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Ijaw Leaders Ask Britain To Help Facilitate Their Independence From Nigeria

Ijaw Leaders

While we reel from the agitations by the Igbos and the Yorubas to leave the Nigerian Federation, through the Indigenous People of Biafra – led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the Oduduwa Republic – led by Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo respectively, the Ijaws has already embarked on a mission to follow suit.

The popular saying that “when things fall apart, the center cannot hold” may come true for the Nigerian federation whose component units are beginning to canvass for self-determination and independence. However, they intend to do so without carrying arms or bloodshed of any kind.

It has been reported by The Sun that Ijaw leaders under the umbrella of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) have begun tinkering on ways to remove itself from the geographical expression called Nigeria and have met with the British government to that effect.

The report reveals that the group believes that its people – the Ijaw nation – which has continuously sustained the economy of Nigeria since oil was discovered in Oloibiri in 1956 has been neglected and relegated to the background despite the fact the oil exploration in their communities has brought untold sufferings and hardships to its people.

Since their overall objective is to carry out the divorce from Nigerian in the most legal and rancor-free avenue available to them, the Ijaw leaders have called on the British government to assist them in dissolving the marriage between the Ijaw nation and Nigeria – which was instituted by British colonial master, Fredrick Lord Lugard.

They further accused the British government of abandoning them to their plight after convincing them to join the Nigerian equation, promising that they would be taken care of if they joined Nigeria.

Read Also: Militant Group, Niger Delta Avengers Make Fresh Demands; Presidency Responds

This resolution was contained in the seven-page address given by the delegation of Ijaw leaders representing the Ijaw nation at a meeting with the representatives of the British High Commission led by Mr. John Kekeh. The meeting was held at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and the Ijaw nation delegation was led by the President of the INC, Prof Benjamin Okaba.

The seven-page address read in part:

“Again in the light of truth, good conscience, fairness, equity, and justice would the British people and her government be perpetually silent and feign ignorance to the excruciating plight of the Ijaw people. Furthermore, perhaps the once colonial masters would with all intent and purpose act to rescue the ugly situation- may we ask if not now then when?

“We are indeed eager and anxious to know: is your intervention coming when we are completely ripped off our God-given Oil and Gas natural resources and abandoned to our fate in wallowing and the criminally degraded environment without remediation. In all honesty, would that not be a crime against humanity where the British government would be seen as accomplices.

“The visitation is about us telling them that you (British) brought us into Nigeria and they should play their role to take us out of this country. The British have the moral duty to take us out. We were deceived to join Nigeria; they abandoned us and deceived us. Let them do the needful. As Ijaw people, we are tired of this country. We have suffered in this country; we have carried the burden of this nation on our shoulders for too long.

“We have placed minimum conditions. The first condition is the restoration of true federalism. Number two, we have to be placed not as balkanized people. We cannot be scattered into different states and make us minorities and slaves. We cannot be slaves in a place where our resources are used to sustain the people. It is unacceptable.

“So Ijaw people are saying to the Federal Government that if this minimum requirement is not met, we are no longer committed to the Nigerian project. And that if we are leaving as an Ijaw republic, we shall do it peacefully and legally. This is the message we are sending to the British High Commission and to the British Government to come and undo what they did.”

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Business

Dangote Refinery opens landmark IPO today to the investing public

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals FZE today announced the commencement of its Initial Public Offering (IPO), marking a historic milestone in Nigeria’s economic development and the evolution of Africa’s capital markets. The offer will be formally launched at a ceremony on the trading floor of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) in Lagos, bringing to the public, for the first time, an opportunity to own a stake in Africa’s largest refinery and one of the world’s most significant industrial projects.

The IPO, which opens today, September 14, 2026, consists of 4.1 billion new ordinary shares offered at N525 per share, with a minimum subscription of 10 shares valued at N5,250. The offer is expected to remain open until October 13, 2026, subject to the terms outlined in the Prospectus. The transaction is targeted at retail, institutional, and eligible African investors, reinforcing Dangote Refinery’s commitment to broadening ownership and deepening participation in Nigeria’s capital market.

The public offer is expected to raise approximately N2.15 trillion, making it one of the largest equity offerings ever undertaken in Africa. The proceeds will support the Refinery’s long-term growth plans, operational expansion, strategic investments, and the creation of additional value for shareholders and stakeholders alike.

Speaking on the significance of the IPO, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, said: “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Dangote Refinery and, indeed, in the economic future of our nation. This offering is about more than raising capital; it is about creating an opportunity for ordinary Nigerians, Africans, and investors across the globe to participate directly in one of the most transformative industrial projects ever built on the continent. We established this refinery to transform Africa’s energy landscape, create jobs, conserve foreign exchange, and unlock shared prosperity. With this IPO, we are extending that vision by democratising ownership and ensuring that millions of people can benefit from the value being created.

