Connect with us

Business

Coalition Announces Nationwide and Global Protests Demanding Immediate Removal of NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed*

Published

on

*Coalition Announces Nationwide and Global Protests Demanding Immediate Removal of NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed*

A powerful coalition of civil society organizations has declared joint nationwide protests across Nigeria, with simultaneous demonstrations in New York and London, to demand the immediate removal of Farouk Ahmed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The protests will commence on Wednesday from Ahmed’s office in Abuja and continue throughout the week in major cities, while diaspora actions target the UN House in New York and Nigeria House in London.

The coalition includes the Nigerian Citizens for Transparency (NCT), Anti-Corruption Alliance of Nigeria (ACAN), Sokoto Welfare Foundation (SWF), Coalition for Economic Justice (CEJ), African Refiners Network (ARN), Lagos Civil Rights Movement (LCRM), Global Nigerians Diaspora Forum (GNDF), Nigerian Integrity Watch (NIW), Petroleum Workers Union of Nigeria (PWUN), Youth Empowerment Initiative (YEI), Economic Sabotage Watch Group (ESWG), International Coalition Against Corruption (ICAC) and Diaspora Advocacy Network (DAN).

Others are British-Nigerian Solidarity Forum (BNSF), Anti-Graft Campaign UK (AGCU), Human Rights Defenders League (HRDL), Sustainable Energy Alliance (SEA), and National Anti-Corruption Front (NACF).

“Nigerians are deeply shocked and outraged that a public official entrusted with regulating a critical national resource has allegedly squandered millions of dollars sending just three of his children to exclusive secondary schools in Switzerland, while millions of suffering citizens in his home state of Sokoto and across the country cannot afford basic school fees,” a statement by Comrade Dan Danilson on behalf of the groups said.

“These allegations expose a glaring betrayal of public trust and highlight unacceptable extravagance at the direct expense of impoverished communities in Nigeria and beyond.”

Danilson condemned Ahmed’s conduct in the strongest terms and vowed unrelenting pressure until he is removed and fully investigated.

Dan Danilson stated:
“The lavish lifestyle of Farouk Ahmed, funded by questionable wealth while he occupies one of the most sensitive positions in Nigeria’s economy, is an intolerable insult to every struggling Nigerian.

“Spending millions on foreign luxury education for his children while Sokoto parents beg to pay N10,000 school fees reveals a man utterly detached from the suffering he is supposed to help alleviate.

“These are not mere allegations—they point to deep corruption and conflict of interest that have directly sabotaged Nigeria’s push for energy independence. By protecting fuel importers and undermining local refineries, Ahmed has chosen personal gain over national progress, condemning millions to continued poverty and fuel scarcity.

“We will not stand by as one man hands over Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector to vested foreign interests. His actions amount to economic treason, enriching himself and his allies while driving domestic investments to ruin and keeping petrol prices artificially high for the suffering masses.

“The protests starting Wednesday from his very office will send an unmistakable message: Farouk Ahmed must go now. No investigation can restore the trust he has shattered; only his immediate removal will begin to heal the damage he has inflicted on our nation.

“We call on all Nigerians—home and abroad—to join this historic stand against corruption. This is our moment to hit back hard against those who plunder our future for private luxury. Farouk Ahmed’s time is up.”

The coalition emphasized that the allegations against Ahmed are far too grave to be dismissed or covered up, warning that failure to act decisively would signal official tolerance of corruption in critical sectors.

Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact [email protected]

Business

BUA Rewards 510 Employees with ₦30bn in Historic Night of Excellence

Published

on

BUA Rewards 510 Employees with ₦30bn in Historic Night of Excellence

BUA Group Honours 510 Employees with ₦30 Billion Cash Awards at its 2025 Night of Excellence

 

BUA Group has disbursed a total of ₦30 billion to 510 employees at its 2025 Night of Excellence and Long Service Awards, one of the most significant employee reward initiatives undertaken by a Nigerian private sector company.

BUA Rewards 510 Employees with ₦30bn in Historic Night of Excellence

The ceremony recognised long service, loyalty, and exceptional contribution by employees whose commitment spans from five years to over four decades. It reflected a belief that has guided the Group since inception: enduring businesses are built by people.

Speaking at the event, Founder and Executive Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu CFR CON, described the evening as a moment to acknowledge loyalty, resilience, and shared ownership of the BUA journey.

He recalled that from modest beginnings 36 years ago, BUA has grown into one of Nigeria’s most valuable listed enterprises, with a combined market capitalisation now in the trillions of naira. He noted, however, that the journey was never the achievement of one man, one board, or capital alone.

According to Rabiu, “every factory built, every system strengthened, every challenge overcome, and every milestone reached carries the imprint of employees who believed in the vision long before the results were visible.”

