Business
”We didn’t Divert N1.2bn subsidy fund, EFCC never shut our our tank farm” – Obat Oil&Petroleum speaks
Just yesterday, there were reports going round that Obat Oil and Petroleum limited owned by a Monarch,Oba Frederick Akinrutan, was shut down by EFCC over diversion of N1.2bn subsidy funds sometime ago.
Obat Oil has however released a statement through it’s Head, Legal Seun Bakare, stating the company’s side of the story.
‘’Our attention has been drawn to a series of viral newspaper publications on an alleged N1.2b subsidy diversion claimed by the Managing Director of Petrocam Trading Nig. Ltd, Mr. Patrick Ilo against us, Obat Oil & Petroleum Ltd.
We hereby state categorically that there was no time Obat Oil diverted any N1.2b as claimed by Petrocam and It is pertinent to state clearly at this point that there was never a time that our tank farm was shut down as we are fully in operation; we were only invited by the EFCC based on the petition Mr. Patrick Ilo wrote to the commission through his Solicitors. The transactions which gave rise to the false reports and the spurious claims from which they have sprung have already been submitted to the Court’s consideration and ordinarily should not be the subject of discourse or advertorials.
However, Petrocam Trading has gone out of its way to lodge false complaints against us and set in motion a sequence of events that have been widely reported. We are therefore constrained to protect our professional goodwill, integrity and reputation by putting out this publication. Sometime in 2014, PetrocamTrading approached Obat Oil & Petroleum Ltd for a business transaction with Petrocam making an offer to finance the Importation of PMS through its bank, Sterling Bank, for Obat Oil. Both parties signed a service agreement to commence the transaction and Petrocam did undertake the Importation of 15,000Metric Tons of PMS in lots either by its own resources or through its Bank. During the course of the business transaction and at conclusion, Petrocam failed to fulfill its obligations under the service agreement.For instance, Petrocampaid N3 per litre of the allocation as opposed to the agreed sum of N5 per litre. This was the first act of breach displayed by Petrocam Trading. Despite our best efforts at attempting to get the issue of the outstanding payment resolved while and the same time hoping that business could still be done with Petrocam, the business relationship broke down. We invited Mr. Patrick Ilo for reconciliation on several occasions to enable parties reconcile their accounts based on the transactions and resolve issues but he declined. Rather than agree to our invitation for joint account reconciliation, Mr. Patrick and Petrocam Trading curiously obtained and published our UBA statement of account without our consent, permission or authorization. It became obvious that Petrocam was shying away from facts because he had skeletons in his cupboard. While Petrocam thrived in its default of the Service Agreement by failing to make full payment for the petroleum products it loaded, it instituted an action on the 19thof November, 2015 before the Lagos State High Court in suit No. LD /1411CMW/2015 seeking sundry reliefs including injunctions. In that suit, Petrocam lay claims to the Subsidy, Forex differentials and accrued interest being expected from the Federal Government as payments for seventeen (17) transactions/importations belonging to Obat Oil, of which Petrocam participated only in six (6).Needless to say, Petrocam’s attempt to appropriate to itself payments, accrued interest and forex differentials meant for several other bank transactions/importationsis completely illogical, factually incredulous and legally unfounded.We take the view that Petrocam is not entitled to any sum at all. The money paid to AMCON belongs to Obat and not Petrocam and is entirely unconnected to the Service Agreement executed by Obat and Petrocam. Thus, until the Court determines who owns what, Petrocam cannot claim any sums standing to our credit or compulsorily take over assets belonging to us. Further exposing the falsity of Petrocam’s public claims as reported in the publications is the fact that in its processes filed before the Court, Petrocam concedes that it has completely received the alleged N1.2b subsidy claim in question.
