Business

CBEX resumes operations despite SEC ban, N1.3tn EFCC probe

The Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX) trading platform, accused of scamming Nigerians, has resumed operations and introduced new withdrawal options to restore investor confidence.

Despite ongoing investigations into an alleged N1.3 trillion digital trading fraud affecting over 600,000 Nigerians, CBEX is allowing new users to register, trade, and withdraw profits.

According to CBEX sources, an insurance verification process and external audit of CBEX’s financial records are underway to determine the actual amount lost.

The sources claimed that old investors will be able to withdraw funds starting June 25, 2025, after the audit’s expected completion.

Meanwhile, new users can currently register, fund accounts, and withdraw profits without restrictions, as these accounts are not subject to the ongoing audit.

The platform’s promoters also refute allegations of fraud, claiming funds remain intact and the audit aims to reconcile discrepancies in old accounts.

They attribute the loss to an AI trading incident and assert that the platform is insured.

Meanwhile new investors can participate in a referral program, earning bonuses that can be withdrawn immediately.

One of the sources said, “People can now withdraw from the CBEX platform. The withdrawal option has been activated. Let me explain the withdrawal. The old account was wiped; you can’t take out funds from it yet. On the 14th of this month, the Artificial Intelligence on the platform traded 100 per cent, lost its trade, and wiped people’s money out.

“But now, the promoters are saying that the platform and the CBEX application are insured, with verification of funds ongoing by the insurance company. Now, previous investors who have $1,000 as their capital would have to inject $100, and the former account balance would be restored, while persons with over $1,000 would have to put in $200 to bring back the account balance. And we have started seeing people put in these funds to get back their money, and are using it to trade now, as I talk to you.

“According to the latest information shared, previous investors can only trade but not withdraw because the United Kingdom government is carrying out an audit on their financial account, which will be completed between 30 to 60 days. Hence, the reason why previous investors cannot withdraw their funds yet.

“But from June 25th, you can now withdraw up to 50 per cent of your capital from the old account. For example, if you invested $1,000 and you could only withdraw $200 before, from the 25th, you can withdraw $400 from the remaining $800 capital, then from August 25th, you can withdraw the remaining $400 capital. But if you don’t do the verification, it won’t reflect in your account.”

Another source said: “Currently, fresh investors can register a new account, fund it, and withdraw their profit. The new accounts are not under audit. It is the old account that is under review.

“What they are auditing is because the Federal Government said they scammed Nigerians of N1.2tn, and they are insisting that the amount is not up to half of the publicised amount. They are claiming only N126bn was lost, and that is the reason for the audit. But new accounts can now start investing and get their money. There is also a bonus for referrals that you can withdraw immediately, and this is ongoing currently.

“They just want to prove to Nigerians that they are not scammers. It was just because AI traded 100 per cent of the funds that the money was lost. There is a new group where people can say whatever they want to say; they also drop signals for trading three times a day, but it is no longer automated; you have to do it by yourself. They would give you a code; you just have to put it in your account and trade. If you notice any abnormality, you can cancel it. That was how it was before AI started doing the trading,” the source stated.

When questioned on why the audit was not conducted by the Nigerian government, a source explained, “The firm is registered in the United Kingdom, not in Nigeria. They merely extended their operations here. In fact, they also have branches in Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt.”

Similarly, messages sent to a new Telegram group created for information sharing showed that a person could withdraw referral bonuses.

Addressing concerns from interested members in a user group, an admin identified simply as Laura stated that the specific cause of the platform’s issues was still under investigation, adding that the findings of the ongoing probe by the UK government would determine what is eventually made public.

The message read, “There are some factors in the incident on April 14th that I cannot tell you in detail. I can only tell you that Al was attacked and the trading strategy was tampered with.

“This is why some users who did not turn on HOSTING were able to survive. And this attack was definitely not from an individual, because Al’s firewall cannot be easily breached. Including the Bybit hacker incident last month, it was definitely not something that an individual could do. This was an organized and premeditated action.

“The specific cause is under investigation, and we need to wait for the official investigation results of the UK government before we make it public. As for this channel, some scammers affected by ST and online rumour mongers who received donations from scammers deliberately stigmatized the compensation.

“Some rumour mongers even claimed that CBEX administrators transferred more than $800m in assets. These are purely slanderous rumours. An exchange’s payment system can’t have only one common account. The payment system will randomly generate deposit addresses. These are all procedures of the exchange Including any wallet we use now will regularly update the deposit address.”

According to her, users must first accept the claims process initiated by the insurance company linked to the ST Fund firm.

She said, “We need to accept the claims processing of the insurance company that the ST fund company is tied to.”

The process involves verifying the authenticity of each account before any compensation can be issued for losses allegedly caused by the AI-related incident on April 14.

She added that many users have already begun receiving compensation.

“Moreover, the impact of this incident on the Internet has seriously exceeded our expectations. The UK government has also been negotiating with the Nigerian government.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have condemned CBEX’s operations, warning Nigerians about unrealistic returns.

The EFCC has declared eight individuals wanted for promoting the program, and investigations are ongoing.(PM)

Business

FG unveils N10m excellence award for tax reform reporting

The Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee has announced the unveiling of the Excellence in Tax Reform Reporting Award to honour journalists and digital influencers who demonstrate accuracy, balance, and impact in covering Nigeria’s ongoing tax reforms.

The announcement was made via X on Tuesday by the chairman of the committee, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele.

Oyedele said that the initiative aims to promote constructive public discourse, counter misinformation, and support journalism that helps citizens better understand and trust fiscal reforms.