He reaffirmed that BUA has always regarded its workforce as partners in a shared legacy rather than merely staff, adding that loyalty and professionalism are values that must be recognised in tangible ways.

As part of the 2025 awards, ₦30 billion was disbursed to 510 recipients across multiple long service and excellence categories. Due to time considerations at the event, only 41 recipients received their awards physically from the Chairman during the ceremony. These represented the highest award categories, ranging from ₦100 million to ₦1 billion.

The on stage recipients comprised sixteen recipients of ₦100 million each, nine recipients of ₦200 million each, seven recipients of ₦250 million each, three recipients of ₦500 million each, five recipients of ₦1 billion each, and one special award recipient whose cash award was not announced at the event. The special award was presented to Kabiru Rabiu in recognition of his exceptional loyalty, leadership, and long standing contribution to the growth and stability of the BUA Group.

All other awardees had received their plaques and cheques ahead of the ceremony or will receive theirs at their respective plants and operational locations across the country.

Rabiu described the cash awards as a token of appreciation, noting that no amount of money can fully account for decades of dedication, personal sacrifice, and belief in the company’s mission.

Looking ahead, he said BUA would continue to expand capacity, invest in advanced technologies, and strengthen its footprint across cement, food, sugar, and infrastructure, adding that the people who built the Group would continue to grow with it.

The BUA Night of Excellence and Long Service Awards is part of BUA Group’s cultural backbone, reflecting an organisation built on shared prosperity, long term thinking, and respect for its people. In addition to staff, partners, and customers, the event had in attendance, distinguished. captains of industry including Alhaji Aliko Dangote, friends, well-wishers, as well as the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance (State), Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, and Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa.

Continue Reading

Bank

12 Days of Christmas with 5 for 5 Rewards: Celebrating the Season the Wema Way

Published

on

*12 Days of Christmas with 5 for 5 Rewards: Celebrating the Season the Wema Way*

December is a season built on gratitude, reflection, and giving. It is a time when small gestures carry deeper meaning and everyday moments turn into shared joy. At Wema Bank, this spirit of the season has inspired the launch of 12 Days of Christmas with 5 for 5 Rewards, a festive campaign created to celebrate customers who continue to make the Bank part of their daily lives.
Running from December 14 to December 25, 2025, the campaign is designed to reward simple, everyday banking while spreading cheer across homes and communities. For twelve days, 33 customers will be rewarded daily with five thousand naira each when they fund their accounts with five thousand naira.
The idea behind the campaign is simple in action but thoughtful in intent. It recognises that during the festive period, every extra support counts. Whether it is preparing for family gatherings, running errands, or planning end-of-year activities, Wema Bank is turning routine transactions into moments of delight.
To take part in the 12 Days of Christmas with 5 for 5 Rewards, customers only need to fund their accounts with five thousand naira through any of the following channels:
ALAT app
*945#
Debit cards
Once the account is funded with five thousand naira, they get an additional five thousand naira as a reward.
Beyond the rewards, the 12 Days of Christmas with 5 for 5 Rewards reflects Wema Bank’s broader commitment to customer-centric banking. It reinforces the Bank’s focus on creating experiences that go beyond transactions, especially during moments that matter most to customers.
As the year draws to a close, Wema Bank is inviting customers to enjoy the festive season knowing that their loyalty is valued and celebrated. With every transaction, the Bank continues to find new ways to connect, appreciate, and give back during a season defined by generosity.

Continue Reading

Business

NMDPRA Releases November 2025 Midstream & Downstream Performance Report

Published

on

Pro-Tinubu Group Demands Sack of Badaru, Other Ministers Who Lost Polling Units in Bye-Elections

NMDPRA Releases November 2025 Midstream & Downstream Performance Report

 

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has released its State of the Midstream and Downstream Fact Sheet for November 2025, showing steady gains in product availability, stock levels, and domestic refining capacity.

According to the report, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) supply averaged 71.5 million litres per day, raising national sufficiency to 16.65 days, while daily consumption stood at 52.9 million litres.

The diesel (AGO) market also recorded improvement, with 20.4 million litres supplied daily against a consumption rate of 15.4 million litres.
For Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), supply reached 4,958 metric tonnes per day, surpassing national demand.

The Authority further disclosed that one refinery establishment licence and one construction licence were issued during the period, as the Waltersmith Refinery Train 2 (5,000 bpsd) continues its commissioning phase.

In the gas sector, Nigeria delivered 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day for power generation, industrial use, and export obligations—an indicator of strengthening domestic gas performance.

Overall, the NMDPRA report highlights ongoing progress in stabilising fuel supply, expanding local production, and advancing Nigeria’s long-term energy security agenda.

Nigeria is steadily securing a brighter energy future.

 

NMDPRA Releases November 2025 Midstream & Downstream Performance Report

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending