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NMDPRA threatens to revoke licences of fuel stations under-dispensing products

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has directed petroleum retail outlet operators nationwide to immediately calibrate and verify their dispensers and totalisers to stop under-dispensing of products to consumers.

NMDPRA also threatened to revoke the licences of fuel stations found under-dispensing petroleum products to consumers.

NMDPRA ??????????gave the directive on Tuesday in an industry circular posted on its X handle.

The directive was issued following reported incidents of under-dispensing of petroleum products at retail outlets amid soaring petrol prices.

While describing the practice as a serious breach of consumer trust, the agency

It said the directive was aimed at ensuring accurate measurement and protecting consumers from receiving less product than they paid for.

‘The authority has intensified inspections and enforcement activities nationwide.

‘Outlets found to be under-dispensing, operating with improperly calibrated equipment, or otherwise compromising dispensing accuracy will be required to take immediate corrective action.

‘Persistent or serious violations will be subject to appropriate sanctions, up to and including revocation of the outlet’s license, in line with NMDPRA’s regulations,’ it said.

NMDPRA urged the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) to notify their members.

It also tasked the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) to notify their members of the directive.

It called on the associations to support full compliance across the industry.

NMDPRA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting consumers, promoting transparency and upholding the integrity of petroleum product transactions nationwide.

NGCP: Mindanao reserves may run out by 2028

Mindanao could face a potential repeat of a power crisis from over a decade ago, as the country’s grid operator anticipates that it will deplete its excess electricity capacity by 2028.

Cynthia Alabanza, assistant vice president at the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), attributed the bleak scenario to the lack of new power plant deployment.

‘By 2028, we will see that no excess capacity remains. For me, as a layperson, the writing is already on the wall,’ she said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday.

‘In Mindanao, we are seeing this, although I hope NGCP’s projection is wrong. It would be good for other government agencies to study this as well and validate NGCP’s data,’ Alabanza added.

According to the official, the region suffered an energy crisis back in 2012. The activation of additional coal facilities in the southern part of the region alleviated the situation.

However, no new power assets injected additional capacity into the grid.

‘So it is starting. We are already feeling demand catching up with supply,’ she said.

The major island, which provides power to the Visayas, has been under a few red alerts every year.

Since January of 2026, Mindanao has seen 17 yellow alerts and 4 red alerts, including some days this month due to the unavailability of large coal plants.

A yellow alert indicates that available power reserves are thinning, meaning any unexpected plant outage could trigger service interruptions. A red alert indicates that the supply cannot meet the demand, raising the risk of rotational brownouts unless we manage consumption effectively.

Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin said the power woes, particularly in the Visayas region, were ‘really frustrating.’

‘The supply is so tight so you cannot afford to punish everyone here and disallow them to operate. You’re stuck to these power plants because we didn’t construct in the last five years,’ she said.

37 miners’ deaths: JNI, Arewa group seek due process in NSCDC probe

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Arewa Think Tank have called for due process and credibility in the ongoing investigation into the deaths of 37 miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State.

The JNI, in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Professor Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday, also condemned the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.

The statement noted that, ‘JNI under the leadership of its President-General, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, was deeply disturbed by the continued killings, abductions, banditry and terrorist attacks across the country.’

The Islamic body said recent incidents in Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Kebbi, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Niger, Gombe, Kogi, Benue and Plateau states painted a disturbing picture that should concern every responsible Nigerian.

The JNI described as particularly worrisome the death of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State following their arrest over alleged illegal mining.

While welcoming the Federal Government’s decision to launch an independent investigation and suspend the officers involved, the Islamic body demanded a transparent, thorough and credible probe.

‘Reports that some of those detained may have been young lads make the matter even more painful. There must be no attempt to shield anyone found culpable,’ the JNI said.

The body unequivocally condemned the killing and abduction of innocent citizens, saying no grievance or ideology could justify terrorism, banditry or the deliberate killing of human beings.

While commending the sacrifices of the Armed Forces, Police, DSS, NSCDC and other security agencies, the JNI said the scale of attacks required improved intelligence, better coordination, adequate equipment and enhanced welfare for personnel.

To this end, the JNI called for the dismantling of terrorist camps and their logistics supply routes, effective border control, protection of schools, highways and worship centres, and proper regulation of vigilante groups.

The JNI also urged Muslims across the country to intensify prayers for peace and called on Imams to devote Friday sermons to supplications for the nation’s security.

It prayed for the repose of those killed by insecurity, the safe return of those in captivity, healing for the injured and comfort for the families of the 37 persons who died in NSCDC custody.

‘A nation cannot develop when farmers cannot safely access their farms and children cannot attend school without fear. The time for complacency is over,’ the statement added.

On its part, the Arewa Think Tank called for due process in the ongoing investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in Niger State, arguing that responsibility should be established on the basis of evidence rather than assumptions.

