Nigerians will experience additional reductions in fuel prices in 2025, according to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

 

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has announced that Nigerians can expect further reductions in the prices of petroleum products, particularly fuel, even into next year. Chinedu Ukadike, the National Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, shared this assurance during an interview with the New Telegraph.

Ukadike described the recent decrease in fuel prices as a result of competition between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd). He stated, "The price war that has led to the reduction in the prices of petroleum products, especially fuel, is a testament to the benefits of deregulation. We now have two major sources of petroleum products: Dangote and NNPC Ltd. This has created a competing environment for marketers."

He further explained that as Dangote increases production, the company will seek to establish partnerships, particularly with IPMAN and other stakeholders, to ensure the efficient distribution of its products. Ukadike referred to the deal with MRS as a significant move to ensure that petroleum products reach consumers at a reduced price, calling it a “Christmas bonanza from Dangote.” He added, "The product price will continue to decrease. There will be further price reductions as competition against a sole producer intensifies.”

Reports indicate that as of Monday, December 23, petrol was sold at N925 per litre at many NNPC Ltd outlets in Lagos, while in Abuja it was priced at N965 per litre. On November 24, 2024, Dangote lowered fuel prices from N990 per litre to N970 for marketers.

Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) attributed the price reduction to the company's appreciation for Nigerians and support for the government. Last Thursday, Chiejina announced another petrol price reduction to N899.50k, which he described as a "holiday bonanza." He also mentioned that the company introduced a special offer to further benefit consumers.

In addition to the holiday discount, Dangote Petroleum Refinery is allowing customers to purchase an extra litre of fuel on credit for every litre bought in cash. "To alleviate transport costs during this holiday season, Dangote Refinery is offering a holiday discount on PMS. From today, our..."

Six Teams Restart Hostilities at Kebbi Beach Soccer League

The Filin Sukuwa at Sani Abacha Bye Pass, Birnin Kebbi will come alive with thrilling beach soccer action from 25-27 December 2024.
Six teams are expected to battle each other in the 2nd round of the 2024/25 Kebbi Beach Soccer League KBSL.
After the first round,  Magatakarda Beach Soccer Club (BSC) led the standings with nine points, and Kebbi United BSC and Bam Projects came close with six points apiece.
BBE BSC and Dallatu United BSC both have three points, while Mayanan Baguio BSC., in last place, has yet to register any points.
A look at first-round statistics whets appetite ahead of the second-round challenge.
61 goals from 20 different players were scored in the round, while the match between Magatakarda BSC and Dallatu United BSC, which ended 12-3 in favour of the former, recorded the highest number of goals.
Magatakarda BSC's Hassan Muhammad scored the most number of goals, 6, in a single match.
Goals are expected to flow in this month's second-round action, which precedes third-round proceedings in January when four teams will emerge for the Super Four in 2025.
...by Kelechi Bernard @woramangra

Super Eagles Experiences Fortification Ahead of Ghana's CHAN 2024 Challenge.

The technical crew of Nigeria's Super Eagles B has recalled five players ahead of their African Nations Championship CHAN 2024 second leg qualifier with Ghana's Black Galaxies this Saturday in Uyo.

The Nigerian team drew goalless with their Ghanian foes last Sunday in Accra and will need to score goals at the Godswill Akpabio stadium to stand any chance of prevailing against Ghana.

Rejoining the Eagles to boost goalscoring potential are strikers Samuel Ayanrinde (Shooting Stars) and Sunday Megwo (Abia Warriors).

The all-action strikers with imposing physical presence are expected to trouble the Ghanaian central defenders.

Completing the recalled five are Enugu Rangers midfielder Kazeem Ogunleye, Vincent Temitope from Plateau United and Badmus Gbadamosi of Kwara United.

The Eagles will train later today in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State where they will confront Black Galaxies of Ghana this Saturday 28 December 2024 in the second leg of the CHAN qualifier.