According to him, the award is open to Nigerian journalists across print, broadcast, and online platforms, as well as digital influencers, bloggers, and podcasters.

‘The award seeks to strengthen constructive public discourse, counter misinformation, and elevate journalism that explains reforms in ways citizens can trust and understand’, Oyedele added.

He explained that entries must consist of published works between 1 July and 31 December, 2025, in English, Pidgin, Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba.

On the award structure, Oyedele said prizes include ₦10 million for the overall winner, ₦5 million for the second-place winner, ₦3 million for the third-place winner, and consolation prizes for the top 20 finalists.

He added that entries will be judged based on accuracy, balance, clarity, public engagement, and creativity.

‘T𝐨 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲, applications will open via the official portal http://fiscalreforms.ng by 31 December 2025′, the statement stated.

The initiative aligns with the committee’s broader efforts to harmonise multiple taxes and levies into a simplified, broad-based system.

Business

Dangote Refinery to expand capacity to 1.4m barrels daily

Africa’s largest refinery, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is set for a historic expansion that will increase its production capacity from 650,000 barrels per day (BPD) to 1.4 million BPD within the next three years.

When completed, the expansion will make the refinery the largest in the world, marking a major leap toward energy independence for Nigeria and Africa.

The President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Ltd., Alhaji Aliko Dangote, announced the plan on Sunday in Lagos.

According to him, the step reflects faith in Nigeria’s potential.

“This expansion reflects our confidence in Nigeria’s future, our belief in Africa’s potential, and our commitment to building energy independence for our continent and the world.

“It is about confidence in Nigeria, in Africa, and in our capacity to shape our own energy future,” Dangote noted.

Dangote explained that the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of making Nigeria a global supplier of petroleum products.

He commended the President for supportive initiatives such as the Nigeria First Policy, Naira-for-Crude Policy, and the creation of a one-stop shop for investors, which have spurred industrial growth and strengthened investor confidence.

Dangote said the expansion would meet rising regional demand, cut dependence on fuel imports, save billions in foreign exchange, and boost Nigeria’s energy security.

He revealed that the construction of the new facilities would employ over 65,000 workers, creating opportunities across local industries and building Africa’s technical capacity for large-scale infrastructure.

The business mogul also disclosed plans to increase polypropylene production from 900,000 metric tonnes to 2.4 million metric tonnes per annum, boosting local supply of industrial inputs such as linear alkylbenzene, for detergent production, and base oils.

“With this expansion, the refinery will transition from producing Euro V to Euro VI fuel standards, meeting the highest global environmental benchmarks.

“It will also expand our power generation capacity, ensuring full operational self-sufficiency.”

He said more than 85 per cent of the refinery’s workforce are Nigerians, with ongoing investments in skills development, safety, sustainability, and technology transfer.

“We remain committed to safety, sustainability, and local participation at every stage of this expansion.

“Our goal has never been just to refine oil, but to refine opportunities for our people,” he added.

Dangote also announced plans to list the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex on the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. within the next year, a move aimed at promoting broad ownership and transparency.

“Our long-term goal is to build Africa’s leading integrated energy and petrochemical hub, the first of its kind on the continent,” he said.

Dangote also assured Nigerians of steady fuel supply during the festive period, in spite of of the recent global oil price increases.

“As we approach the end of the year, Nigerians often face fuel shortages and price hikes.

“I want to assure everyone that the Dangote Refinery is fully committed to maintaining uninterrupted supply throughout the festive season.

“For the first time in many years, Nigerians can look forward to a festive season free of fuel anxiety.” he explained.

He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu, the Federal and Lagos State Governments, the refinery’s host community in Lekki, financial partners, and the company’s dedicated workforce for their support.

“This expansion is not just about increasing capacity, it’s about confidence in our people, our country, and our continent.

“Together, we are building a stronger Nigeria and redefining what is possible for Africa,” he said.

Dangote also urged other refinery license holders to collaborate in achieving the government’s goal of making Nigeria Africa’s refining hub.

“When Africa builds its own capacity, it builds its own destiny,” he said. (NAN)

Business

Nigerian petrol marketers to dump Dangote Refinery for cheaper imported fuel

Nigerian petroleum product marketers have announced plans to abandon Dangote Refinery’s petrol in favour of cheaper imported fuel.

The spokesperson of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, disclosed this to DAILY POST on Friday.

This follows the drop in the landing cost of imported fuel to N839.97 per litre, which is N37 cheaper than Dangote Refinery’s gantry petrol price of N877 per litre.

Commenting on the development, Ukadike hinted that petroleum marketers would opt for imported fuel to enable Nigerians to access cheaper petrol.

He noted that the price disparity was a result of the liberalisation and deregulation of the country’s downstream sector.

“It is due to the liberalisation of the sector, which has set the tune for a price war. Marketers now have the option to buy either at N877 per litre with Dangote Refinery or N839 with MEMAN.
“The concern here is why would a local refinery (Dangote) sell petrol higher than imported ones?
“As petroleum product marketers, Nigerians are interested in buying petrol that is cheaper. When we have cheaper fuel, it sells faster,”

The ongoing price war among operators in the sector may lead to a reduction in the current retail price in the coming days.

It will be recalled that recent data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, showed that Nigerians consumed 613.6 million litres of petrol between 2024 and October 10, 2025.

Earlier, marketers had complained about the non-supply of petrol by Dangote Refinery despite having paid billions to the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility.

An earlier report also indicated that Dangote Refinery has been experiencing a supply setback, resulting in a nationwide petrol shortage.