“We believe that broad-based ownership is one of the most effective ways to build wealth, strengthen the capital market, and accelerate economic inclusion. We invite investors to join us as partners in building a globally competitive enterprise that will continue to shape the future of energy, manufacturing, and economic development in Africa.”

According to Temi Popoola, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group: “The launch of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO is an important moment for Nigeria’s capital market, not simply because of the scale of the transaction, but because of what it represents.

“Our capital market must increasingly become a place where Nigerians can participate in the value created by our country’s most important businesses. That means broadening ownership, expanding access and creating stronger connections between Nigerian enterprise and Nigerian capital.

“At NGX Group, we have been deliberately building the infrastructure to make that possible. Through NGX Invest and connectivity across more than 50 distribution channels, including stockbrokers, banks and fintechs, we are making participation in the public market more accessible.

“This is how we build an ownership economy: strong Nigerian businesses accessing long-term capital, and more Nigerians having the opportunity to participate in their growth.”

Dangote Refinery has emerged as a strategic national asset, helping to strengthen energy security, reduce dependence on imported refined products, conserve foreign exchange, and position Nigeria as a major exporter of petroleum products. Since commencing commercial operations, the Refinery has supplied premium-quality petroleum products to domestic and international markets while supporting industrial growth and economic transformation across the region.

The company emphasised that participation in the offer has been designed to be accessible, transparent, and technology-enabled. Eligible investors can subscribe through approved distribution channels, including NGX Invest, designated commercial banks, and authorised investment platforms, subject to the provisions contained in the Prospectus.

As the commencement ceremony takes place on the floor of the Nigerian Exchange today, Dangote Refinery reaffirmed its commitment to operational excellence, corporate governance, sustainable growth, and long-term value creation for shareholders.

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Business

Chowdeck CEO says some drivers make at least ₦100,000 weekly, more than some doctors

Chowdeck CEO Femi Aluko said the average rider makes at least ₦100,000 a week from deliveries, with top-performing riders earning considerably more. Riding around Lagos to deliver food may seem like a simple hustle, but Chowdeck CEO Femi Aluko says the job can bring in considerably more than many people might expect.

In a Channels Television interview, Aluko said the average Chowdeck rider makes at least ₦100,000 a week, while the best-performing riders can earn considerably more. That would amount to about ₦400,000 over four weeks, but it is not a fixed salary or guaranteed monthly income.

According to Aluko, earnings depend largely on the number of deliveries a rider completes and the distance covered. He said riders could work for about 10 hours a day and complete around 10 to 15 deliveries, with more deliveries and longer distances potentially increasing their earnings.

The claim is not entirely out of line with accounts from riders. Recent reporting has found riders taking home roughly ₦80,000 to ₦120,000 a week, while some high performers have earned considerably more during particularly busy periods.

But those figures should be viewed as gross earnings rather than a guaranteed take-home salary. Aluko also acknowledged that riders have costs to deal with, including bicycle maintenance, even though maintaining a bicycle is cheaper than maintaining a power bike.

During the interview, the presenter mentioned a previous report suggesting that ride-hailing drivers could earn more than doctors.

Aluko agreed that this could happen, although he noted that the work also comes with additional costs.

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Business

You can now buy fuel on your phone and pump it yourself at selected NNPC stations

Select NNPC outlets will soon start allowing customers to pump their own fuel. The company is introducing a self-service option which allows customers at designated retail stations to pay for their own fuel through their mobile devices and dispense it themselves, instead of giving cash to an attendant.

NNPC Retail introduced the system with its new Smart Self-Service Station on Bill Clinton Drive, Airport Road, Abuja, on September 10, 2026. To use the self-service, customers will select how much fuel they want to buy through the NR fuel app, pay for the fuel, receive a code and use that code at the pump to start fuelling their vehicle.For drivers who have never used a self-service petrol station before, however, the process may take some getting used to.

The NR fuel app is the backbone of the entire process, as Customers will need it to use NNPC Retail’s digital fuelling system. The app is available on major mobile app stores, including the Google Play Store for Android phones and the App Store for iPhones, and allows customers to make fuel purchases digitally.

Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can go ahead to buy your fuel digitally; however, you cannot simply walk into any NNPC station and expect to use the self-service system because the service is currently available at selected stations. The pilot Smart Self-Service Station in Abuja, for instance, is one of the designated outlets. For ease of use, open the app, click on the dashboard, select a product, and click on ‘nearby station ‘.

You will find a list of selected stations near you that support the self-service options. Look for the distinct green “SELF-SERVE” badge next to a station’s name in the app to confirm they support the feature.

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