This was contained in a statement issued by the convener, Muhammad Alhàji Yakubu, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday.

He said the group’s position came amid calls in some quarters for the removal of the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Prof. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, following the deaths of the detainees in the custody of the Corps.

The Federal Government and the NSCDC have commenced investigations into the incident. The Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and 23 other personnel have been taken into custody in connection with the deaths, while authorities have said that anyone found culpable will face disciplinary and legal action.

Yakubu, therefore, said the investigation should be allowed to establish the individual and institutional responsibilities involved before conclusions are reached about the Commandant-General.

‘It is important that we allow the investigation to run its full course. Where there is evidence of wrongdoing, the appropriate individuals should be held accountable, but responsibility should not be assigned without establishing the facts.’

According to him, the NSCDC has an established chain of command and operational structure through which state commands function under higher formations.

Yakubu maintained that the existence of an alleged operational failure at the state level should not automatically translate into a conclusion that the Commandant-General was personally responsible for the incident.

‘It is necessary to understand the administrative structure of the Corps and determine who was responsible for the decisions and actions that led to this unfortunate incident,’ he said.

He also pointed to previous directives attributed to Audi concerning the treatment and detention of suspects, arguing that such directives should form part of the evidence considered by investigators.

‘The Commandant-General has issued circulars warning formations against detaining suspects beyond the period permitted by law. Those directives and the level of compliance with them should be examined as part of the investigation,’ Yakubu said.

The Arewa Think Tank convener described the deaths as tragic and said the victims and their families deserved a transparent investigation capable of establishing what happened and who, if anyone, should be held responsible.

‘We must first establish the facts. The families of those who died deserve justice, and justice requires a transparent process that identifies what happened, who was responsible and whether established procedures were violated,’ he said.

Yakubu further argued that the controversy should not overshadow the broader fight against illegal mining, which he said requires effective security and regulatory institutions.

Azerbaijan’s medal tally reaches nine at Sarajevo Veterans Judo Worlds

Azerbaijan’s team has added two more gold medals to its tally at the Sarajevo World Judo Championships Veterans 2026 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Babek Hajiyev (-60 kg) and Movlud Miraliyev (-100 kg) won all their bouts in the M5 age category to become world champions.

Both judokas have claimed the gold medal at the World Judo Championships for Veterans for the fourth time in their careers.

Earlier, Mammadali Mehdiyev (-100 kg) won gold, while Abulfat Ismayilov (-60 kg), Mahir Abbasov (-81 kg), Joshgun Abdullayev (-90 kg), Shikhrajab Shikhmuradov and Ahmad Mammadov (both -73 kg), and Anar Agayev (-90 kg) secured bronze medals.

As a result, Azerbaijan’s medal tally at the World Judo Championships for Veterans has reached nine, including three gold and six bronze medals.

The Azerbaijani team currently ranks sixth among 65 participating countries.

The championship has attracted 1,350 competitors from 65 countries across six continents, including 1,169 men and 181 women. The competition features 63 men’s and 46 women’s age/weight categories.

Azerbaijani judokas have built a strong reputation on the international stage, regularly competing for medals at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, and other major tournaments.

Their achievements have helped establish Azerbaijan as one of the prominent judo nations, with athletes known for their technical ability, fighting spirit, discipline, and determination.

A major role in the development of the sport has been played by the Azerbaijan Judo Federation. Established in 1972, the federation oversees the development and promotion of judo in the country and represents Azerbaijani judo internationally.

The federation is currently headed by Rashad Nabiyev, who also serves as Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transportation.

The foundations of Azerbaijan’s modern judo success were laid in the late 1990s. Mehman Azizov won a silver medal at the 1998 World Championships, marking one of the notable achievements of the new era. In 1999, Rasul Salimov, who had won the World Youth Games in Moscow, claimed bronze at the European Championships in Slovakia. A year later, Elchin Ismayilov became European champion in Wroclaw.

Azerbaijani judo continued to make significant strides in the following years. One of the landmark moments came at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where Elnur Mammadli won the gold medal in the 73 kg category.

In recent years, Azerbaijan’s judo success has been represented by a new generation of accomplished athletes, including Hidayat Heydarov, Zelym Kotsoiev, Zelim Tckaev, Balabay Aghayev, Ushangi Kokauri, Gultaj Mammadaliyeva, Leyla Aliyeva, Fidan Alizade, and Aisha Gurbanli, among others.

Asian Games: Alas’ Progella, Pagara stay unbeaten in beach volley

Alas Pilipinas women’s beach volleyball young stars Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara barely broke a sweat in routing Mongolia’s Khandsuren Gantogtokh and Tsolmon Batjargal, 21-3, 21-3, to stay unbeaten in Pool G of the Asian Games on Wednesday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court.

