The federal government of Nigeria has taken a bold step to combat the pervasive issue of oil theft by approving a $21 million contract to construct a metering system across 187 crude oil flow stations.

This initiative, announced by Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), aims to reorganize the oil and gas sector and enhance accountability and transparency in oil production.

The approval of this contract by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Bola Tinubu, marks a decisive move to address one of Nigeria’s most pressing economic challenges. Lokpobiri emphasized the importance of this development during a press briefing in Abuja, highlighting that the project is expected to be completed within six months.

“One of the key approvals by the FEC has to do with awarding a contract for the metering of our 187 flow stations across the Niger Delta region by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC),” Lokpobiri stated. “NUPRC is the apex regulatory commission for the Nigerian oil and gas upstream sector. As part of our steps to ensure that we have proper accountability, FEC approves the metering of all our oil production.”

The metering system will measure and regulate the flow rate of crude oil, providing accurate data on production and export levels. This development is crucial in a country where oil theft has severely hampered growth, with losses ranging from 5 to 30 percent of daily production.

Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, recently disclosed that Nigeria lost approximately $46 billion to crude oil theft over 11 years.

In March 2023, the Nigerian Senate reported a loss of 65.7 million barrels of crude oil, valued at $83 per barrel, translating to a staggering revenue loss of N2.3 trillion due to oil theft. This significant financial drain underscores the urgent need for effective measures to curb the menace.

Advanced Cargo Tracking for Enhanced Monitoring

In addition to the metering system, the federal government has approved another key initiative aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the oil sector. This initiative involves using advanced cargo tracking technology to monitor the movement of crude oil from loading points in Nigeria to their final destinations. This idea was proposed by Professor Ndubuisi Ekekwe of Tekedia Institute in 2022.

“The second memo that was approved by the council has to do with what we call the advanced cargo, which means we are awarding a contract to a company that will provide the technology within 180 days,” Lokpobiri explained. “This will enable us to know from the point of loading of every cargo of crude oil that is loaded in Nigeria up to the point of destination.”

This advanced tracking system will allow officials to monitor crude oil shipments in real-time, ensuring that every barrel of oil produced is accounted for from extraction to export.

“From terminals, I can stay in my office and know when it is taken off from Nigeria up to the final destination,” Lokpobiri added.

The Initiative Comes with Challenges and Concerns

While the government’s initiatives are ambitious and promising, there are concerns about their sustainability and effectiveness. The introduction of technological solutions to secure oil installations is not new. In 2022, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) launched a mobile app to monitor oil installations and curb crude oil theft. The app, named ‘Crude Theft Monitoring Applications,’ aimed to enable early reporting of oil theft incidents, encouraging immediate action from security and government authorities.

Despite these efforts, oil theft continued unabated in the Niger Delta region, raising doubts about the potential success of the new metering and tracking initiatives. Critics argue that without robust enforcement and continuous oversight, these technological solutions might fail to achieve their intended goals.

Historical Background of Oil Theft in Nigeria

The history of oil theft in Nigeria is a long and troubling one. The country’s oil-rich Niger Delta has been plagued by illegal bunkering, pipeline vandalism, and other forms of oil theft for decades. These activities not only deprive the nation of significant revenue but also contribute to environmental degradation and social unrest in the region.

Efforts to combat oil theft have been met with mixed results, with security operatives tasked with the protection of oil installations being accused of aiding the thievery. Various administrations have launched initiatives to address the problem, from military interventions to community-based surveillance programs. However, the complexity and scale of the issue have often rendered these efforts ineffective.

Despite the skepticism, the new metering and tracking initiatives have the potential to make a meaningful impact if implemented effectively. The metering system will provide accurate data on production levels, reducing opportunities for illegal siphoning of crude oil. The advanced cargo tracking technology will ensure that every barrel of oil is monitored from extraction to export, enhancing transparency and accountability.

