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CBN Lauds Nigeria’s Instant Payment System

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CBN Lauds Nigeria's Instant Payment System

The Central Bank of Nigeria has declared the country’s instant payment system as one of the most advanced globally, citing years of reforms and innovation that have reshaped the nation’s financial landscape.

Director of Payments System Policy at the CBN, Mr Musa Jimoh, made this known on Thursday during the FintechNGR Quarter Two Regulators’ Forum Webinar, themed “Beyond Compliance: Unlocking Innovation with Nigeria’s Open Banking Framework.”

According to Jimoh, Nigeria’s payment ecosystem has evolved significantly, fuelled by a blend of fintech innovation, progressive regulation, and shifting consumer behaviour.

“Our payments happen within seconds, and that’s a very big one for Nigeria as a country,” he said, describing the instant payment system as a reflection of the country’s drive for innovation and financial inclusion.

The forum, which brought together key players in the financial technology space, explored the potential of open banking to deepen financial services and promote collaboration among institutions.

Jimoh noted that the CBN had made deliberate efforts over the years to modernise Nigeria’s financial system, starting as far back as 2006 when it first inaugurated a national payment system vision.

“The journey of payment system development in Nigeria has been long. It started about 2006 when the CBN inaugurated its first payment system vision. The objective was to prepare a roadmap for the development of the payment system in Nigeria,” he said.

One of the pivotal moments, he explained, came in 2010 when the apex bank mandated a switch from magnetic stripe cards to chip-and-PIN cards, a move that led to the widespread adoption of more secure EMV payment cards.

“This was a major turning point for Nigeria,” he noted.

Jimoh traced further developments in the ecosystem to regulatory interventions such as Know Your Customer protocols, mobile banking, agent banking, mobile money, and the cashless policy.

“Today, Nigeria has over 160 different licenses granted to institutions for financial and payment services,” he revealed, adding that financial institutions and switching companies had also upgraded their infrastructure to handle increasing transaction volumes.

He also cited the biometric-based Bank Verification Number as a landmark policy that enabled secure customer identity across platforms.

Touching on the relevance of open banking, Jimoh said it had the potential to boost innovation by enabling developers to build new financial products using customer-permissioned data held by banks.

“Banks are holding onto vast amounts of data that could be leveraged to develop innovative financial products and services. The CBN believes that open banking can help address this challenge by allowing developers to access bank data and create innovative financial products and services. The data must be permissioned, and the customer must give consent before it can be used,” he said.

However, he acknowledged that challenges remain in the implementation of open banking, particularly around the standardisation of APIs and cybersecurity.

To address these, Jimoh said the CBN had set up specialised workstreams focused on solving technical and policy issues surrounding open banking.

“The CBN aims to create an environment where openness, inclusiveness, and innovation drive national economic resilience and prosperity. With a robust regulatory framework, standardised API, and collaboration among stakeholders, open banking could transform Nigeria’s financial landscape,” he said.

Jimoh concluded by reiterating the central bank’s commitment to working with the private sector and regulators to advance innovation and deepen access to financial services across Nigeria.

“The CBN has released regulations and guidelines on open banking and established a regulatory sandbox to support innovation,” he added.

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Dangote Refinery Fixes Petrol Price in New Pricing Template 

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Dangote Refinery Slashes Ex-Depot Price By N40

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has fixed the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, at $0.779 per litre as it officially transitioned to a dollar-denominated pricing system for refined petroleum products.

The new pricing template, which took effect on Monday, July 13, 2026, also pegs Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) at $1.087 per litre and aviation fuel at $0.942 per litre, while coastal deliveries of petrol have been priced at $1,044.62 per metric tonne.

The move effectively ends naira payments for petrol, diesel and aviation fuel purchased from the refinery, marking a significant shift from the naira-based transactions introduced under the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude policy, which commenced on October 1, 2024.

In a notice to petroleum marketers and customers, the refinery said all previously issued naira-denominated Proforma Invoices (PFIs) and Deal Recaps for both gantry and coastal transactions had become invalid.

The notice, signed by the refinery’s Group Commercial Operations, stated: “Following our email of July 9, 2026, regarding the transition from naira to United States dollars (USD), please note that all issued naira coastal and gantry PFIs/Deal Recaps are now invalid, and no payments should be made against them.

“The applicable USD prices for each product, effective today, July 13, 2026, are provided below.”

Under the revised pricing template, petrol sold through the gantry will cost $0.779 per litre, diesel $1.087 per litre, aviation fuel $0.942 per litre, while coastal PMS supplies will sell for $1,044.62 per metric tonne.

The refinery, however, clarified that the transition does not affect Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) transactions.

“Also note that this transition to USD does not apply to LPG transactions,” the notice added.

Industry sources said the change was necessitated by an increasing mismatch between the currency used to purchase crude oil and the currency in which refined products were being sold.