eThe report in the papers as well as the false reports on which they are based not only amount to speaking from both sides of the mouth but also underscore a possible intention by Petrocam to obtain from us what is not due to it. Surprisingly, while Obat Oil were to compare books with Petrocam for reconciliation and to determine the position of the account on the transaction, Mr. Patrick Ilo maliciously wrote a petition to EFCC and DSS claiming that his money was diverted by Obat, without stating the true facts as narrated herein before the agencies. This move was not only surprising, it was unlawful as the position of the law, as we have been made aware, is that the EFCC (and indeed, law enforcement agencies in general) are prohibited from acting as agents of debt collection with respect to transactions of a purely civil nature, such as the Service Agreement business transaction between two firms for a matter that is still a subject of litigation. We therefore denounce the invasion of our premises by agents of the state acting on lopsided reports presented by a party that has some interest to serve. We state categorically that Obat Oil did not divert N1.2b or any sums whatsoever accruable to Petrocam or Sterling Bank. We restate our invitation to Petrocam for amicable discussions to determine what is accruable to both parties. We reject and will not capitulate to any attempts by Petrocam to harass Obat Oil with the press or government agencies as we are fully aware of the remedies available to us under the law- and will fully explore them. In conclusion, we take exception to any malicious publication and slander orchestrated by certain people in a bid to disrupt our business. For the avoidance of doubt, EFCC did not close our depot facility. We were only invited because of the petition and lies being spread by Mr Patrick Ilo and Petrocam. We urge the public to disregard the misinformation peddled in the false and malicious publications as well as desist from propagating same, in their best interests’’
Precision and Heritage: How Fifi Stitches Is Rewriting African Fashion Narratives
A Nigerian-born designer is gradually carving out a cross-continental footprint in contemporary fashion, blending African textile heritage with British technical discipline.
Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun, Founder and Creative Director of Fifi Stitches, is gaining recognition for structured womenswear and bridal couture that reinterprets traditional fabrics through architectural tailoring and precision construction.
Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adeosun’s fashion journey began at home, seated beside her mother’s sewing machine. What started as childhood curiosity, sometimes jamming the machine just to understand its mechanics—evolved into a disciplined design practice now operating between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
During an interview with journalists the fifi Stitches once mentioned “I was fascinated by how flat fabric could transform into something structured and meaningful”.
In her Story , early designs made for her family, though imperfectly finished, were worn with pride—an encouragement that laid the foundation for her professional confidence.
Today, Fifi Stitches is recognised for sculpted bodices, controlled tailoring, corsetry construction, and the contemporary reinterpretation of Ankara, Aso Oke, and Adire textiles.
The brand challenges the long-held perception that African fabrics belong solely in ceremonial contexts, instead positioning them within global luxury and modern design spaces.
Adeosun’s training reflects this dual perspective. She studied Fashion Design and Entrepreneurship at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, and earned a Diploma in Fashion Design through Alison Online.
In the UK, she undertook industry-focused technical training with Fashion-Enter Ltd and gained fashion business exposure through Fashion Capital UK.
Her technical expertise spans pattern drafting, draping, garment technology, structured tailoring, corsetry, and bespoke fittings—skills she describes as central to credibility in fashion. “Precision builds trust,” she says. “A designer must understand construction as deeply as creativity.”
Fifi Stitches has showcased collections at the Suffolk Fashion Show, Liverpool Fashion Show – FB Fashion Ball, Red Carpet Fashion Event in London, and through editorial features in London Runway Magazine.
The brand has also received coverage in The Guardian Nigeria and Vanguard Allure, expanding its visibility across markets.
Beyond couture, Adeosun integrates community impact into her practice.
She has facilitated garment construction workshops, draping sessions, and introductory training programmes for women and emerging creatives, promoting fashion as both artistic expression and vocational empowerment.
Fifi Stcithes Boss operates between Nigeria and the UK, in order to continue to shape her brand identity.
According to her “Nigeria provides cultural richness and expressive textile traditions, while the UK offers structured production systems, sustainability conversations, and institutional frameworks”.