While the government’s commitment to completing these projects within six months demonstrates a sense of urgency and determination, experts note that the success of these initiatives will ultimately depend on continuous monitoring, enforcement, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved in the oil industry.

On Thursday, the Nigerian Senate rejected a bill seeking to amend the Foreign Exchange Act of 2004, citing concerns that the proposed legislation could undermine current efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and create confusion in the foreign exchange market.

The bill, titled “The Foreign Exchange (Control and Monitoring) Bill, 2024 (SB. 353),” was sponsored by Sani Musa (APC-Niger), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, and was first introduced on February 20. The bill aimed to repeal the existing Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act and introduce new provisions for the control, monitoring, and supervision of transactions in the Foreign Exchange Market.

In his lead debate, Senator Musa emphasized the bill’s importance for stabilizing Nigeria’s currency and improving the national economy by facilitating foreign transactions and maintaining a balance of international payments.

“The Bill seeks to stabilize the value of the currency by ensuring the liberalization of foreign exchange transactions to maintain an equilibrium of the balance of international payments,” Musa stated.

“It will also stabilize the value of the currency by ensuring liberalization of foreign exchange transactions and other foreign transactions by revitalizing market functionality.

“The newly introduced clauses will enable the CBN to determine the basic exchange rate of purchase and sale of foreign exchange.”

Despite the bill’s intentions, several senators expressed strong reservations about its implications. They argued that additional legislation to monitor or control the foreign exchange market, beyond what the CBN currently does, could be counterproductive.

Senator Solomon Adeola, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriation, and Senators Tokunbo Abiru and Aliyu Wadada, who chair the Committees on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions, and Public Accounts respectively, voiced serious concerns. They noted that further regulation should originate from the executive branch to prevent confusion and potential crises in the foreign exchange sector.

Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (APC-Gombe) argued that passing such a law would only confuse Nigerians, noting that any additional regulation should come from the executive to avoid disrupting the market. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo) pointed out the contradictions and negative implications of the proposed law, stating that it would effectively take over the CBN’s role in monetary policy regulation.

In light of these concerns, Senate President Godswill Akpabio urged Senator Musa to withdraw the proposed law for further consultations. However, Musa declined, leading Akpabio to call for a voice vote. The majority of lawmakers voted against the bill, rejecting it for a second reading.

The rejection of the bill is understood to have been borne by the need to preserve the critical role of the CBN in regulating Nigeria’s foreign exchange market. The CBN is responsible for determining the exchange rate and implementing policies to maintain economic stability. It is thus believed that introducing additional regulatory measures through the legislative branch could disrupt the current framework and lead to market instability.

CBN Sells $122.671 Million to Authorized Dealers to Stabilize Forex Market

Meanwhile, the CBN recently intervened in the foreign exchange market by selling $122.671 million to 46 authorized dealers. This move aims to promote stability and reduce market volatility in the forex market, according to a statement issued by Omolara Duke, the apex bank’s Director in charge of Financial Markets.

Ms. Duke detailed the transactions, stating that on July 10, $67.5 million was sold to 27 authorized dealers, while $2.5 million was bought from one authorized dealer. The bid range for these sales was between N1,480 and N1,500 to the dollar, with a value date for payments set for July 12, following a two-day settlement cycle. On July 11, an additional $55.171 million was sold to 19 authorized dealers at N1,540 to the dollar, with payments due by July 15.

Ms. Duke emphasized the importance of using foreign exchange purchases exclusively for trade-backed transactions, which must be reported within 72 hours. She highlighted that the CBN’s intervention through spot sales to authorized dealers using two-way quotes is designed to enhance liquidity and ensure stability in the FX market.

However, the current bid ranges indicate a shift from the apex bank’s previous supplies, which came with much lower rates targeted at FX rate convergence.

Earlier in the year, when the CBN took the initiative to bridge the widening gap in exchange rates by supplying BDC operators with dollars daily, the allocated funds were sold to BDCs at a fixed rate of N1,301/$ and lower, mirroring the lower band rate of executed spot transactions at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM).

