ABUJA DAILY - 24 MARCH 2026
EU High Representative KALLAS Affirms Nigeria as Regional Security Bulwark; CBN Reports $4.06 Billion Petrol Import Reduction on Domestic Refining; ICPC Produces EL-RUFAI Under Heavy Security for Arraignment
ICPC Brings Former Governor El-Rufai to Court Under Heavy Security
Independent Corrupt Practices Commission operatives produced former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in court at Old Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, for arraignment under heavy security presence.
Nigeria Slashes Petrol Import Bill by $4.06 Billion in 2025
Central Bank data shows petrol import expenditure fell 28.88 percent to $10 billion in 2025 from $14.06 billion in 2024, driven by increased domestic refining capacity.
Binance Pursues Out-of-Court Settlement with Nigerian Government Over Tax Evasion
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance is exploring settlement talks with Nigerian authorities after prosecution called four witnesses in ongoing tax evasion case.
Nigerian Army Takes Delivery of Locally-Manufactured Vanquisher and Dagger APCs
Nigerian Army received over half a dozen Vanquisher light armoured personnel carriers manufactured domestically, expanding local defense production capacity.
DRIVING THE DAY
SUMMARY: European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja KALLAS met President Bola TINUBU 24 March at his Lagos residence and declared Nigeria "a regional bulwark against terrorism" whose stability is critical for West Africa, pledging stronger EU-Nigeria security and trade cooperation despite global economic volatility, per State House statement and Anadolu Agency reporting. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reported 24 March that Nigeria reduced petrol import expenditure by $4.06 billion to $10 billion in 2025 — a 28.88 percent decrease from $14.06 billion in 2024 — as Dangote Petroleum Refinery domestic production reached 650,000 barrels per day, per CBN balance-of-payments data and Leadership reporting. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) produced former Kaduna Governor Nasir EL-RUFAI 24 March under heavy security at the Old Nigerian Defence Academy court in Kaduna for arraignment on multi-billion naira fraud allegations, per Premium Times reporting. The Nigerian Navy transferred eight suspected oil thieves and 44,000 litres of illegally refined diesel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following arrests in Rivers State, intensifying the anti-crude-theft campaign, per Independent and Punch reporting. END SUMMARY.