Progella and Pagara wrapped up their match in just 21 minutes to take a 2-0 lead in Pool G, moving closer to the round of 16.

The Alas pair gun for a group sweep when it faces Hong Kong’s Wing Tung To and Wing Man To on Saturday.

Progella and Pagara opened their campaign on Monday with a 21-6, 21-11 sweep of Maldives’ Fathimath Anal and Aminath Areesha.

Meanwhile, Alas men’s James Buytrago and Ronniel Rosales absorbed their first defeat in Pool C, losing to Vietnam’s Nguyen Lam Toi and Tran Van Viet, 22-24, 15-21.

Buytrago and Rosales pushed their foes to their limits in the extended set 1, but fell short and were dominated in the second frame to drop to a 1-1 record.

They seek payback against Indonesia’s Bintang Akbar and Sofyan Rachman Efendi on Sunday.

On Thursday, Lerry John Francisco and Ranran Abdilla, who lost their first game, fight for survival in Pool A against Oman’s Al Hashimi Mazin and Al Jalaboubi Hood at 11 a.m.

Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons go for a group sweep on Friday.

Sara Duterte does not fear impeachment trial outcome, says lead counsel

Vice President Sara Duterte ‘does not shrink from accountability, nor does she fear the outcome of this impeachment trial,’ according to her lead defense counsel Shiela Sison.

Sison made this comment after 13 senators voted to amend the July 6 ruling of Presiding Officer and Sen. Francis Escudero that two-thirds, or at least 16 votes of the 24 elected senators, are needed to convict the vice president.

Only Escudero voted against changing the 16-vote threshold, while six – Senator-judges Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Imee Marcos, Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, Camille Villar and Robin Padilla – did not participate in the voting.

‘Let it be clear that the respondent does not shrink from accountability, nor does she fear the outcome of this impeachment trial,’ Sison told the impeachment court after the voting.

‘She asks for nothing spectacular from this court, only the most essential and basic guarantees due to every individual: fairness and impartiality from a court entrusted with upholding the most fundamental principles under our Constitution,’ she said.

‘We therefore put on record that, even as we understand that this tribunal will proceed as it deems fit, we are nonetheless constrained to place on record that, from this day forward, the respondent’s participation, or any participation that the respondent may have in this trial, shall be with express reservation, or ad cautelam, and that she reserves every right to exhaust all legal remedies available under our laws and the Constitution,’ the lead counsel added.

Sison said this was ‘in keeping with the essence of a truly free and democratic institution and the right of every citizen to be heard before an impartial court that is neither biased nor intimidated, and that will courageously uphold a fair trial and, ultimately, render a just decision.’

Those who voted to amend the July 6 ruling were Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian; Senator-judges Vicente Sotto III, Juan Miguel Zubiri, JV Ejercito, Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, Lito Lapid, Panfilo Lacson, Kiko Pangilinan, Erwin and Raffy Tulfo, Joel Villanueva and Mark Villar.

Four of the 24 senators, on the other hand, were notably absent from the proceedings.

Sens. Jinggoy Estrada and Rodante Marcoleta are currently jailed over plunder charges, Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa has been in hiding since he was ordered arrested by the International Criminal Court in connection with the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, while Sen. Loren Legarda has been on medical leave since August.

Balance paradox: Smart businesses are like riding a bicycle

‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep you balanced you must keep moving,’ wrote Albert Einstein in a letter to his son Eduard.

In a world where everything keeps moving faster and faster, is the greatest management risk not falling while you are moving forward? Is the real danger standing still, because you are afraid of losing your balance? Do leading edge companies often remain stable, not by resisting change, but by continuously adapting to it?

We often treat stability as the goal. Managers are forever creating processes, controls, always trying to reduce uncertainty, making things a touch more predictable and comfortable.

Yes, these things are important, but taken too far, they can create the very instability managers are trying to prevent. Like a bicycle that is just propped up against a wall, it can risk falling over. Just like a company that stops moving, eventually it loses its balance.

Constancy not required

Paradox is that stability can create instability. We tend to believe that by protecting staff from change we are creating security. But in practice, excessive stability can reduce an organisation’s ability to respond when change becomes unavoidable.

Down through the centuries, and in today’s AI world [and who knows what comes next], only constant is change. Markets evolve, technology changes and customer expectations shift. The writing is on the wall for those who are doing things ‘the way we have always done them’.

Counter-intuitive solution is that small, controlled changes today, can prepare a company for larger inevitable unpredicted changes of tomorrow.

On the bicycle ride

Don’t wait for perfect clarity. Gathering more data, having more meetings and develop increasingly detailed plans before taking action may not be the answer to try and get rid of that nagging uncertainty. Sometimes the fastest way to gain clarity is to just move. A small experiment, pilot project or customer conversation can reveal more than another month of analysis.

Act of movement creates information. Best to replace the various forms of prediction with experimentation.

