Social Listening 24 September 2025

Otedola supports Dangote Refinery against DAPPMAN and deepens the issues

Femi Otedola has decisively stepped into the dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), strongly endorsing the Dangote Refinery and calling on DAPPMAN to accept the new realities in the sector.

His statement brought to light more issues in the conflict.

Mrs Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka of Sahara Energy Group chairs DAPPMAN, while Alhaji Aliko Dangote leads the Dangote Refinery.

The table below summarises the core issues of the conflict and Otedola’s stance on them.

Otedola’s Historical Perspective and Revelations

Otedola’s intervention is critical due to his deep understanding of the industry’s history.

• Otedola revealed that he founded DAPPMAN in 2002 with the original mission to challenge major marketers and address critical supply gaps in an inefficient system.

• Subsidy Fraud Allegations: He alleged that over N2 trillion was siphoned through questionable fuel subsidy claims linked to depot licenses under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, stating that DAPPMAN members were the primary beneficiaries of a system that encouraged corruption.

• Praise for Deregulation: Otedola commended President Bola Tinubu for the complete deregulation of the downstream sector, which he believes has loosened the grip of entrenched interests.

The Bigger Perspective: A Changing Energy Scene

This dispute highlights the major changes happening in Nigeria’s energy industry, prompted by the start-up of the Dangote Refinery.

• Refinery Expansion: The Dangote Refinery is being upgraded to boost its capacity from 650,000 to 700,000 barrels per day by the end of 2025, making it one of the largest refineries in the world.

• Economic Impact: The refinery has already begun to reshape trade flows. While it currently imports crude oil from various countries to meet its substantial feedstock needs (contributing to a record high in Nigeria’s crude imports in Q2 2025), it is also exporting refined products, generating new economic activity and revenue for the country. The goal is to transition to using 100% Nigerian crude by the end of 2025.

• Regional Ambitions: The refinery plans to construct large fuel storage tanks in Namibia to serve southern African markets, reflecting its ambition to lead fuel supply across the continent.

“The way we are currently”

 16 per cent of Nigerians are on social media

Given its influence on socio-political and economic discourse in Nigeria, the Social Listening column monitors issues emerging on social media. We also track the metrics of this important phenomenon at the intersection of technology, media, and society.

Nigeria had 38.7 million social media users in January 2025, representing 16.4 per cent of the population. This highlights the reach and potential impact of social media.

Facebook dominates the market with a 45 per cent share, followed by TikTok at 18.05 per cent and X at 17.96 per cent as of August 2025. These are the leading platforms for public discourse.

Significantly, TikTok has become the platform for dissent. “TikTok is a frontline for expressing grievances on economic hardship and governance, sometimes leading to official backlash”, according to search engines. The point is that the deployment and use of platforms is a central issue where social media acts as a public venting space.

The regulatory environment is such that the federal government has labelled social media a “monster” and is pushing new regulations to control digital platforms. That highlights ongoing tension between user expression and state control.

A serious concern for both regulators and the media is misinformation via social media. It is a persistent challenge affecting the information ecosystem.

For example, authorities warn against fake recruitment adverts on social media, advising the public to trust official sources. Such ads reflect criminal misuse of platforms targeting citizens.

 Time to count the cost in the South-East

By Dr Ugo Egbujo

Our people need to embrace reality. They can’t continue this romance on a fantasy level. The Nnamdi Kanu expedition was a farce.

Nnamdi Kanu , Simon Ekpa, Gentle de Yahoo etc

Are the pastors of the same church.

The gospel they brought to Igbo land was idolatry, arson, murder, and kidnapping. And irreverence

Igbo taboos, traditions, and customs have all been destroyed.

Gentle de Yahoo was a nwaboi of the supreme leader.

Simon Ekpa was Nnamdi Kanu’s Simon Peter

The responsibility for the ruination of the Igbo land is squarely Nnamdi Kanu’s,

As the General Overseer, he is the Chief Culprit.

Nnamdi Kanu bastardised the word ‘Evangelism’

To mean the slaughter of a fellow Igbo man, sending the poor fellow to God.

The person’s only sin could be that he didn’t sit at home on a Monday.

Nnamdi Kanu dismantled the Igbo tradition of sanctity of life.

The effects of the military activities aside

The destruction of lives and property by the IPOB aside

Nnamdi Kanu authorised this mutation of the IPOB into carnivorous groups.

It wasn’t a wayward mutation.

All the atrocities that have bloomed started under the supervision of Kanu. Kanu has to render an apology to Ndi Igbo.

Ala Igbo will not recover in 15 years. The quantity of cannibalism that has happened is spiritually crippling.

Ala Igbo can only be cleansed by confession, truth and courage.

This disaster was self-inflicted. Ndi Igbo fell for a scam. And emboldened some power-hungry clowns. To commit an abomination against God and man

I remember the Revered Father who was slaughtered in 2021 because he wanted the students in his school to write WAEC maths on a Monday.

The consequences are generational. People must wipe their eyes.

Nnamdi Kanu has a role to play in the restitution and restoration, if he can show genuine repentance.

Too many lives, Igbo and non-Igbo, have been consumed.

The time to start the healing is now.

Caveat Emptor on land

“Town planning is real”_
“Demolition is real”_*

No matter how cheap the land is:

-If the land is not 45 metres away from any power line, pls don’t buy it.

-If the Land is not 30 meters away from the Canal, pls don’t buy it.

-If the Land did not give a gap of at least 70 metres away from a federal or state road, pls don’t buy it.

If you do, I can assure you it will end in tears. Your ignorance will not save you on that day. And if the government destroys your building, they will never compensate you because you can never obtain a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for land near those things I mentioned earlier.

Ignorance of the law is no excuse.