Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso as the club’s manager on Sunday on a four-year deal with the Spaniard the latest coach tasked with turning around the club’s fortunes.

The Blues lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City on Saturday and lie ninth in the Premier League with two games of the campaign to go.

Alonso rose to prominence as one of Europe’s brightest coaches by guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten German league and cup double in the 2023/24 season.

Dangote Refinery recently promised to reduce the frequency of its petrol price adjustments, especially hikes, to give Nigerians a breather amid the harsh economic reality, as reported by Legit.

However, fresh data has revealed that the Dangote Refinery adjusted the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, at least nine times in early 2026, highlighting the volatility in Nigeria’s downstream oil market.

The refinery, which remains Africa’s largest single-train refinery, reportedly implemented six upward reviews and three downward adjustments within the first quarter of the year, as global crude oil prices, exchange rate pressures, and depot competition continued to shape local fuel pricing.

One of the most significant reductions came in March 2026, when the refinery slashed petrol prices by ₦100 per litre, bringing the ex-depot rate down from ₦1,175 to ₦1,075 per litre. Industry watchers say the cumulative reductions recorded so far in 2026 amount to nearly ₦200 per litre, offering some relief to marketers and eventually consumers facing persistent fuel price pressure.

March price cut became a major turning point

On March 10, 2026, Dangote Refinery announced one of its biggest price cuts of the year after global crude oil prices softened in the international market. The refinery reduced its PMS loading price from ₦1,175 per litre to ₦1,075 per litre, representing a ₦100 drop.

Reports linked the move to declining crude prices and efforts to remain competitive against rising depot prices across Nigeria. The adjustment came after weeks of sharp increases driven by Brent crude trading above $100 per barrel, which had forced many depot owners and independent marketers to review their prices upward.

Market analysts described the March reduction as a strategic move aimed at stabilising retail prices and easing supply pressure across filling stations.

Six increases, three reductions in just months

According to the market tracking platform PetroleumPriceNG, Dangote Refinery’s pricing pattern in 2026 has been highly dynamic.

Within just the first quarter, the refinery reportedly carried out six price hikes and three cuts, reflecting how quickly market realities changed.

Some of the earlier increases were tied to:

• rising international crude oil prices
• foreign exchange instability
• logistics and distribution costs
• strong domestic demand for refined petroleum products.

Meanwhile, the downward adjustments were largely triggered by:

• softer global crude prices
• pressure from competing depots
• efforts to moderate retail pump prices
• market expectations for price stability

A smaller reduction was also reported in February before the more dramatic March cut, while later adjustments were introduced to prevent excessive depot pricing across major supply hubs.

Nigerians are still watching pump prices closely

Although ex-depot reductions do not always translate immediately to lower pump prices at filling stations, consumers across Nigeria continue to monitor Dangote Refinery’s pricing decisions closely because of its growing influence in the fuel supply chain.

With marketers relying heavily on Dangote’s supply volumes, each adjustment at the refinery level often triggers reactions across independent depots, retail stations, and transport costs nationwide.

Experts say if global oil prices remain moderate and exchange rate pressures ease, Nigerians could see more stability in PMS prices in the coming months.

However, any renewed surge in crude oil prices or forex volatility could quickly reverse the gains.

Refinery’s growing influence on fuel pricing

Since ramping up operations, Dangote Refinery has increasingly become a major price setter in Nigeria’s petroleum market.

Its decisions now shape pricing conversations among depot owners, marketers, and regulators alike. For many Nigerians, the refinery represents both hope for long-term price stability and a daily reminder of how global oil market movements directly affect transport fares, food prices, and the overall cost of living.

Super Eagles stars Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina shone for Nottingham Forest in their ruthless 5-0 drubbing of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Friday.

The two Super Eagles stars continued their club’s fight against relegation in a tricky tie against the Black Cats, who held the home advantage.

Awoniyi started on the bench, as coach Vitor Pereira opted for a two-pronged frontline featuring Igor Jesus and Chris Wood. However, Aina retained his place in the starting XI, lining up at right-back.

The game was expected to be a real cracker, given Sunderland’s brilliant form in the Premier League this year. While Nottingham Forest have picked up the pace recently, they still have significant work to do to avoid relegation from the English top flight.

However, the match turned out to be a whitewash. By the 37th minute, the Black Cats were already four goals down, courtesy of strikes from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood, alongside an own goal from Trai Hume.

Aina was superb in the first half. He remained rock-solid defensively and successfully kept the Sunderland attackers at bay.

In the second half, the home team picked up the pace slightly as Nottingham Forest shifted into game-management mode. In the 61st minute, Sunderland thought they had pulled one back after Daniel Ballard put the ball in the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Awoniyi was introduced in the 88th minute, replacing Wood. The Super Eagles star looked very lively upon his introduction and provided the assist for Nottingham Forest’s fifth goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time. He played a clever pass to Elliot Anderson in the box, and the Englishman finished with aplomb to complete the 5-0 rout.

Aina did not record a goal or an assist, but he was excellent throughout the night. He finished with an impressive nine defensive contributions, 70 percent passing accuracy, and 56 touches.

Following Nottingham Forest’s 5-0 thrashing of Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Friday, the Trickey Trees have almost confirmed their place in the Premier League next season.

They have been serious candidates for the drop. But with this win, they have now climbed to 16th on the table, eight points above the relegation zone, albeit they have played one more game than the teams below them asides from Burnley.

With four games left in the survival push, the Tricky Trees will need to win two of their games at most to be sure that they will play Premier League football next season.

Their two Super Eagles stars have proven to be key this season, with Aina often shining at the back, while Awoniyi regularly gets off the bench to close games. They will be hoping to continue that run soon.