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Tinubu suspends import duty/VAT on medical supplies

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President Bola Tinubu has signed an executive order to suspend import duties and value-added tax on essential medical supplies imported into the country.

The aim is to ease the high cost of locally producing pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, and medical devices such as needles and syringes, and biological among others.

Muhammad Ali Pate, minister of Health and Social Welfare announced the development on Friday, saying the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation is expected to take necessary action towards codifying the new order.

“The order is pivotal to the success of the Initiative for Unlocking the Health Care Value Chain which was approved in October 2023 by the President,” Pate stated.

“The order introduces zero tariffs, excise duties and VAT on specified machinery, equipment and raw materials, aiming to reduce production costs and enhance our local manufacturers’ competitiveness.”

According to the minister, specified items include active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), excipients, and other essential raw materials required for manufacturing of crucial health products like drugs, syringes and needles, long-lasting insecticidal nets and rapid diagnostic kits, among others.

The order also provides for establishing market shaping mechanisms such as framework contracts and volume guarantees, to encourage local manufacturers, the minister noted.

Also agencies including the Nigeria Customs Service, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Federal Inland Revenue Service will be tasked to ensure swift implementation, with special waivers and exemptions effective for two years.

“The implication of this order is pivot towards market-based incentives to encourage medical industrialization, reducing costs of medical products through import substitution over time, creating and retaining economic value and enabling job creation in the healthcare value chain,” Pate said.

 

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Gov Alex Otti visits Nnamdi Kanu in Sokoto prison

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Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, on Sunday paid a visit to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, at the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

The governor was accompanied by officials of the Sokoto State Government during the closed-door visit.

Nnamdi Kanu was recently moved to Sokoto after he was convicted on terrorism-related charges and handed a life sentence by a Federal High Court in Abuja.

Governor Otti had earlier promised to pursue every lawful and political avenue to ensure that Kanu gets justice. Sunday’s visit is seen as part of ongoing efforts by the Abia State Government regarding his case.

Details of the meeting were not made public as of the time of this report.

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Terrorists abduct bride, bridesmaids in Sokoto attack

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Armed terrorists have abducted a bride-to-be, her bridesmaid, and eight other residents from Chacho village in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State

The Sokoto abduction occurred around 1:30 a.m., according to residents, when the attackers stormed the village. Most of the victims were women, with only one man also taken.
One resident sustained injuries and is receiving medical treatment. Villagers told reporters that the bride was preparing for her wedding scheduled for later that morning when the raid struck, plunging the community into shock and mourning.

A community member described the attack as “tragic,” noting the delay in security response. “Security operatives were alerted immediately, but they only arrived about an hour after the bandits had fled,” he said, expressing frustration.

 

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Dangote Refinery to supply 1.5bn litres of petrol monthly

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….Writes NMDPRA, Engages Marketers to Stabilise Fuel Market

Photo caption: L R: Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Fertiliser Limited, Vishwajit Sinha; Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Dangote Petroleum Refinery, David Bird; President and Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Ltd, Aliko Dangote; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, South South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, during the visit of SSDC members to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lagos on Sunday, November 30, 2025.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced plans to supply one billion five hundred million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) monthly to the Nigerian market in December 2025 and January 2026, a move aimed at ensuring uninterrupted nationwide fuel availability through the festive season and into the New Year.

President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, disclosed the plans at the weekend, noting that the refinery will make available 50 million litres of PMS daily beginning December 1.

“In line with our commitment to national wellbeing, and consistent with our track record of ensuring a holiday season free of fuel scarcity, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will supply 1.5 billion litres of PMS to the Nigerian market this month. This represents 50 million litres per day. We are formally notifying the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of this commitment. We will supply another 1.5 billion litres in January and increase to 1.7 billion litres in February, which translates to about 60 million litres per day,” Dangote said.

Photo caption: L R: President and Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Ltd, Aliko Dangote; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, South South Development Commission, Usoro Akpabio, during the visit of SSDC members to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lagos on Sunday, November 30, 2025.

Speaking during a visit by the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to the refinery and the Dangote Fertiliser complex, he stated that the facility currently has adequate stock and is producing between 40 and 45 million litres of PMS daily. He added that the daily supply of 50 million litres should dispel long-standing claims that domestic refineries lack the capacity to meet national demand.

Dangote also revealed ongoing engagement with petroleum marketers to strengthen distribution systems, including expanding the use of CNG-powered haulage.

“Our priority is to ensure Nigeria receives the products it needs. This is not driven by profit motives; it is about guaranteeing the availability of essential energy products. It is similar to the transformation we delivered in the cement sector,” he added.

He further noted that the refinery is progressing with its expansion plan to reach a capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day. More than 100,000 workers are expected to be involved in the expansion of both the refinery and the fertiliser complex. Dangote emphasised that the Group remains committed to its vision, driven by the strong public support for the company’s role in shaping Nigeria’s economic development.

During the visit, the Managing Director of SSDC, Usoro Offiong Akpabio, commended Dangote’s leadership and his continued contribution to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial capability, national energy security and long-term economic competitiveness.

She described the South-South region as Nigeria’s natural energy corridor, with vast crude oil reserves, gas infrastructure, maritime assets, agro-industrial activity and emerging industrial clusters. She noted that deeper collaboration between the region and the Dangote Group could unlock opportunities in product distribution, CNG infrastructure, petrochemicals, agriculture, and employment creation.

Akpabio added that such partnerships would advance the Federal Government’s energy stability agenda and position the South-South as a strategic growth hub for the Dangote Group.

“As the statutory development body for the South-South, SSDC is mandated to drive regional economic development, infrastructure integration, human capital advancement, and private-sector–led growth. In this regard, we stand prepared to support State-level policy and regulatory support for Ease-of-doing-business across our six states. Enabling environments for Dangote Group’s expansion into strategic sectors such as gas processing, agro-industrial value chains, renewable energy, logistics, and export-oriented manufacturing,” she said.

In a letter from the refinery’s Managing Director, David Bird, to the Authority Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, the company reaffirmed its readiness to host NMDPRA officials onsite at the refinery from December 1st to verify and publish its daily supply volumes. The refinery also sought the Authority’s support to ensure unhindered importation of crude, feedstocks and blending components, as well as smooth vessel loading for product evacuation.

“In the spirit of full transparency to the public we are willing to publish our daily production and stock volumes (online and print media),” Bird stated. “We seek the full support of NMDPRA to allow Dangote refinery to import our crude, feedstocks and blending components unhindered as well as support the lifting of our products by vessel. We continue to experience delays in vessel clearance which impacts not only the refinery operations but also our customers, adding unnecessary costs and inefficiencies”.

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