DESPERATE NIGER BEGS NIGERIA FOR FUEL AMID CATASTROPHIC SHORTAGE!

Nigeria Rescues Its Defiant Neighbor as Fuel Crisis Spirals Out of Control

Abuja/Niamey – March 15, 2025 – In a stunning turn of events, Niger Republic has turned to its long-estranged neighbor, Nigeria, for help after being crippled by a catastrophic fuel shortage. Despite months of diplomatic tensions, hostile rhetoric, and even allegations of sabotage, Niger’s military junta has been forced to swallow its pride and beg Nigeria for emergency fuel supplies to prevent total economic collapse.

Sources reveal that a high-powered delegation from the junta rushed to Abuja in a desperate plea for assistance. The outcome? A staggering 300 truckloads of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) approved for immediate delivery—a move insiders say Nigeria is leveraging as a “strategic bargaining tool” in negotiations to pull Niger back into the ECOWAS fold.

Niger’s Fuel Nightmare: Prices Soar to Unthinkable Heights

With its economy in free fall, Niger’s fuel crisis has reached nightmarish levels. Reports indicate that petrol prices have skyrocketed to an eye-watering N8,750 per liter in some areas—forcing citizens into dire straits. Border towns, once lifelines for smuggled Nigerian fuel, have been left paralyzed.

A Nigerian transborder businessman, Mallam Abubakar Usman, described the situation as “beyond critical,” revealing that in the border town of Konni, fuel sells for 1,200 CFA (N2,500 per liter), while in Agadez, prices soar to 3,000 CFA (N7,500 per liter). The situation is even grimmer in Arilit, near Algeria, where a single liter costs an unbelievable 3,500 CFA (N8,750).

How Niger’s Junta Backfired on China—And Paid the Price

Niger’s woes, experts say, are self-inflicted. The junta’s reckless confrontation with Chinese oil giants has backfired disastrously. After securing a $400 million advance from the China National Petroleum Corporation, Niger found itself unable to repay. But instead of negotiating, the junta took a hardline approach, slapping an outrageous $80 billion tax demand on Soraz (Zinder Refinery Company), despite owing $250 billion to Chinese oil firms.

China’s response was swift and brutal. It shut down operations, expelled Nigerien officials, and froze accounts, effectively collapsing Niger’s petroleum sector overnight. The Soraz refinery—a lifeline for fuel supplies—ground to a halt, plunging the country into chaos.

Yet, despite the junta’s blunders, Niger remains too proud to admit its dependency on Nigeria. Reports indicate that Niger’s state-controlled media has deliberately avoided acknowledging Nigeria’s critical intervention, instead painting the fuel supply as an internal success.

Nigeria: The Unexpected Savior?

Despite Niger’s earlier accusations that Nigeria was plotting against it, President Bola Tinubu’s administration has chosen to rise above past animosities and extend an olive branch. The silent fuel deal, orchestrated behind closed doors, is more than just humanitarian aid—it’s a masterstroke in diplomatic strategy.

A senior Nigerian government official revealed: “We do not want to blow our trumpet. Rather, we want to use this as leverage to bring them back into ECOWAS. The truth is, they simply do not have the resources to sustain themselves without us.”

Nigeria’s Oil Industry: Strong Enough to Bail Out Niger?

Oil marketers and industry experts confirm that Nigeria has the capacity to shoulder Niger’s crisis without disrupting its own economy. With the Dangote refinery, the Port Harcourt refinery, and additional imports, Nigeria remains a dominant force in West African energy.

Billy Gillis-Harry, President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, confirmed that the country has ample resources: “If we have a diplomatic reason for this, it is completely doable.”

Will This Lifeline Bring Niger Back to ECOWAS?

While Niger’s military rulers have yet to acknowledge Nigeria’s help, the reality remains—without Nigeria, Niger’s survival is at stake. This fuel crisis has exposed the junta’s vulnerability, forcing it to rely on the very country it once accused of betrayal.

As Nigeria continues its strategic maneuvering, one question lingers: Will Niger finally come back to the ECOWAS fold, or will it gamble on further isolation?

Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs have collectively created 1.5 million jobs and generated $4.2 billion in revenue — Over 2 million Africans lifted out of poverty. 

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa’s leading philanthropy empowering entrepreneurs is set to announce the 11th cohort of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on Saturday, March 22, 2025.

The 2025 announcement comes at a critical time, as Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem faces funding constraints and global economic headwinds. TEF continues to provide much-needed support, empowering African entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into sustainable businesses and engines of economic growth.

Each selected Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur will receive $5,000 non-refundable seed capital, a world-class business training on TEFConnect, one-on-one mentorship, and access to global networks and investment opportunities. The selection process is being conducted by Ernst & Young, to ensure independent assessment.

The impact of the Tony Elumelu Foundation extends beyond funding. It is changing lives and shaping Africa’s future, as witnessed by beneficiaries of the catalytic TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.

Ahead of the upcoming announcement, Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder of TEF and Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, reiterates his unwavering belief in the potential of Africa’s entrepreneurs:

“I believe that Africa’s transformation will not be led by aid, but by empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs—giving them the tools, the funding, the training, and the networks to build sustainable businesses that create jobs and drive economic growth.

Over the past decade, we have nurtured entrepreneurs from inception to success, scaling our impact across all 54 African countries. We have provided capital and also developed a robust monitoring and evaluation framework that allows us to track the progress of our entrepreneurs and measure their contributions to their communities and economies.