Looking ahead, Adeosun said she plan to establish a fully structured fashion house spanning Africa and the UK, develop scalable production partnerships, launch capsule collections, and expand independent editorial visibility.
Her broader ambition is clear: to position African textile craftsmanship within global contemporary design conversations—through structure, discipline, and technical excellence.
GTCO Launches “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, Opens Call for Applications
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has announced the launch of “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, reaffirming its commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
Now in its third edition, the Hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion. Under the theme “Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy,” participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
Applications are now open, and interested teams can find full guidelines and registration details on the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
Speaking on the initiative, Eduophon Japhet, Managing Director of HabariPay, stated: “Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve. Through “Take on Squad” Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future. Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact. This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress.”
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
About HabariPay
HabariPay Ltd is the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa with direct and indirect investments in a network of operating entities located in 10 countries across Africa and the United Kingdom.
Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our goal is to support SMEs, micro merchants, large corporations and other fintechs (Tech Stars) with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving digital economy and expand beyond their current market reach. HabariPay’s solutions include Squad, a full-scale digital payments toolkit to make in-person and online payments simpler, HabariPay Storefront, an e-commerce website to facilitate online purchases, Value-Added Services to help merchants access cost-effective and flexible airtime and data bundles to run their businesses, as well as a switching infrastructure that enables tech-focused businesses to optimise cost and make transactions more efficient.
HabariPay’s contributions to Accelerating Digital Acceptance in Africa have not gone unnoticed–it received Mastercard’s Innovative Mobile Payment Solution Award at TIA 2022 for its innovative payment solution, SquadPOS.
About Squad
Squad is a complete digital payments solution that is reliable, secure, and affordable, making receiving in-person and online payments simpler and convenient.
Thousands of merchants currently leverage Squad’s payment solutions for their daily business operations. Squad’s current products and service offerings include SquadPOS, Squad Payment Links, Squad Virtual Accounts, USSD, and E-Commerce Storefront.
Find out more at www.squadco.com.
Electric 8-Seater Tula Moto Keke Enters Nigerian Market, Targets Higher Operator Earnings
LAGOS — A new electric-powered tricycle with an expanded passenger capacity has been introduced into Nigeria’s urban transport sector, offering operators a potentially more profitable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional petrol-driven “keke.”
The newly launched 8-seater electric tricycle, now available in Lagos with plans for nationwide distribution, features a dual-row seating arrangement capable of accommodating up to eight passengers per trip—significantly higher than the standard three-passenger configuration common across the country.
Promoters of the innovation say the increased capacity is designed to boost daily earnings for operators, particularly amid persistent fluctuations in fuel prices. By running entirely on electric power, the vehicle eliminates dependence on petrol, reducing operating costs and shielding drivers from fuel price volatility.
According to the distributors, the tricycle is equipped with a durable battery system capable of covering extended distances on a single charge, making it suitable for commercial operations across high-traffic routes, residential estates, campuses, and marketplaces.
“The concept is straightforward—enable drivers to earn more while spending less,” a company representative stated. “With higher passenger capacity and zero fuel requirements, operators can maximise each trip without the burden of daily fuel expenses.”
Beyond its cost-saving potential, the electric keke is also said to require less maintenance than traditional models, offering additional long-term savings. Its quieter and smoother operation is expected to enhance passenger comfort and overall commuting experience.
Industry analysts note that the introduction of electric mobility solutions reflects a growing shift toward cleaner and more sustainable transportation alternatives in Nigeria, particularly in densely populated urban centres such as Lagos.
The distributors added that the product is currently available under a limited promotional offer, with delivery options across the country.
For inquiries and purchase: 📞 08153432071
📞 08035889103
Office Address:
📍 Plot 9, Block 113, Beulah Plaza,
Lekki–Epe Expressway,
Lekki Phase 1, Lagos
As transportation costs continue to rise and environmental concerns gain prominence, innovations like the electric 8-seater keke may signal an emerging transition toward more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions nationwide.
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