Business
Oil Companies And Bank Loans
Olusola Bello
The five banks which last weekend had their managing directors sacked by the apex bank are also known to have been involved in what is now called banks unusual romance with the oil and gas industry. The former bank bosses may have marched into the slippery terrain of the industry without first of all doing their home work on the vagaries of the sensitive sector. The bait which forced them to lower their guard was the fact that the oil firms continued to service their accounts a tendency which subsequently took the place of the good old collateral. Many analysis have faulted the banks’ failure to conduct due diligence on the sector before offering the companies jumbo loans that were not secured.
On their part, the oil firms selling the idea that the escalating price of crude oil would continue to point skywards, took advantage of the situation to churn out irresistible bankable proposals.
There was a sudden rise in the price of crude oil to about $140 per barrel while the price of products like Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel was sold at about N140 per litre. However, against the importers’ and their bankers’ expectations, prices started falling. Through this the importers incurred heavy losses.Again, the banks influenced by greed and their level of solvency threw so much money into the oil sector because they considered the sector as the honey pot that yielded quick and fantastic returns.
A source said that there are many factors that prompted the oil companies to also seek for loans, one of which was that some of them have no genuine intention to pay back the loans.
The loans, the source said were used for other purposes that were also hit by the economic recession and this has made it difficult for them to repay back the loans.
There have also been allegations of diversion of some of the loans by the oil companies to real estates. Unfortunately, the sector like other sectors of the economy also crashed, leaving their investments in danger.
Some of the oil companies were said to have taken loans to import products at higher prices only to sell at much lower prices in the bid to under-cut the established oil companies and gain popularity among consumers. While this was going on, the prices of the product plummeted and have not risen since that time. So, rather than make returns on their investments, the firms were recording loses.
Compounding the problems associated with the loans, was the steady upward movement of interest rates, exchange rate fluctuations and the devaluation of naira which some of the firms could hardly cope with because of their capital base.
For instance, the exchange rate was $1 to N117 as at the time the imports were made before they could arrive the country the exchange rate had risen to N150 to $1.
This situation made oil marketing companies to threaten to stop fuel importation into the country. They consequently gave conditions under which they would import products especially Premium Motor Spirit or petrol.
The private sector which imports at leat 50 per cent of the nation’s Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) requirements under the Petroleum Subsidy Fund (PSF) scheme while Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) delivered the balance were aggrieved that the government was not paying them what could cover their cost of importation.
The exchange rate was beyond what was provided for the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) import template. As a result, when the verified private sector subsidy claims for the third quarter of 2008 of $1,189,964,305.45 was paid in naira, on the 10th of January, 2009 at the rate of N117.91, the naira payment of N139,225,823,738.27, could only purchase $870,161,398.36 at the prevailing exchange rate thereby leaving a shortfall of $319,802,907.09, a sum equivalent to the nation’s cost of PMS import for a month.”
By virtue of the Clause 3.3 of the agreement between the PPPRA and importers on PSF, subsidy payment should be made monthly and within 15 days of submission of claim.
They argued that they were unable to recover these additional costs from the regulated pump price. The marketers had to fight for a foreign currency window to be made available for PMS importation, at current market trends. The private sector requires between $200m. $250m monthly for importation of petroleum products.
To ensure continuous supply of products, the marketers stated that they would require the following.
Immediate payment of all outstanding cost and exchange rate differential.
All payments for subsidy claims or contribution should be based on the prevailing exchange rate.
Interest on late payments of subsidy claims should be paid on past claims to enable importers recover cost of funding.
Current interest rate as a result of worldwide economic situation must be reflected in the template, PPPRA and Ministry of Finance must make payment within the period stipulated in the contract to avoid additional costs.
Foreign exchange availability is a precondition for guaranteed supply of petroleum products in some of the relatively new companies engaged in frivolous extravagance in their attempt to be heard and seen in places where ordinarily they should not be. A couple of them spend valuable time lobbying lawmakers and sponsoring government officials to international events and seminars without taking a look at the implications of the flamboyant lives on the business they are doing.
The government liberalisation of the sector which gave room to all manner of people coming into the sector with the hope of bringing in products and getting refunds through the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) did not help matters. But this was not forthcoming on time as the government had to delay for a long while before paying up the difference between the landing cost of the products and the official price at the pump stations.
Lack of human capacity in the energy sector by most of the banks was a major snag in the way the banks transact their oil businesses. This has resulted in their inability to do due credit analysis on the various companies that were given the loans even as some of the companies that received credits did not have storage facilities. They are brokers or bulk purchasers who go about to beg fellow operators with depot to assist them with letters stating that they would be allowed to use their facility in order that federal government may give them licence to import products.
A particular company among the ones listed as owing some of the banks was alleged to have imported four ship loads of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) without having any storage facilities. The ships were said to have stayed for 60 days on the Nigerian territorial waters without much success before they sailed back to Europe.
Culled from Business Day
Business in Nigeria remain under pressure as a result of insecurity and erratic power supply which continue to stifle productivity in the country.
This is even as new data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) indicate sustained improvements in economic activity.