Overall winners on aggregate will advance to the delayed CHAN 2024 to be staged in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 1-28 February 2025.

...by Kelechi Bernard @woramangra

Eguavoen Undergoes Major Medical Procedure.

Super Eagles caretaker coach Augustine Eguavoen is recuperating after undergoing surgery in Belgium.
The operation, according to ScoreNigeria, was a major medical procedure that the former national team captain put on hold several times to guide the Super Eagles to AFCON 2025.
In Eguavoen's absence, Remo Stars' coach Daniel Ogunmodede, assisted by Rangers' manager Fidelis Ilechukwu, took charge of the Super Eagles B in a CHAN 2024 playoff against Ghana's Black Galaxies.
“It was a successful surgery and he will now do the usual follow-ups,” a source close to Eguavoen disclosed.
Eguavoen is the NFF Technical Director and was given temporary charge of the Super Eagles pending the appointment of a foreign coach.
...by Kelechi Bernard @woramangra

FRSC to man twenty-three camps and help areas, deploys over one thousand offers to all roads.

As the Christmas and New Year festivities draw closer, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has put in place Mobile Courts on all the highways across the country to check excesses of motorists and try violators of traffic rules.
The Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed also directed Commanding Officers to ensure 24-hour observation along high volume traffic/gridlock-prone areas, full mobilization of the 23 Help Areas, proper use of the 59 Emergency Ambulances whenever the need arises, full mobilization of roadside (RTC) Clinics, and 24/7 broadcast on a National radio.
Other areas to look out for are Excessive speeding, Overloading, Dangerous Driving/Overtaking, Lane indiscipline/Route violation, Road Obstructions, Use of Phone while Driving, Overloading Violation, Seatbelt/Child restraint Use Violations, Passengers’ Manifest Violations, Mechanically Deficient Vehicles, Latching and Twist-Locks Violations. 
The operation, which compliments the ongoing months of aggressive sensitization, will cover the broad areas of traffic control/decongestion, Public enlightenment, Enforcement, prompt response to crash victims, and route lining, among others. 
To achieve the set goals, the FRSC boss noted that officers and men, including Special Marshals, have been deployed to the highways to ensure hitch-free movement as commuters travel from one destination to another.
" The directive also mandates the Commanding Officers to ensure effective collaboration with Military Units, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)". Adding that Directorate of State Services (DSS), NGO Ambulance Service Providers, National Network on Emergency Road Services (NNERS) and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA). he said 
The Corps Marshal further stated that the operatives are to identify alternative routes to assist motorists during gridlocks and give notification of traffic-distressed areas for intervention. "
He however called on the motoring public to download the FRSC Mobile Application for real-time reporting and updates on traffic situations, utilise all FRSC social media handles such as
facebook.com//frscnigeria,Instagram.com//frscnigeria, twitter.com//frscnigeria, and in the case of emergency, call the 122 tolls free number as well as the National Traffic Radio live lines: 08052997848 and 09139600107 which are available means to reach FRSC to report Traffic situations anywhere in the Country. The public can also reach the situation room on 07054005754 and 07054005712 
  The 2024 Operation Zero Tolerance commenced on 15 December 2024 to span through to 15 January 2025. 
The operation which is programmed to run in shifts as follows 0600hrs - 1400hrs, 1400HRS - 2000hrs, 2000hrs - 2200hrs, and Night Rescue teams on standby at all operational Commands is billed to cover the following critical corridors; Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Birnin Kebbi corridor, Katsina-Kano-Wudil-Dutse-Azare-Potiskum corridor, Kaduna-Saminaka-Jos corridor, Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridor, Okene-Ogori-Isua-Owo corridor, Makurdi-Otukpo-Obollo Afor-9th Mile corridor, Asaba-Abraka-Ughelli-Warri corridor, Ibadan-Ogere-Sagamu corridor, Sagamu-Mowe-Lagos corridor, amongst others.

