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NNPC serviced $3bn loan with N991bn crude – Report

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has serviced part of its $3bn forward-sale loan from the African Export-Import Bank with crude oil worth N991bn in 2024, according to its 2024 financial statement report. The repayment was tied to Project Gazelle, a forward crude oil supply agreement signed in 2023.

On August 17, 2023, The PUNCH reported that the NNPC announced it had secured a $3.3bn emergency loan to repay crude oil obligations from Afreximbank. It explained that the loan would be used by the oil company to support the Federal Government in stabilising Nigeria’s exchange rate.

“The NNPC Ltd. and AFREXIM bank have jointly signed a commitment letter and Termsheet for an emergency $3bn crude oil repayment loan,” NNPC said in a statement.

“The signing, which took place today at the bank’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, will provide some immediate disbursement that will enable the NNPC Ltd. to support the Federal Government in its ongoing fiscal and monetary policy reforms aimed at stabilising the exchange rate market,” it added.

Under the deal, NNPC committed to deliver 90,000 barrels of crude oil per day from Production Sharing Contract assets to back a funding facility. According to the 2023 financial statement, a drawdown of $2.25bn had already been achieved by 31st December 2023, with principal repayment scheduled to begin in June 2024.

The funding carried an interest rate of 3-month LIBOR plus 6.5 per cent, with a 6 per cent margin and 0.5 per cent liquidity premium.

According to the 2024 financial statement, the drawdown on the facility had reached N4.9tn out of a total available N5.1tn, while N991bn worth of crude oil had been lifted in repayment, leaving an outstanding balance of N3.8tn at the end of 2024.

The report read, “In December 2023, NNPC Limited entered into a forward sale agreement with Project Gazelle Funding Limited to supply 90,000 bbl. of crude oil per day from Production Sharing Contract Assets for the settlement of a 5-year N2.7tn funding.

“The funding was utilised by the company to finance an advance payment of future taxes and royalty obligations due to the federation on PSC assets managed by the Company on behalf of the Federation.

“As at 31st December 2024, a drawdown of N4.9tn has been achieved from the initial facility of N5.1tn. The interest rate for the facility is 3-month SOFA plus 6.5 per cent while the margin and Liquidity Premium of 0.5 per cent respectively. A total value of Crude Oil worth N991bn has been lifted with a balance of N3.8tn as at 31st December 2024.”

The repayment was made between June and December 2024. However, NNPC did not disclose the identity of the offtakers or exact delivery volumes fulfilled in 2024.

The Project Gazelle arrangement has become one of NNPC’s most significant forward-sale financing vehicles, following a trend of oil-backed loans designed to shore up government revenues, refinance legacy debts, and meet budgetary obligations amid limited fiscal buffers.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the NNPC Ltd is burdened with crude-backed loan obligations estimated at N8.07tn.

The liabilities stretch across multiple forward-sale and project-financing arrangements that are expected to be serviced through substantial crude oil and gas deliveries. The commitments have become a major pillar of NNPCL’s funding structure following years of fiscal pressure, volatile crude production, and declining upstream investment.

Several of the facilities were used to refinance older debts, fund refinery rehabilitation, support cash flow, and meet government revenue obligations.

When assessed together, the company’s major crude-for-loan facilities—Eagle Export Funding (21,000 bpd), Project Yield (67,000 bpd), Project Leopard (35,000 bpd), and Project Gazelle (90,000 bpd)—represent a combined commitment of 213,000 barrels per day, in addition to separate gas-delivery obligations under the NLNG arrangement.

The volume equates to a sizeable share of Nigeria’s daily crude output, underscoring the long-term implications of these arrangements for government revenue, export allocation, and operational flexibility.

The PUNCH also reported that Nigeria’s gross profit from crude oil and gas sales plunged by N824.66bn in 2024 despite a rebound in oil production, according to figures from the Budget Implementation Report for the fourth quarter of 2024 released by the Budget Office of the Federation.

Data from the report revealed that gross profit from crude and gas sales fell to N1.08tn during the year, from N1.90tn in 2023, representing a 43.32 per cent decline.

The Chief Executive Officer of AHA Strategies and oil and gas expert, Mr Ademola Adigun, earlier linked Nigeria’s declining oil earnings to opaque crude-for-cash agreements and undisclosed loan repayments that have tied up part of the country’s crude output.

He said some of the government’s oil barrels were already committed to debt settlements and forward-sale contracts, reducing the actual volume that brought fresh revenue into the Federation Account.

Adigun said, “Some of our crude is already tied up in loan agreements. The problem is that Nigeria doesn’t know the full details of these transactions because there’s little transparency around them.”

He explained that several crude-backed projects, such as Project Gazelle, were carried out without proper public disclosure or parliamentary scrutiny.

He added that the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative should strengthen its audits to determine how much of the country’s crude is being used for debt repayment or swap transactions.

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‘Cooking Gas, Petrol Prices Crash Nationwide’  [DETAILS]

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Petrol and cooking gas prices declined year-on-year in December 2025, signalling a gradual easing of household energy costs, according to separate reports released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Naija News reports that data from the bureau showed that both Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly used for cooking, and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, recorded notable price reductions compared with December 2024, alongside modest month-on-month declines.