This was the response of businesses in the CBN’s October 2025 Business Expectations Survey (BES) and the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) report.
While the PMI showed that economic activity expanded for the 11th consecutive month, the BES revealed that businesses are still grappling with crippling operational constraints that threaten to reverse recent macroeconomic gains.
According to the BES conducted between October 6 and 10, firms identified insecurity (71.8 points) as the most critical challenge affecting operations nationwide. This was closely followed by insufficient power supply (70.9 points), multiple taxation (70.2 points), high interest rates (68.4 points) and financial constraints (65.6 points). Analysts say these constraints underscore the depth of structural weaknesses confronting Nigeria’s private sector.
Despite these challenges, the survey reported a rise in business optimism. The Business Confidence Index increased to 38.5 points in October from 31.5 in September. Firms also projected confidence levels to reach 45.6 points in November, with expectations of further improvement over the next three to six months.
However, sector analysts warn that the optimism remains fragile due to the lack of significant improvements in the operating environment.
The BES further showed a modest rise in capacity utilisation from 60.4% in September to 62.0% in October, suggesting that businesses have yet to deploy their productive capacity amid ongoing disruptions fully.
In contrast to the structural constraints highlighted in the BES, the PMI report indicated strengthening economic momentum. The composite PMI rose to 55.4 points, reflecting expansion across major components such as output, new orders, employment, inventories, and supplier delivery times.
A sectoral breakdown showed that the agriculture sector recorded the most substantial improvement, with its PMI climbing to 57.5 points, marking 15 consecutive months of expansion. The services sector also expanded for the ninth straight month to 55.6 points, while the industry sector rose to 54.2 points, the highest in more than a year.
The CBN attributed the positive trends to improvements in the broader macroeconomic landscape, including declining inflation, which eased from 24.5% in January to 18.0% in September, and the year-to-date appreciation of the naira across both official and parallel markets.
The BES showed that the North-East posted the highest business confidence at 56.1 points, while the South-South recorded the lowest at 23.3 points, a trend linked to declining activity in oil-producing communities.
The Federal Government will on Tuesday, November 25, officially unveil a strategic programme for a free nationwide training of over 100,000 youth on financial literacy.
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development will launch the programme in collaboration with Investonaire Academy. Tagged, the “Financial Literacy, Investment, and Wealth Creation programme.”
The flagship initiative is designed to equip young Nigerians with essential financial skills, investment knowledge, and digital competencies for sustainable wealth creation.
A statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Omolara Esan, and made available to newsmen, confirmed that the launch of the programme, to be held in Abuja, would promote nationwide participation.
It added that the launch would bring together senior government officials, development partners, private sector leaders, and youth representatives to explore innovative approaches for improving financial capability and strengthening the economic prospects of young Nigerians.
Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, would serve as the chief host, while the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, would grace the event as the Special Guest of Honour.
Also expected are representatives of key government institutions and private sector partners, including Dr Enefola Odiba, International Programme Director, Investonaire Academy, and Mr. Bashir Nurmohamed, Chief Executive Officer, Hantec Markets
The statement reads, “A major highlight of the event will be the unveiling of a free national financial literacy training programme targeting over 100,000 youths annually. The programme will be powered by a state-of-the-art Learning Management System (LMS) designed to enhance financial intelligence, investment capacity, and entrepreneurial readiness among Nigerian youth.
Lady Godknows Ogbulu
The chairman of the United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu, says Nigeria’s economic transformation will be driven by entrepreneurs, not government handouts or foreign assistance.
Elumelu, who spoke at the Grow Nigeria Conference 2.0 and themed ‘Empowering Nigeria’s Entrepreneurs: Building Institutions That Last’, in Lagos, Monday, said the nation’s future is already being shaped by business owners who refuse to settle for mediocrity.
Elumelu, who is also the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, described Nigeria as an entrepreneurial nation but stressed the need to build institutions that can stand the test of time.
“Starting businesses is good. Sustaining them is critical, and that’s how we transform this economy,” he said.
He noted that many promising ideas fail because the systems and support structures necessary for growth are absent.
According to him, Nigeria’s renewal must come from the private sector, backed by strong governance frameworks and proper succession planning.
“Nigeria will not be built by government handouts or foreign aid. Government’s role is critical, but Nigeria will be built by entrepreneurs — by you, building businesses that create jobs, hope, and prosperity from the ground up,” he said.
Elumelu, however, emphasized that entrepreneurs cannot succeed in isolation.
“You need frameworks — clear governance, succession planning, and relentless focus on value. We need the right environment. We need a Nigeria where policies are predictable, infrastructure works, and financing is truly accessible,” he said.
He called for stronger alignment between public and private sector efforts, warning that progress would remain limited if institutions work independently rather than collaboratively.
Elumelu commended the Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii, for ongoing reforms within the agency.
He further lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing young Nigerians to lead key institutions and for prioritizing youth entrepreneurship.
“Let us cut the bureaucracy. Make finance and opportunity real, not theoretical. Let’s help Nigeria’s entrepreneurs move from surviving to winning.
“Every job we create fights insecurity. Every thriving business increases our tax base and accelerates prosperity for all,” Elumelu added.
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