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Tag: Saudi

  • Tinubu returns to Abuja after Saudi, Guinea Bissau outings

    Tinubu returns to Abuja after Saudi, Guinea Bissau outings

    President Bola Tinubu on Thursday evening returned to Abuja after a seven-day outing in Saudi Arabia and a day in Guinea-Bissau where he participated in various activities.

    Tinubu, whose aircraft touched down around 7:05pm at the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, arrived from the Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, where he attended the country’s 50 Independence Day Anniversary.

    The President left the country on Thursday November 9, to participate in the Saudi-African Summit, which held on the 10.

    He held other critical business/investment parleys with Saudi Arabian authorities and investors after the summit.

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    On Friday, in Riyadh, the President met with Saudi’s captains of industry, during the Nigeria-Saudi Investment Roundtable, beckoning on to bring their resources to Nigeria, where their returns are guaranteed.

    The President performed the Umrah, also known as the Lesser Hajj, on Sunday in Makkah, during which he prayed for God’s divine guidance in leading the country.

    On Monday night, in Mecca, he met with the leadership of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), during which he advanced negotiations concerning a multi-billion dollar infrastructure finance facility.

    On Wednesday evening, he departed Saudi Arabia for Bissau where he participated in the country’s Independence Anniversary.

  • Saudi Govt: 177 Nigerians came with irregular visas

    Saudi Govt: 177 Nigerians came with irregular visas

    • We did no wrong, says Air Peace

    One hundred and seventy-seven Nigerians aboard an Air Peace plane were denied entry into Saudi Arabia because they came with irregular visas, the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia clarified in Abuja yesterday.

    The visas of the affected passengers were cancelled on arrival in Saudi Arabia and sent back to Nigeria by the authorities. 87 others onboard the plane were allowed entry.

    The clarification came as the Federal Government urged the affected passengers to remain calm, stressing that a probe into the “unfortunate” incident had been launched.

    According to the embassy, the affected passengers did not fulfill the entry conditions and requirements in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Kingdom.

    “They submitted incorrect information to obtain a category of visa that doesn’t apply to them”, a statement issued by the embassy explained yesterday.

    Stressing the importance of following the procedures and laws enacted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all visitors, the statement said: “All passengers should review all the documents to determine their conformity with the conditions prior departing from their countries to the kingdom.

    “This procedure was not limited to Nigerian citizens only, but rather to citizens of other countries.” it said.

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Francisca Omayuli, said the government had launched investigation to the incident.

    According to her, reports received from the Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah showed that Air Peace Flight No. P4-752 transported 264 passengers from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos and the Aminu Kano International Airport and landed at the King Abdul-Aziz International Airport – Hajj Terminal in Jeddah on Monday.

    She said that on arrival at the Hajj Terminal, the Saudi immigration authorities informed the passengers that their visas had been cancelled and 177 passengers had to be evacuated on the same flight back to Nigeria.

    The remaining 87 passengers were cleared by immigration and allowed entry into Jeddah, she added.

    According to her, the Saudi authorities were yet to give reasons for the cancellation of the visas and the outright ban imposed on 18 of the passengers from Saudi Arabia for various offences they committed in the past.

    “The affected passengers are, therefore, implored to keep calm, while the matter is being resolved,” a statement quoted Omayuli as saying.

    The Air Peace yesterday absolved itself of any blame in the cancellation of the visas by Saudi Arabian authorities to 177 Nigerians that flew on the carrier to Jeddah Sunday.

    The airline said it was cooperating with relevant authorities to unravel the cause of the infraction.

    The airlines said it was constrained to clarify its position on the infraction because of conflicting reports and commentaries in the public domain.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Why we cancelled visa of 264 Nigerian passengers on arrival – Saudi Embassy

    In a statement by its Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olajide, Air Peace said “that as a scheduled flight operator with vast experience in international operations, it understands and complies with established protocols governing international flight operations and was not culpable of any infraction in this respect”.

    Mrs. Olajide said: “The visas of all passengers on the said flight to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia were checked and verified through the requisite procedures and were vetted to be valid before departure.

    “The visas were verified using the visa confirmation platform provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia, which confirmed the validity of each passenger visa before passengers were allowed to check-in for the flight.