The current supply rates and bid ranges are seen as indicators that the NAFEM and parallel markets have significantly closed their disparity.

However, these interventions have failed to effectively strengthen the naira or bring about the desired stability in the forex market. The ongoing challenges in the Nigerian forex market stem from several factors, but largely, the decline in the country’s oil production.

Ms. Duke reiterated the CBN’s commitment to ensuring stability in the FX market, stating that the bank will continue to supply foreign exchange to improve liquidity through spot sales to authorized dealers. She assured that the CBN would persist in its efforts to stabilize the market and reduce volatility.

However, economists point out that future interventions will need to address the underlying issues affecting the naira’s value and ensure that policies are consistently applied to achieve sustainable economic stability.

AI will transform markets and many new business models will emerge. There is nothing more; new technologies enable and expire business models. Let us see how mobile internet and AI affected two companies:

Option A: Have 10 great movie producers produce 200 short videos for your digital platform over two years (Quibi like). Quibi was a media company which developed short videos optimized for smartphones.

Option B: Allow tens of thousands of amateur creators, and use an AI to select the best videos daily and distribute them massively in your platform (Tiktok like). TikTok is a short-video sharing app and social network platform.

In 2000, Option A would have been a good business because the computing resources to run AI and crunch the numbers were not (commonly) available for Option B. But with cloud computing and the age of AI here, Option B wins. The probability of getting a hit video compounds in Option B while A is limited by the insights of just 10 people; virality is key for short movies, on mobile.

The foundational model of TikTok is supreme. Quibi did go bankrupt despite being under the guidance of legendary Jeffrey Katzenberg and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. People, as I have noted in the Grand Playbook of Business, your business model is more important than your ability to execute.

Yes, in Igbo mythology, dreaming about fetching water is a good thing because it symbolizes vitality as the road to the stream is never covered by weeds. But dreaming of fetching firewoods is bad, as after the firewoods are gone, the weeds take over the road. So, you want to be fetching water over fetching firewood as it means there is a future (the road is never covered by weeds). Quibi was like going to fetch firewood while TikTok is going to the stream for water. 

The consistency of the AI discovering and releasing new viral videos, in a sea of constantly updated millions of new videos,  will also keep the ecosystem healthy, unlike Quibi which was frozen in space. My message: improve your business model tech transforms markets.

In the realm of startup culture and entrepreneurship, recent discussions have shed light on the critical importance of understanding user needs and prioritizing customer satisfaction for sustainable business success. Founders, the visionary individuals behind innovative startups, are increasingly recognizing that meeting user demands not only drives market potential but also fosters long-term growth and loyalty. 

While starting a startup for financial gain is acceptable, the most successful startups prioritize user satisfaction over immediate profits. Simply, the mission of the firm which is to fix frictions in the market must rule supreme over the financial reward obtainable doing that.  If you focus on the customer, the market will reward you with profit over time. But if you just focus on profit, you will likely lose the mission.

But how do you focus on the customer? Simple: create products and services the customer needs, and not what you think the customer needs. At Tekedia Institute, we have the NEP Customer-Centricity Framework. NEP stands for needs, expectations and perceptions; we teach that the best companies do not just satisfy the Needs, the Expectations, but can meet the Perceptions of customers, through innovation.

Read the NEP in my piece in Harvard Business Review here . Watch this video here.

Understanding and exceeding customer expectations has become a cornerstone of success in today’s dynamic business landscape. Businesses are no longer solely focused on meeting basic customer needs but are now striving to surpass expectations to differentiate themselves from competitors and foster growth. This shift stems from the evolving market dynamics and changing consumer behaviors that demand a deeper understanding of customer perceptions.

Customer perceptions, defined as the subjective views and beliefs customers hold about a company’s offerings, play a pivotal role in shaping brand loyalty, profitability, and competitive advantage. By embracing customer-centricity and disruptive innovation, companies aim to not only meet but exceed these perceptions to secure their position in the market.