Business
N2.015trn Worth Of Petrol Consumed In 13 Months, NNPC Claims
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has reported that it sold N2.015trillion worth of petrol from November, 2019 to November, 2020.
The corporation in a statement, yesterday, said in the month of November, 2020, it recorded a trading surplus of N13.43billion up by 54 per cent when compared to the N8.71billion surplus recorded in October, 2020.
The NNPC said 1.725 billion litres of white products were sold and distributed by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC, in the month of November, 2020, compared with over 1.224 billion litres in the month of October, 2020.
This comprised 1.723 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 2.13 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) also known as diesel, and 0.33 million litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene.
The corporation added that total sale of white products for the period November, 2019, to November, 2020, stood at 17.031 billion litres and PMS accounted for 16.911 billion litres or 99.29 per cent.
“In monetary terms, a sum of N226.08billion was made on the sale of white products by PPMC in the month of November, 2020, compared to N158.04billion sales in October, 2020.
“Total revenues generated from the sales of white products for the period November, 2019 to November, 2020 stood at N2.034trillion, where PMS contributed about 99.09 per cent of the total sales with a value of over N2.015trillion.”
The NNPC’s spokesman, Dr Kennie Obateru, explained in the statement that the “trading surplus or trading deficit is derived after deduction of the expenditure profile from the revenue in the period under review”.
In November, 2020, NNPC Group’s operating revenue as compared to October, 2020, decreased slightly by 0.02 percent or N0.09billion to stand at N423.08billion.
Similarly, expenditure for the month decreased by 1.16 percent or N4.81billion to stand at N409.65billion, leading to the N13.43billion trading surplus.
Obateru explained further that overall, expenditure as a proportion of revenue was 0.97 in November, 2020 as against 0.98 in October, 2020.
He attributed the 54 per cent increase in trading surplus in the November to “the substantial decrease in expenditure from the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) due to cost reduction in overheads, coupled with 38 percent reduction in NNPC Corporate Headquarters deficit”.
In addition, the NNPC Group’s surplus was bolstered by the noticeable improved profits for additional engineering services rendered by the Nigerian Engineering and Technical Company (NETCO) and increased revenue from import activities posted by Duke Oil Incorporated.
These healthy performances dominated the positions of all other NNPC subsidiaries to record the Group surplus, he added. He the figures are contained in the November, 2020, edition of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR).
The report also indicated that export sales of crude oil and gas for the month stood at $108.84million, making a 70.33 per cent increase compared to the last month.
Crude oil export sales contributed $73.09million (67.15%) of the dollar transactions compared with $12.38million contribution in the previous month; while the export gas sales amounted to $35.75million in the month.
The total crude oil and gas export for the period of November, 2019 to November, 2020 stood at $2.89billion.
In the Gas Sector, a total of 222.34 Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) of natural gas was produced in the month under review, translating to an average daily production of 7,411.52 Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day (mmscfd).
For the period November, 2019 to November, 2020, a total of 3,004.06BCF of gas was produced, representing an average daily production of 7,642.69mmscfd during the period.
The report also stated that out of this volume, production from Joint Ventures (JVs) accounted for 67.29 percent, Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) accounted for 19.97 percent, while the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) accounted for 12.74 percent.
A further breakdown showed that a total of 137.41 BCF of gas was commercialized, consisting of 39.99BCF and 97.42BCF for the domestic and export market respectively.
This translates to a total supply of 1,332.82 mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 3,247.44 mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the month.
This implies that 62.55 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialized while the balance of 37.45 per cent was re-injected, used as upstream fuel gas or flared.
Gas flare rate was 7.89 per cent for the month under review translating to 577.39 mmscfd.
A total of 789mmscfd was delivered to gas-fired power plants in the month of November, 2020, to generate an average power of about 3,358MW compared with October, 2020 when an average of 750mmscfd was supplied.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter