2025 Licensing: NUPRC Restricts Bidders to 2 Oil Blocks, Prioritises Technical, Financial Capacity
Says signature bonus of $3m to $7m must be paid within 60 days of offer
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Nigerian Upstream Petro-
leum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) yesterday unveiled strict participation rules for the
2025 licensing round, limiting each bidder to a maximum of two oil and gas blocks, and shifting focus
from speculative acquisitions to operators with proven technical depth and financial strength.
The regulator which stated these at the 2025 licensing round pre-bid webinar said the new framework is
designed to deepen development Continued on page 8
Renowned Industrialist, Adekunle Ojora Dies at 93, Tinubu Mourns... Page 12 Thursday 29 January, 2026 Vol 31. No 11253. Price: N400
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Kwankwaso: Kano Governor, Abba Yusuf, Will Face Consequences of Defecting to APC... Page 36
Senate May Vote Realtime Electronic Result Transmission, Debates Committee Report Today Vote-trading offenders to risk N5m fine
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Senate may take a decisive step
towards tightening Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election, with
realtime electronic transmission of results at the centre of far-reaching amendments to the
Electoral Act. The proposed provision, which mandates the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit results from polling units directly
to INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) immediately after vote counting, would be debated Continued on page 8
Zacch Adedeji: We Have No Provision to Tax Informal Economy
Insists new tax law not designed to heap burden on poor Nigerians Explains credit scheme discontinued to curb abuses, says not within NRS remit Says information a key challenge in tax implementation, assures transparency, rule of law are non-negotiable Declares deductions for cost of revenue collection no longer applicable, bank account balances not taxable Story on page 8
SHETTIMA VISITS GBONG GWOM JOS...
L-R: APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda; Vice President Kashim Shettima; Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba; Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang; and Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, during the vice president’s visit to the Gbong Gwom Jos at the Gbong Gwom Palace, yesterday