Abuja Ready for ECOWAS Traditional Wrestling 2025

 
Nigeria will host the 13th edition of the ECOWAS African Wrestling Tournament, billed to be held between 4 and 10 March 2025. 
The National Sports Commission, NSC,  Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko gave the assurance after playing host to the Director of Youth and Sports Development, ECOWAS, Francis Njoaguani, yesterday,y, 17 December 20,25, in Abuja.
"I want to assure you that we are committed. We will do everything possible to host the tournament. And we don't want it to be just a one-off. We want to do more of these tournaments,' Dikko explained to the ECOWAS Sports Director.
Njoaguani came to ascertain the country's preparedness to stage the event, which will be held two months before ECOWAS' 50th anniversary.
Aside from traditional wrestling, Dikko expressed Nigeria's readiness to host other sporting events from ECOWAS.
"Mr President is committed to having first-class facilities in the country, starting with the Abuja Stadium. We want to fix our stadium to make it available to host all sorts of tournaments. We are open to hosting daily events in this stadium. So you can bring, not just the traditional wrestling, but bring other sports that we can make our facilities available," he stated.
"The more events we can host, the more we can activate the sports economy we are trying to advance because anytime you host an event you create a value chain of activities, market activists, sustained jobs, wealth distribution and all of that. We are ready to partner with ECOWAS to bring critical events to Nigeria, not just in Abuja, but any State in Nigeria at all that is capable of hosting your events."
Dikko added that such events would help to keep the youths positively engaged and deal with restiveness in the entire ECOWAS subregion.
"All the issues we have around security in ECOWAS, we can use sports as a foundation and pathway to see how we can get that mellowed down. So that our youths can have their energies redirected into doing the right things."
Njoaguani seized the opportunity to inform the NSC chairman on the 3rd edition of the ECOWAS Abuja International Marathon, also slated for March 2025, which Dikko also assured of the Commission's commitment to ensure its success and more value addition to the economy.
By Kelechi Bernard @woramangra

Minister of State for Health launches Ultra MEGA PCR Laboratory in Lagos.

A Laboratory that will provide critical diagnostic support for the management of HIV and other infectious diseases outbreaks of public health, such as COVID-19, Lassa fever, and similar viral infections, has been launched in Lagos.  
Sited within the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research premises in Yaba, its advanced Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technology, provides rapid and accurate molecular diagnostics on an unimaginable scale. 
Launching the Laboratory, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Isaq Adekunle Salako described the Ultra MEGA PCR facility as a transformative leap in the health sector.
He said, "By fostering synergy between research, diagnostics, and policy, we are taking proactive steps toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all, adding this Ultra MEGA PCR Laboratory underscores our commitment to building a resilient healthcare system". 
"It will further enhance our capacity not only to respond to pandemics but also to anticipate and mitigate health risks, contributing to the overall stability and well-being of our society".
Dr Isaq stressed that, with the technology and capacity, the lab will become a cornerstone in the fight against HIV and other infectious diseases, particularly in diagnostics, epidemiological surveillance, and biomedical research.

He said, and I quote, "The facility will also serve as a hub for training the next generation of molecular scientists and researchers, ensuring that their workforce is equipped to tackle present and future health challenges ".
According to the Minister, "the Laboratory aligns with the broader national strategy for health security and a key pillar of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, HSRII.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Akin Abayomi commended the Minister for launching the Ultra MEGA PCR Laboratory and urged the NIMR to maintain the lab and other facilities appropriately.

The Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Prof. John Obafunwa, appreciated the Minister and reassured NIMR's commitment to research and service.
The DG NIMR also Commended the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Akin Abayomi, for his doggedness, saying that the collaborative spirit was necessary for the advancement of health research in the state.

The DG, who appealed to the Minister to prioritize research and research funding, said the advancement of ethical research practices was critical for the development of the healthcare systems and the well-being of the people.