     “The next step is the use of the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS). We equally use this system to determine the admissibility or otherwise of each passenger on that flight”.

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of visas.

    This followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by four lawmakers.

  • Saudi stops 177 Nigerians from entering country

    Saudi stops 177 Nigerians from entering country

    Saudi Arabian authorities have cancelled the visas of 264 passengers airlifted by Air Peace.

    The travellers discovered their fate on arrival in Jeddah from Kano; the authorities insisted the airline must return to Nigeria.

    Only 87 of the 264 passengers were cleared after Nigerian embassy officials intervened. 

    The flight took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos via the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano on Sunday night and arrived in Saudi Arabia’s major city on Monday without issues.

    But on landing, Saudi authorities announced that all the visas were cancelled.

    A source said the passengers and the airline personnel were shocked because they went through the Advanced Passengers Pre-screening System (APPS), which was also monitored by the Saudi Arabian authorities before departure.

    The source wondered whether what happened was a strategy to discourage the airline from operating to the destination because since it started the operation, it has been recording high load factors. 

    The source said even the flight expected to leave on Tuesday to Jeddah was already fully booked.

    When the Nigerian embassy waded in, Saudi authorities were said to have reduced the number of passengers that would be returned to 177 from 264.

    Saudi Air has been operating directly from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia.

    Since Air Peace started flight service to the Middle East nation at relatively lower fares, it has been receiving high patronage and as a Nigerian carrier, it helps to conserve foreign exchange for the country.

    A source from the Nigerian embassy in Jeddah said even the Saudi immigration personnel did not know who cancelled the visas, which was done when the airline was already airborne to Jeddah.

    The source said: “The airline was exonerated in all this as the APPS, which is live between both countries would have screened out any invalid visa and its passenger. 

    Read Also: JUST IN: Saudi Arabian authorities cancel visas of 264 Nigerian passengers

    “The system accepted all affected passengers and passed them on.”

    Those deported were 177 passengers and Air Peace has already left with them back to Nigeria. They are on their way to Nigeria.”

    Industry observers attributed the development to aero-politics, noting that it is a way to force the Nigerian operator out of the route unless the government intervenes or adopts the principle of reciprocity.

    Industry expert and the Chief Executive Officer of Centurion Aviation Security and Safety Consult, Nigeria, Group Captain John Ojikutu, urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intervene.

    He said what happened showed why it was important for the Nigerian government to stand strongly with any Nigerian carrier on international routes.

    Ojikutu said Nigeria should designate Nigerian airlines approved to operate out of the country as flag carriers, noting that the United States has no national carrier but all the airlines are supported by the government and are designated as flag carriers.

    “The action of the Saudi authorities is shocking. There is aero-politics there and there is also diplomacy. 

    “There is the need for the Federal Government to stand firmly with Nigerian carriers and also designate them as flag carriers so that other countries will know that they represent Nigeria.

    “Government must come out and intervene. The Federal Government must be behind Air Peace now to ensure that it is not denied its rights as contained in the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) between the two countries. “

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must not keep quiet. Nigeria must not keep quiet. Ideally, the government is expected to stand behind any of the country’s airlines that it designates to fly overseas,” Ojikutu said.

    The Federal Government has promised to investigate the incident.

    Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said the matter would be thoroughly investigated. 

    In a statement by his media aide, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the minister said the government would ensure that no Nigerian passenger is allowed to face such treatment again. 

    He said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is investigating the matter to see if any consular or aviation rules have been flouted. 

    “The ministry will ensure such actions that impact the welfare of Nigerian citizens are mitigated in the future.

    “Nigeria has just participated in the Saudi-Africa Summit where bilateral discussions covering several sectors of the economy and mutually beneficial commitments were made.”

  • Red tapes fencing ease-of-doing business are vacated, Tinubu assures Saudi businesses

    Red tapes fencing ease-of-doing business are vacated, Tinubu assures Saudi businesses

    President Bola Tinubu on Saturday, November 11, declared that the red tape blocking ease of doing business in Nigeria has been permanently vacated, assuring Saudi Arabian investors of best returns on their investment in Africa’s largest economy.

