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“King Messi” receives hero’s welcome in France

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Multi- billionaire football sensation, Lionel Messi received hero’s welcome after flying to France to join Paris Saint-Germain, PSG following his exit from FC Barcelona.

PSG’s agreement with the 34-year Six-time Ballon d’Or winner is seen as a major upset in football deals and a big catch for his employer, PGS would be adding one of the best football players of all time to an already formidable front line that includes Brazil’s Neymar and young Frenchman Kylian Mbappe.

Wearing a T-shirt that read “This is Paris”, Messi beamed and waved at scores of fans who had come to greet him at Le Bourget airport on the outskirts of the French capital after his flight from Barcelona.

Chanting “Messi, Messi, Messi”, the fans cheered and let off firecrackers.

“It’s going to be mad. After all, it’s a legend who is arriving,” said Florent Chauveau, a PSG fan who has been back and forth to the airport every day since Sunday in the hope of seeing Messi arrive.

According to the Times of India, Messi gave no details of the deal, which was reached days after FC Barcelona said it could not afford to keep the midfielder because of Spain’s La Liga’s fair play rules.

But his father, speaking with reporters at Barcelona’s airport, confirmed reports by French newspaper L’Equipe and Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo that Messi had reached an agreement with PSG.

The Parisian club is owned by Qatar Sports Investment. L’Equipe said the deal would be for two years.

It also said Messi would have medical tests on Tuesday, and that a news conference to mark his arrival was likely on Wednesday.

In the background, upbeat music can heard and the words “new diamond in Paris” and “mercato update” appear.

The video, seen on Twitter, does not show Messi but depicts an image of six Ballons d’Or — an annual award given to the player deemed the best in the world — by the Eiffel Tower.

Many FC Barcelona fans were distraught at the end of Messi’s glittering, trophy-laden career at the club he joined as a schoolboy.

But the arrival of FC Barcelona’s all-time record scorer with 682 goals will boost PSG’s ambitions to win the UEFA Champions League for the first time.

Messi won four UEFA Champions League titles while at FC Barcelona, as well as 10 La Liga titles.

Messi is the latest big-name arrival at PSG on a free transfer this summer after coach Mauricio Pochettino’s side snapped up Spanish defender Sergio Ramos after he left Real Madrid.

Dutch midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum also joined after running down his contract with Liverpool.

Italy’s Euro 2020-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has also joined after his contract with AC Milan ran out.

Also, Moroccan full-back Achraf Hakimi joined from Inter Milan for a reported 60 million euros (70 million dollars).

Messi’s last contract with FC Barcelona was worth a total of 555 million euros and reported to be the most lucrative in the world of sports.

His arrival in Paris is also set to provoke a renewed new debate about UEFA’s financial fair play rules.

The rules were first introduced in 2009 to restrict some of the worst excesses of the game, but they have been criticised by some leading figures for being ineffective.

The arrival of Messi, who has 245 million followers on Instagram and is FC Barcelona’s most decorated player of all time, is also welcome news for France’s Ligue 1, embroiled in a crisis over TV rights,” the Indian Times said.

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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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By Bonaventure Phillips Melah

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: LR: 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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Gunmen abduct five in Enugu community

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Some women in Ezimo community, Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Saturday, staged a protest over the alleged kidnap of five residents and the shooting of another during an attack on the community.

The protesters, who marched through major parts of the community, said the incident had heightened fear and insecurity in the area.

One victim of the attack is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

A social media influencer, ‘Sen.’ Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, made this known via Facebook on Saturday.

Ugwuanyi revealed that resident who confirmed the incident said recent cases of abductions and shootings had left the community unsafe, prompting the women to demand urgent government intervention.

In a video shared on Ugwuanyi’s Facebook page, the protesters called on the Enugu State Government and security agencies to step in and restore peace, warning that residents could no longer live under constant fear of attacks.

 

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