According to one source familiar with the development, Dangote Refinery now receives a significant portion of its crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) under dollar-denominated supply arrangements, while a large volume of refined products has continued to be sold domestically in naira.

The source said the imbalance had heightened the refinery’s exposure to foreign exchange risks.

Another industry official explained that the refinery had received fewer crude cargoes under the naira-for-crude arrangement in recent months, making it commercially necessary to align product sales with the currency used for crude procurement.

“Dangote Refinery is receiving fewer naira-denominated crude cargoes from NNPCL than dollar-denominated cargoes, while a larger volume of its petroleum products has been sold in naira.

“The resulting currency mismatch, combined with volatility in international crude oil prices and continued exchange-rate uncertainty, made it necessary to migrate product sales to dollars,” the source said.

The development is expected to have far-reaching implications for petroleum marketers, many of whom source products directly from the refinery for nationwide distribution.

It also raises fresh questions about the future of the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude initiative, which was introduced to strengthen domestic refining, reduce pressure on foreign exchange demand and help stabilise fuel prices.

Although the refinery has fixed a dollar benchmark for product sales, the retail pump price of petrol across the country will continue to depend on several factors, including the prevailing naira-dollar exchange rate, international crude oil prices, transportation and logistics costs, regulatory charges and marketers’ margins.

With Dangote Refinery now accounting for a substantial share of Nigeria’s refined petroleum supply, industry stakeholders are expected to closely monitor how the new pricing regime influences fuel prices and competition in the deregulated downstream petroleum market.

 

Source: Tribune

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Nigeria Strengthens Maritime Leadership as Fadahunsi Emerges Vice Chairman of Eastern Atlantic Hydrographic Commission

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The Hydrographer of the Federation and Chief Executive Officer of the National Hydrographic Agency (NHA), Rear Admiral OO Fadahunsi, has been elected Vice Chairman of the Eastern Atlantic Hydrographic Commission (EAtHC) for the 2026–2028 term, further reinforcing Nigeria’s growing influence in regional and global maritime governance.

Rear Admiral Fadahunsi’s election was confirmed on Friday, 3 July 2026, during the ongoing EAtHC Conference in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where member states endorsed his emergence to one of the commission’s most strategic leadership positions.

Established on 26 November 1984 under the auspices of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the Eastern Atlantic Hydrographic Commission was founded by France, Nigeria, Portugal and Spain. Over the past four decades, the commission has expanded significantly, comprising 11 member states, 10 associate members and six observers committed to promoting hydrographic excellence across the Eastern Atlantic region.

The commission plays a pivotal role in advancing hydrography, nautical cartography and maritime safety through capacity-building initiatives, the development and implementation of International (INT) Charts and Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) schemes, improved hydrographic surveys, enhanced charting standards, effective dissemination of nautical information and sustained advocacy on the importance of hydrography to regional maritime development.

Since its inaugural conference in Paris, France, in April 1986, the EAtHC has convened biennially to strengthen collaboration among member states and chart the future of hydrographic development.

In another significant endorsement of Nigeria’s expanding maritime profile, the country has been selected to host the next EAtHC Conference in June 2028. Nigeria will also host the 25th Meeting of the Capacity Building Sub-Committee (CBSC25) and the 19th Meeting of the Inter-Regional Coordination Committee (IRCC19) in June 2027, positioning the country at the centre of major international hydrographic engagements.

Rear Admiral Fadahunsi’s election is widely regarded as a testament to Nigeria’s sustained investment in hydrographic development, maritime safety and regional cooperation. It also reflects growing international confidence in the National Hydrographic Agency’s contributions to safer navigation, marine resource management and the blue economy.

As Nigeria prepares to welcome leading hydrographers, maritime regulators and technical experts from across the world over the next two years, the country is poised to consolidate its reputation as a key driver of hydrographic innovation and maritime security in the Eastern Atlantic region.

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Canada Publishes 2 Official Websites to Find Jobs, Says Over 2,000 Vacancies Are Posted Daily 

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Canada has made it easier for unemployed individuals and foreigners who wish to live and work in the country to find jobs that can help them live comfortably and meet their basic responsibilities.

On the official Canadian government website, two links are provided to websites where job seekers can find available jobs in Canada

According to the Canadian government website, applicants who apply for jobs through these platforms can get hired by different companies, as more than 2,000 jobs are posted every day.

Aside from these two websites, the Canadian government explains that individuals can also use employment agencies to help them find jobs that match their skills.

A job seeker can also ask friends or family members if there are job openings or vacancies, as not all positions are advertised on these websites.

1. Job Bank

The Canadian government explains that thousands of jobs are advertised on this platform every day by organisations and companies. The link to access the website can be found in the detailed post published on the Canadian government website.

2. Jobs GC

Another website where foreigners who wish to work in Canada or Canadian citizens can find government jobs is the Jobs GC website. Federal public service jobs are advertised on the website, alongside several other opportunities that may match an applicant’s skills.

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