    President Tinubu gave the assurance in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during a deliberation with the captains of industry in the Kingdom, at the Nigeria-Saudi Investment Roundtable, where he also declared that Nigeria is “open for business.”

    According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the president told the Roundtable that with his team in place, every negative perception or notion about what Nigeria has represented in the past, with respect to the ease of doing business, monetary policy, and trade cooperation, is no longer applicable now and in the future of the country.

    He said: “I believe in this team that I have brought from Nigeria. When I took office, I declared the immediate commencement of bold and fundamental economic reforms. We have executed them, and we sustain the reform process. Today, I declare that red tape is gone!

    “I believe in the full application of free market economics. Your money will flow easily in and easily out. The arbitrage around our nation’s old foreign exchange policy regime and the corruption that was associated with it is also gone!

    “We took on those bold endeavours from day one in preparation for serious investors like you seated here. The greatest opportunity for any entity to prosper lies in its human capital. My team is prepared. We can produce. Our market is full of Nigerian youths who are brilliant, highly educated, industrious, and passionate about innovation and engagement with world-class services.

    “The navigation of the ship of this great nation lies in the membership seated here. We are ready to answer all of your questions directly, even into this night if need be. The sky is not just the limit, but it is the destination for our two countries and peoples,” the Nigerian President confidently affirmed.

    Saudi Arabia’s Trade and Investment Minister, Kahlid El-Falih, noted the passion and candid expression of the Nigerian leader, saying that after listening to the President speak from his heart without any written remarks about what is possible between the two nations, Nigerians can expect that the Saudi investment community will respond not in words alone, but with substantial new investment across several sectors of the Nigerian economy.

    He added: “The Minister of Commerce and I will be visiting Nigeria either before the end of this year or very early next year with a very large delegation of Saudi CEOs from all key sectors. We know you are ready for business, so we do not want to come to Nigeria for any exploratory discussion. We are coming for implementation. It is an action visit.

    “Mr. President, you agree with me that good intentions alone will not take us anywhere, so we will prepare well with your team and our investors will align with your officials, beginning now, to develop a concrete work plan of investments in the key sectors for takeoff when we meet again. When we meet soon in Abuja, it will be to sign and begin delivery on all agreements. We will also use the opportunity to formally inaugurate the Nigeria-Saudi Business Council.

    Saudi Arabia’s Commerce Minister, Majid bin Abdullah Al Qasabi, previewed how Saudi Arabia can further contribute to the soft infrastructural reforms needed to unlock game-changing quantums of foreign direct investment in Nigeria.

    “We have signed an agreement with the World Economic Forum on the reform of the services sector in Africa. In developed economies, the services sector contributes enormously to GDP. But in the developing world, we tend to focus on goods. So, we would like to make Nigeria the pilot country in this agreement with WEF to study Nigeria’s service challenges to make it seamless and make the supply chains across sectors streamlined and raised to international standard to enhance Nigeria’s economic and investment viability over the long-term,” he stated.

    Chairman of Dangote Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote told Saudi investors that Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, will be unearthed to the world as a foremost global investment haven.

    He noted: “What I always say about Nigeria is that it is the world’s best kept secret in terms of investments and returns. We are also looking to ensure that our investments are a two-way process. Nigerian companies have a lot of value to add to the Saudi economy, and we look forward to working together in expanding our Nigerian operations as well. The soon coming launch of the Nigeria-Saudi Business Council will be a huge opportunity for both countries to expand on what has been established here.

    At the Investor Roundtable, dozens of Chief Executive Officers from several Saudi conglomerates specializing in construction, finance, new and traditional energy, healthcare, agriculture, electric power, mining, aviation, telecommunications, creative arts, and hospitality were present and made their exploratory pitches to President Tinubu on areas of tangible collaboration.

    Taking notes, the president listened carefully with eyes fixed on each investor as they made their contributions concerning new investment opportunities in Africa’s largest market.

    Read Also: Tinubu will turn things around, he’s a democratic – Aremo Oyindasola

    “I have listened to all of you very intently, and I am not only impressed, but I am determined to be your partner in progress and prosperity. Nigeria will reward your faith. Our people are ready, and we will not disappoint,” President Tinubu concluded.

    The Nigerian government delegation comprised of the Executive Governors of Bauchi, Niger and Katsina States; Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of Budget & Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu; Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; Minister of Agriculture, Sen. Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu; and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri.

    The Nigerian business delegation comprised of the Chairman of Dangote Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman of the Chagoury Group, Amb. Gilbert Chagoury; President of Flour Mills Nigeria, Mr. John Coumantaros; CEO of Oando Energy Company, Mr. Wale Tinubu and many others.

  • Saudi government to invest in Nigeria’s refineries, support Central Bank reforms

    Saudi government to invest in Nigeria’s refineries, support Central Bank reforms

    • ●Your investments safe in Nigeria, Tinubu assures Saudis

    The Government of Saudi Arabia has pledged to invest in the revamp of Nigeria’s refineries, as well as provide financial support to sustain the government’s foreign exchange reforms,  the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said yesterday in a statement .

    Saudi Crown Prince, HRH Mohammed bin Salman, according to the statement,  made the pledges at a bilateral meeting with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the Saudi-Africa Summit in Riyadh.

    “To support the Central Bank’s ongoing reforms of Nigeria’s foreign exchange regime, the Saudi Government will make available a substantial deposit of foreign exchange to boost Nigeria’s forex liquidity,” the statement said, adding that Prince bin Salman commended the economic reforms being implemented by

    President Tinubu, and “expressed the commitment of the Saudi government to supporting these reforms, and enabling Nigeria to reap the full benefits. According to him, Saudi Arabia is very eager to see Nigeria thrive under President Bola Tinubu, and realise its full potential as the economic giant of Africa.”

    In addition to these, the statement said Prince bin Salman also highlighted agriculture and renewable energy as areas of investment interest for Saudi Arabia in Nigeria, to help the country attain food and energy security, respectively.

    “The Crown Prince hinted that the refinery investments in Nigeria will be led by the Saudi state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco, with the revamp to be completed within a two- to three-year timeframe.

    “The Crown Prince also expressed appreciation to Nigeria for its active participation in, and support for OPEC+.”

    President Tinubu thanked the Saudi leader for the proposed investments, and pledged that Nigeria would ensure judicious management and oversight. The two leaders vowed to work together over the next six months to develop a comprehensive road-map and blueprint to deliver on the agreed investments and outcomes.

    “Also, President Tinubu and Crown Prince bin Salman spoke on the need to strengthen security cooperation to mitigate terrorism, irregal migration and other crises not just in Nigeria, but across West Africa and the Sahel region.The two leaders further discussed existing economic and socio-cultural cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, and agreed to open new vistas in bilateral relations.”

    The bilateral meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Amb Yahaya Lawal and the state Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Adekunle Adeleke.

    Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu yesterday, reassured potential investors that their investments are safe in Nigeria.

    Speaking at the Saudi-Africa Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, President Tinubu said Nigeria is ready for business while assuring investors of some of the world’s highest returns on investment.

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    According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu also informed the gathering that Nigeria is in the middle of the diversification of its economy, away from dependence on just oil, to achieve sustainable development.

    The President said Nigeria is desirous of enhancing collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on combating terrorist organizations such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other violent extremist groups, which have been terrorizing the Lake Chad and Sahel regions.

    “Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have always enjoyed a special relationship at both the bilateral and multilateral levels. Within the past six decades, our bilateral cooperation which was initially hajj-centric, has witnessed diversification to cover a number of areas of common interest.

    “It is delightful to note the presence in this great Kingdom of a large number of our compatriots and professionals, including highly-skilled medical practitioners and professional football players.

     “As members of several international organizations, including the UN, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, the International Energy Forum, the G77, the Islamic Development Bank, the Digital Cooperation Organisation, among others, our two nations have effectively used these and other platforms to enhance close interaction and coordination.

    “I am confident that our joint positive disposition within these platforms will continue to be demonstrated as we seek to advance our mutual interests.

    “Nigeria, like the Kingdom, is diversifying her economy away from oil dependence to promote sustainable development. My administration has undertaken bold economic reforms by removing wasteful subsidies on petroleum and the merging of our foreign exchange market, among other incentives aimed at improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

    “I also wish to assure all potential Saudi investors of the safety of their investments based on the sanctity of the rule of law and good returns on their investments in the largest economy in Africa. In this regard, the benefit attached to the early inauguration of the Nigeria-Saudi Business Council cannot be over-emphasized,” the President said.