No other organisation is implementing entrepreneurship development at this scale across Africa. We have learned, we have refined, and we continue to improve, ensuring that African entrepreneurs—women and men—are at the forefront of solving our continent’s challenges and creating wealth for themselves and their communities. Entrepreneurship is the key to Africa’s prosperity. I wish the 2025 cohort of Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs success, as they chase their ambitions, and play their part in Africa’s transformation.”

The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment.

Since the launch of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, TEF has lifted over 2 million Africans out of poverty, provided 2.5 million young Africans with access to training on TEFConnect, and disbursed more than $100millon in direct funding to thousands of African entrepreneurs who have gone on to create over 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs and generate over $4.2 billion in revenue.

For more details on the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s impact visit our Impact Page, African Success Stories Page, and Annual Report Page.

For Media Inquiries: media@tonyelumelufoundation.org

Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur Testimonials from Previous Years:

“I started my agribusiness with nothing but an idea. TEF changed everything. With the funding, training, and mentorship, I have now expanded across three countries and employ 25 people.”

– Fatima Diallo, Senegal, Agritech Entrepreneur

“As a woman in the fintech industry, it was difficult to secure funding. TEF not only provided me with capital but also the confidence and skills to build a business that is now attracting international investors.”

– Mary Okeke, Nigeria, Fintech Founder

“The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme helped me commercialise my clean energy innovation. Today, we provide solar solutions to over 50,000 homes in rural Tanzania.”

– Juma Nyerere, Tanzania, Renewable Energy Entrepreneur

For more details on the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s impact visit our Impact Page, African Success Stories Page, and Annual Report Page.

For Media Inquiries: media@tonyelumelufoundation.org

Federal Government Moves to Slash Sky-High Airfares as Minister Keyamo Exposes Airline Tactics

The Federal Government, through the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has vowed to tackle the exorbitant cost of air tickets for both domestic and international flights, revealing major efforts to cut costs, enhance airport safety, and address airline pricing manipulations.

Speaking at the Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Keyamo exposed a series of economic and policy-based factors that have led to the skyrocketing price of flight tickets, making air travel increasingly unaffordable for Nigerians.

Why Are Airfares So Expensive? The Inside Story

Keyamo broke down the root causes of excessive ticket pricing, which include:
Limited access to affordable aircraft leasing, forcing Nigerian airlines to either lease aircraft at exorbitant rates or buy aircraft outright—a cost that ultimately burdens passengers.
Foreign airlines deliberately inflating ticket prices for Nigerian travelers due to fears of trapped funds and currency depreciation.
Heavy government-imposed airport taxes, which are among the highest in Africa, further pushing up fares.

Foreign Airlines Caught in the Act? Keyamo Exposes Pricing Tricks

In a shocking revelation, Keyamo unveiled how foreign airlines had been exploiting Nigerian travelers by restricting them to only the highest-priced tickets.

“We called international airlines and asked what they used to do. They said if you want to buy international tickets, you will see business class Z, grade J, different grades, but it’s all the same. One can be N2 million cheaper than the other. Those ones, they opened for countries where they could get their money immediately. But they now opened only the high fare for Nigerian passengers,” he disclosed.

He explained that because foreign airlines feared currency depreciation, they set high fares in anticipation of inflation affecting their trapped funds.

“They said because they were taking into account inflationary rates of the money that will be trapped, they didn’t know when they would get it back. So instead of selling a ticket for N2 million or N3 million, they sold it for N7 million. Meanwhile, Ghana had lower ticket prices,” he added.

Government’s Response: No More Exploitation!

The government, according to Keyamo, is actively engaging foreign airlines to adjust their pricing in line with the recently cleared backlog of trapped funds.

“President Bola Tinubu, being very smart on this, cleared that first. But even after clearing the backlog, they were still enjoying the high fares. So we told them, ‘No, you cannot continue to do this. The excuse is gone. Nigerian passengers must now get fair pricing like other countries.’”

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is leading discussions with these airlines to force a price adjustment, ensuring that Nigerians no longer face inflated airfares.

Airport Taxes: Another Major Culprit

Keyamo acknowledged that Nigeria’s airport taxes are among the highest in Africa, further worsening ticket prices. However, he emphasized that reducing these taxes is not solely within his power, as it requires collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.

“The Nigerian Airspace Management Authority and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria are reviewing these charges, but I cannot singlehandedly reduce them. It involves the Minister of Finance,” he clarified.

He stressed that airlines pass these high taxes directly to passengers, further inflating ticket costs.

What Lies Ahead? Promises of Cheaper Flights Soon

Keyamo assured Nigerians that with ongoing government interventions—including negotiations with foreign airlines, new aircraft leasing agreements, and possible tax reductions—airfares will soon become more affordable.

“We are addressing these issues. The results will soon be visible with the Cape Town Convention and the Dublin Conference. The deals are coming in, and we will see the results soon,” he promised.

Final Verdict: Relief in Sight or Another Empty Promise?

While the Federal Government’s efforts signal hope for Nigerian travelers, many remain skeptical about whether these promises will translate into real, affordable ticket prices. Will Keyamo’s intervention finally ground the exploitative pricing system, or will passengers continue to pay the price for policy failures? Nigerians are watching closely.