The NBS noted that while the downward trend was observed across most states and geopolitical zones, prices continued to vary widely depending on location.

5kg Of Cooking Gas Price Drops By 25%
According to the report, the average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of LPG declined by 1.20 per cent month-on-month, falling from ₦5,425.78 in November 2025 to ₦5,360.43 in December 2025.

On a year-on-year basis, the price fell sharply by 25.31 per cent, down from ₦7,177.27 recorded in December 2024.

Confirming the trend, the NBS stated, “The average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking Gas) decreased by 1.20 per cent on a month-on-month basis,” adding that the year-on-year decline stood at 25.31 per cent.”

A state-level analysis showed that Kaduna recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at ₦5,838.66, followed by Jigawa at ₦5,825.09 and Osun at ₦5,777.80.

On the lower end, Katsina recorded the cheapest average price at ₦4,855.80.

Similarly, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of LPG fell by 0.74 per cent month-on-month, declining from ₦13,538.79 in November 2025 to ₦13,438.90 in December 2025.

Year-on-year, the price dropped by 22.20 per cent from ₦17,274.16 recorded in December 2024.

On a state-by-state basis, Abia recorded the highest average price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at ₦14,489.96, followed by Osun at ₦14,444.50 and Delta at ₦14,393.17, the bureau said.

Petrol Price Dips To ₦1,048
The NBS also reported a decline in the average retail price of petrol.

According to the report, the average price of Premium Motor Spirit stood at ₦1,048.63 in December 2025, representing an 11.81 per cent decrease compared with ₦1,189.12 recorded in December 2024.

The bureau stated, “The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) for December 2025 was ₦1,048.63.”

On a month-on-month basis, petrol prices declined by 1.20 per cent, down from ₦1,061.35 recorded in November 2025.

Further analysis showed that Kogi State recorded the highest average petrol price at ₦1,104.45, while Oyo State had the lowest at ₦996.55.

Regionally, the North East emerged as the most expensive zone for petrol, while the South West recorded the lowest average prices.

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BREAKING: Naira Hits Two-Year High In Official Window As External Reserves Rise 

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Nigeria’s naira recorded one of its strongest performances in months on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, appreciating sharply against the US dollar at the official foreign exchange window amid improving liquidity and rising confidence in the country’s FX reforms.

The local currency strengthened to around ₦1,400 per dollar at the official market, marking its firmest level since the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN implemented sweeping FX reforms.

The move signals easing pressure on the naira and renewed optimism among investors and market participants.

According to the CBN’s daily foreign exchange report, the naira closed at ₦1,401.22 per dollar, representing a 1.27 percent appreciation on the day.

Market operators described the move as a reflection of improved dollar supply and stronger participation by banks and other authorised dealers.

Traders said the official window saw increased volumes, with the improved liquidity helping to narrow volatility and reduce speculative demand.

The latest performance reinforces the view that the reforms aimed at unifying exchange rates and improving price discovery are beginning to yield results.

The positive momentum extended to the parallel market, where the naira also posted modest gains.

Channel checks showed the local currency appreciating by about 0.33 per cent to trade around ₦1,476 per dollar. While the gap between the official and parallel rates remains, analysts say the narrowing spread reflects improving confidence across both the regulated and informal segments of the FX market.

According to a report by MarketForces Africa, reduced arbitrage opportunities and stronger supply conditions are helping to stabilise pricing.

The naira’s rally comes against the backdrop of rising external reserves, which have strengthened the CBN’s ability to intervene when necessary and support market liquidity.

Higher reserves are widely viewed as a key confidence signal for foreign investors, particularly portfolio investors who remain sensitive to currency risk.

Market watchers say consistent inflows from export earnings, improved remittance flows, and cautious monetary management have all contributed to the improved outlook for the naira in recent weeks.

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After Dangote, Another World Class Refinery to Be Built in Nigeria, CEO Confirms Location

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Clarivo Oil and Gas, led by Chief Obidike Chukwuebuka, has announced plans to build a world-class oil refinery in Calabar, Cross River State, aimed at boosting Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector.

Speaking to journalists, Chief Obidike said the project will be implemented in phases, in collaboration with foreign partners to bring advanced technical expertise and international industry standards.

The planned refinery will feature state-of-the-art technologies, including crude distillation, catalytic cracking, and hydrotreating units, enabling the production of high-quality petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel.

The phased approach will begin with feasibility studies and front-end engineering design, followed by construction of core processing units, and conclude with installation of secondary units and commissioning.

Chief Obidike noted that the refinery aims to increase domestic refining capacity, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products, and enhance Nigeria’s energy security. He added that the project is expected to create significant employment across engineering, construction, operations, and logistics, while facilitating technology transfer through partnerships with international EPC contractors and investors.

On funding, he revealed that agreements with foreign stakeholders are being finalized to provide both technical and financial support. The refinery is projected to come online within five years, following the completion of all project phases and regulatory approvals.

 

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