    President Tinubu thanked the Kingdom for the various humanitarian interventions in Nigeria through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.

    Speaking on climate change and how it affects Africa, President Tinubu said climate change has led to an expedited rate of desertification and incessant flooding in Nigeria and many other countries of Africa.

    He commended the efforts of the Kingdom for its various initiatives to fight the effects of climate change, adding that Nigeria is also working on a number of initiatives to fight the effects of climate change and energy poverty.

    “Recently, we launched a data-driven Energy Transition Plan which sets forth a clear carbon reduction policy and targets net-zero emissions by the year 2060 while also setting out our plans for industrialisation using new energy systems and universal access to modern energy services.

    “Mr. Chairman, let me also take this opportunity to reiterate Nigeria’s full support for the Kingdom’s bids to host the 2030 World Expo in Riyadh and the 2034 FIFA Senior Men’sWorld Cup, the latter of which is now all but guaranteed to succeed,” the President said.

  • President heads for Saudi with investment options

    President heads for Saudi with investment options

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will take his aggressive push for more investments to Saudi Arabia where he will attend two bilateral summits.

    On the table will be how Nigeria can take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement.

    Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said President Tinubu will participate in the Saudi-African Summit and the Araba-African, both in Riyadh, on November 10 and 11.

    The Saudi-African Summit will explore economic ties between Africa and Saudi Arabia, including counter-terrorism, agriculture and environment. 

    The Arab-African Summit will focus on expanding infrastructure between both regions, especially a new high-speed train network between the Arab League of Nations and the African Union countries.

    Ngelale referred to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s prediction that by the year 2050, the African market would have surpassed $29 trillion.

    “We believe that action toward that begins now. So, the President is going to be very active and leading that effort from the forefront,” he said.

    Read Also: Yaya Toure named Saudi Arabiaassistant coach

    On what Nigeria stands to gain from the outings, Ngelale expects stronger economic connections and increased commerce and trade relations.

    “Mr. President is passionate about any areas in which we can leverage the massive population and market that not just Africa presents, but that Nigeria itself.

    “We are expecting that the outcomes of this summit will lead to very tangible results concerning an increase in trade between not just the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but all Arab nations, and especially the leading economies in Africa, of which Nigeria is now number one.

    “Mr. President is going to be very aggressive, as always, in his promotion and pursuit of new foreign direct investment.

    “It’s no secret what he’s been doing around the world since he assumed office that will continue in Riyadh.

    “We will be meeting with investors across sectors; we will be pushing very proactively for new inflows of foreign exchange into the Nigerian economy through investments in really growth-enabling and labour-intensive sectors of the economy.

    “The President is going to do everything he can to reinvigorate the economy through his leading participation in these two important summits.”

  • Premier League clubs bank £250m from Saudi League deals

    Premier League clubs bank £250m from Saudi League deals

    Premier League clubs banked a quarter of a billion pounds ($311.87 million) in transfer fees from the Saudi Pro League (SPL) this summer, with Rúben Neves’ £47m move from Wolves to Al Hilal the biggest deal among a huge windfall for England’s top-flight teams.

    With the Saudi transfer window closing at 10 p.m. BST on Sept. 7, a total of £767m had been spent by SPL clubs during their summer trading — second only to the record £2.36bn spent by Premier League teams.

    The money received from Saudi teams was almost half of the £560m total earned by Premier League clubs for outgoing deals this summer.

    Although Al Ittihad failed with a £150m bid for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah on the Premier League deadline day on Sept. 1, several English clubs cashed in by sealing big-money trades to Saudi Arabian teams.

    Fulham raised £45m by offloading striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to Al Hilal while Liverpool received £52m following the exits of Fabinho to Al Ittihad (£40m) and former captain Jordan Henderson to Al Ettifaq (£12m).

    Read Also: Day Buhari graced Katsina Polo Festival

    Jordan Henderson and Aleksandar Mitrovic joined the Saudi Pro League this summer. Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images

    Neymar’s £77m move from Paris Saint-Germain to Al Hilal was the biggest transfer into the Saudi Pro League in a summer that saw 37 players from Europe’s big five leagues — England, Spain, France, Germany and Italy — sign for Saudi Arabian clubs.