Wobble is inevitable

A little wobble is healthy. A bicycle in motion only stays upright through constant adjustment. Your organisation works pretty much the same way. A department that never experiences disagreement, failed experiments, or uncomfortable questions may appear healthy, but it could also be avoiding learning.

Bicycle riding managers should create a space where people can challenge assumptions and test ideas, without turning every mistake into a crisis. No, the aim is not to eliminate the wobble. It is to develop the ability to recover from it quickly.

Best not to confuse activity with real progress. ‘Keep moving’ does not mean just keeping everyone busy.

Don’t confuse motion with momentum. Endless meetings, emails, dashboards and initiatives can create the appearance of progress, while in reality producing little value. Real question to ask is — What are we moving toward? A sharp leader has to distinguish between activity that consumes energy, and movement that creates meaningful progress.

Strange thing is that less top down control may create more bottom up capability. When a child learns to ride, no worried parent can maintain the bicycle’s balance for them. They have to develop their own ability to adjust.

An anxious manager, who makes every decision may keep things under control in the short-term, but the team becomes dependent on the lieutenant. Delegation is not simply about reducing a manager’s workload. It is about building an organisation capable of balancing itself.

Southeastern College-Pasay joins PHINMA

The Southeastern College-Pasay has joined the PHINMA Education NCR Network to boost the education sector in the region.

The school leaders were welcomed during a recent luncheon event led by officials of Saint Jude College-Manila and Saint Jude College-Quezon City.

Several of the network’s leaders, partners and supporters also joined the event across Metro Manila.

The Quezon City government, represented by Maricris Veloso, head of QC Education, was also present.

‘As we welcome a new campus in Pasay with the recent acquisition of Southeastern College, the PHINMAEd NCR Network remains steadfast in our mission of making lives better through education by lessening barriers and reaching more students across Metro Manila,’ PHINMA Education NCR Network said in a statement.

Urgent action sought to build regional power grid

Regional energy leaders are calling for greater urgency in building interconnected electricity networks across Southeast Asia as surging demand puts growing pressure on power systems.

The push for the ambitious ASEAN Power Grid comes as the Philippines and its regional peers face the twin challenge of meeting rapidly rising electricity needs while staying on course with longer-term energy transition and decarbonization goals.

Warit Rattanachuen, deputy governor of Thailand’s Electricity Generating Authority, said ASEAN members continue to strengthen their domestic power capacity to support cross-border electricity trading.

‘They can share the reserve capacity, including renewable energy, if they have their own. There are so many renewable energy resources there that can be shared through the ASEAN Power Grid,’ Rattanachuen said yesterday at Enlit Asia 2026 here in Indonesia’s capital.

Regional power demand, he said, continues to grow each year, driven in part by the rapid expansion of data centers, with some facilities now requiring more than one gigawatt of capacity.

The growing adoption of electric vehicles is also driving up electricity demand among ASEAN countries, Rattanachuen said.

‘When anything changes too fast, the grid is like the backbone to mitigate that,’ he emphasized.

For Ignatius Rendroyako, executive vice president of Indonesian state-owned power utility PT PLN (Persero), the key priority toward 2030 is strengthening regional connectivity.

ASEAN power utilities should commit to building robust interconnection infrastructure linking their respective electricity systems, he said.

‘We also have to always (remember) that each of us has to always try to keep, maintain and increase the capability of our system,’ Rendroyako said.

First envisioned in 1997, the ASEAN Power Grid seeks to connect the electricity networks of ASEAN member states by 2045.

The World Bank Group estimates that the initiative will require $800 billion (about P50.2 trillion) in generation and transmission investments.

The ASEAN Power Grid has long been an ambitious regional vision, but slow implementation has hindered progress.

Momentum, however, has picked up, especially this year when the Philippines holds the ASEAN chairmanship.

The Philippines, for instance, is accelerating efforts to establish possible power links with Indonesia via Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan and mainland Mindanao.

In an online media briefing yesterday, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the government remains bullish on the ASEAN Power Grid despite the country’s persistent electricity supply constraints.

‘It is very much possible. It’s just down the line,’ Garin said, noting that the initiative will just take time as many issues still need to be addressed, including technical, legal and financial concerns.

Arbole holds sway in Negros

Fourteen years of waiting have brought Art Arbole to a place he has long dreamed of reaching: the top of a Philippine Golf Tour leaderboard with a championship within sight.

Arbole took a major step toward ending that long title drought Tuesday, producing a personal-best 36-hole total and a bogey-free 67 to seize solo control at the halfway mark of the ICTSI Negros Occidental Classic at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here.

For the second straight day, the short but tricky layout yielded to Arbole’s steady all-around game. More importantly, the performance gave the journeyman his first outright lead after two rounds – a position that carried both promise and pressure as the tournament heads into the pivotal final 36 holes.