, the Committee acknowledges that implementation challenges may arise from time to time. However, such issues are being actively addressed through coordinated efforts among all parties,” the Ministry said.

To assess the progress made and address lingering implementation issues, the Technical Sub-Committee on the Crude and Refined Product Sales in Naira initiative held a review meeting on Tuesday. The gathering brought together key figures involved in the execution of the policy.

Among the attendees were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, who chairs the Implementation Committee; and the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, who heads the Technical Sub-Committee.

Also present were the Chief Financial Officer of NNPC Limited, Mr. Dapo Segun; the Coordinator of NNPC Refineries; Management of NNPC Trading; representatives from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals; and senior officials from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). A representative from Afreximbank and the Secretary of the Committee, Hauwa Ibrahim, also attended.

This policy, which aligns with the government’s broader economic reform agenda, is expected to support local content development, ease pressure on Nigeria’s foreign reserves, and provide a more predictable pricing structure for refined petroleum products in the domestic market.

The presence of major players from both the public and private sectors at the meeting shows the scale of collaboration required to sustain the policy. It also reflects the growing confidence in Nigeria’s shift toward economic policies that prioritize local capacity and currency resilience.

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Breaking : TInubu appoints Bashir Ojulari as new CEO group of NNPC and GMD mele kyari get sacked, Says Onanuga

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President Bola Tinubu has sacked the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) including its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and board chairman Pius Akinyelure.

The decision, effective April 2, 2025, was announced in a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.

President Tinubu cited the need for enhanced operational efficiency, restored investor confidence, and a more commercially viable NNPC as the driving forces behind the decision.

Invoking his powers under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, he reconstituted the board with new leadership aimed at repositioning NNPC Limited for greater productivity and alignment with global best practices.

Kyari was first appointed NNPC chief by former President Muhammadu Buhari but was reappointed in 2023 by President Tinubu.

As part of the overhaul, Bayo Ojulari takes over from Kyari as the new group CEO, while Ahmadu Musa Kida has been appointed as NNPC’s new non-executive chairman, replacing Pius Akinyelure. Also, Adedapo Segun has been confirmed as the company’s chief financial officer (CFO).

In line with the PIA, the president also appointed six non-executive directors from each geopolitical zone.

They include Bello Rabiu representing the north-west, Yusuf Usman from the north-east, and Babs Omotowa, a former managing director of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), for the north-central.

Others are Austin Avuru for the south-south, David Ige for the south-west, and Henry Obih for the south-east.

Meanwhile, Lydia Shehu Jafiya, the permanent secretary of the federal ministry of finance, and Aminu Said Ahmed of the ministry of petroleum resources will represent their respective ministries on the new board.

“This restructuring is aimed at repositioning NNPC Limited for greater productivity and efficiency in line with global best practices. We are taking bold steps to transform the company into a more commercially driven and transparent entity,” the statement reads.

The changes take effect immediately, and the new board has been handed a strategic action plan, which includes a “review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture Assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives”.

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Tinubu commended Nandap for her leadership, extends Comptroller-General tenure till 2026, says Onanuga

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President Bola Tinubu has approved the extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap, until December 31, 2026.

Nandap, who joined the NIS on October 9, 1989, was appointed as Comptroller-General on March 1, 2024, with an initial tenure set to end on August 31, 2025.

A statement by the president’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, said for her leadership, noting improvements in border management, immigration modernisation, and national security under her watch.

“Under her leadership, the Nigeria Immigration Service has witnessed significant advancements in its core mandate, with notable improvements in border management, modernisation of immigration processes and national security measures.

“President Tinubu commended the Comptroller-General for her exemplary leadership and urged her to continue dedicating herself to the Service’s strategic priorities, which align with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement read.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the NIS in safeguarding Nigeria’s borders and ensuring safe and legal migration.

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