    “This marks the first time since 2016 that another international league has outspent any of Europe’s big five during a football transfer window, with new players bringing the promise of new fans and partners to strengthen the SPL’s prominence,” Izzy Wray, of Deloitte Sports Business Group, said.

    “European football continues to be the benchmark for the game globally, and the Saudi investment in the game will divert its focus towards the infrastructure, to elevate the level of Asian football.

    “The SPL spending is still at one third of the Premier League’s gross spend this summer, the focus of Saudi clubs will now be on securing the success of the league’s transformation journey and its financial sustainability. The development of the league will depend on growing the professionalization and governance of clubs, the development of young playing talent and attracting a new, international fanbase.”

  • Saudi Pro League: Morocco’s Abderrazak leads golden boot race

    Saudi Pro League: Morocco’s Abderrazak leads golden boot race

    The 2023-24 season of The Saudi Pro League (SPL) showing live on StarTimes has witnessed some surprising and thrilling performances from both local and international players.

    One of the most remarkable stories of the season so far is the rise of Abderrazak Hamdallah, the Moroccan striker who plays for Al-Ittihad.

    Hamdallah has scored four  goals in his last three  league games, putting him ahead of some of the world’s most famous and expensive players, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Roberto Firmino, Malcom Filipe Silva, and Sadio Mane, who have all joined the SPL in 2023.

    Read Also; Manchester United rally from two goals down to beat 10-man forest

    Hamdallah’s extraordinary form has stunned fans and experts alike, as he challenges for the coveted Golden Boot award, which is given to the top goal-scorer in the league.

    The Golden Boot race is not the only attraction of the SPL, which has become one of the most competitive and star-studded leagues in the world. The SPL boasts some of the best teams and players in Asia and beyond, such as Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli, Al-Ittihad, Neymar,  Karim Benzema, Odion Ighalo, N’Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly, and many more.

    Football fans in sub-Saharan Africa can catch all the exciting action and drama of the SPL live on StarTimes, the affordable pay-TV provider.

    StarTimes has successfully renewed its contract with the Saudi Professional League (SPL), for two consecutive seasons from 2023/24 to 2024/25 on an all-media platform and all languages rights in sub-Saharan Africa region.

    Some of the upcoming matches that fans can look forward to watching live on StarTimes and StarTimes-ON app include: Ronaldo and Mane’s Al-Nassr versus Al-Shabab on StarTimes’ Sports Life channel at 7 pm today. On Friday, Malcom and Neymar’s Al-Hilal will clash with Abderrazzak’s Al-Ittihad on StarTimes’ Sports Premium channel at 7 p.m.

  • Revealed: Why Saudi splash billion-dollars on football

    Revealed: Why Saudi splash billion-dollars on football

    As star footballers line up to take Saudi money, it is easy to forget this is a phenomenon that stretches back decades. Only now, the stakes are much, much higher.

    Read about a Brazilian player being greeted by thousands of fans and whisked off in a Rolls-Royce to a banquet with royalty, and Neymar springs to mind.

    But this describes the arrival of Rivelino, who signed a lucrative contract with Al-Hilal in 1978 – 45 years before Neymar, his modern-day equivalent, did the same this month.

    “In addition to receiving a new Mercedes Benz and a reported $10,000-a-month living allowance, Rivelino will be housed in one of the spare palaces of Prince Khaled Al Saud,” the Washington Post wrote at the time.

    Read Also: NPFL: Minister enjoins referees to be fair, firm

    Similar luxuries – adjusted to current prices – are being lavished on Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and the other late-career superstars who have joined the Saudi Pro League this year.

    This summer’s transfer fees alone top $830 million, without counting the players’ eye-watering wages, or Ronaldo’s January signing in a deal which is said to net him 400 million euros over two-and-a-half years.

    To suddenly spend at this scale and speed is unknown in football, and dwarfs Saudi’s scattered acquisitions such as Rivelino, legendary coach Mario Zagallo, Roberto Donadoni and Hristo Stoichkov down the years.

    More than vanity or “sportswashing” the country’s highly criticised human rights record, however, the Saudi spree is part of an existential push: reshaping the economy before oil revenues decline.

    “This project is part of a transformation project that’s moving this country where it wants to go,” Carlo Nohra, the Saudi Pro League’s recently hired chief operating officer, told AFP.

    If Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, is not new to spending big on footballers, things are very different this time around.

    The current football project is part of Vision 2030, de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ambitious drive to break Saudi’s dependence on oil wealth.

    “There was a push to bring big names” in the 1970s, Saleh al-Khalifa, Al-Riyadiah newspaper’s deputy editor-in-chief, told AFP. “Rivo (Rivelino) came with some other Tunisian players who played well in the World Cup 1978. But the experience was eventually a failure.”

    “It depended on the honour members of the clubs, not a government plan or spending,” he said, referring to the royals bankrolling teams independently.

    “It was not sustainable so it didn’t survive. This is totally different from the current push.”

    These days, Saudi Arabia is investing hundreds of billions in everything from NEOM, a futuristic new city on the Red Sea, to tourist resorts and entertainment for the masses, including football.

    The plan is to diversify sources of income for the desert country of 32 million, where two-thirds of the Saudi population is under 30 – but time is of the essence.

    OPEC, the oil cartel of which Saudi is a prominent member, has projected global consumption will peak around 2040; implying revenues will then flatten and decline.

    “Saudi Arabia is up against the clock,” Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at Paris’s Skema Business School, told AFP. “Saudi Arabia has 20 years to diversify. In the meantime they’re being exposed to oil-price fluctuations.

     “They’ve got to move fast, they’ve got to move strategically, they’ve got to move effectively.”

    Packed crowds watching Ronaldo is quite a turnaround for a staunchly conservative country where women were banned from stadiums until 2019.

     “Cynics will say what are the reasons behind it,” said Ali Khalid, sports editor of Riyadh-based Arab News, pointing to talk of “sportswashing”.

    “But a lot of it is they’re bringing to their people, who for a long time had no access to any entertainment of that level, they’re bringing the best of it.”

    According to Nohra of the Saudi Pro League, “the main objective is how can we turn the sport into a sport that inspires, that engages, that entertains the Saudi people.

    “That’s what drives it.”

    But the investments in football, Formula One, golf and music festivals and more may be about more than encouraging people to spend, Chadwick said.

    “At the heart of this I think is the security of the ruling family,” said Chadwick.“The investment in football, it’s bread and circus for the 21st century.

    “It’s, ‘Give the people what they want and hopefully they will leave you alone’. They won’t question you, they’ll support you.”

  • Saudi attack threat to global oil industry

    The attack on two major oil facilities in Saudi Arabia may be a pointer to an emerging trend that may adversely upset global energy security, if not swiftly checked. There are speculations that the incident may be a cross-border attack which may be seen from the prism of terrorism. EMEKA UGWUANYI looks at the incident.

    The global oil and gas industry was taken aback with the report of attacks on two major oil facilities by drones in the early hours of last Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

    Saudi Arabian local news network – Al Arabiya – had reported that two oil processing centres in Abqaiq and Khurais were attcked before dawn on Saturday, noting that the Saudi Interior Ministry reported fires at the two centres, which were later put off.

    According to reports, Yemen’s Houthi rebels, funded for years by Iran, claimed responsibility for the bombing while another report claimed the missiles or drones were launched from Iraq. However, a Houthi spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Yahya Sare’e, reportedly said the group’s forces “carried out a massive offensive operation of 10 drones targeting Abqaiq and Khurais refineries but he did not specifically say that they launched the drones from Yemen. Houthi movement is an Islamic political and armed organisation that seeks greater autonomy for Houthi majority regions in Yemen.

    Yemen’s state-controlled press claims Houthi rebels have been trained in Iranian-run camps.

    Reacting to the Saudi oil facilities attack, the United States President Donald Trump had said the US is “locked and loaded” and ready to respond to attacks on petroleum processing facilities in Saudi Arabia, as US officials said the evidence pointed to Iranian involvement.

    The US President did not mention Iran, but wrote on Twitter that he had “reason to believe that we know the culprit” behind the series of attacks on the Abqaiq facility, which is the world’s largest petroleum processing plant. The attacks disrupted more than half of the kingdom’s oil output and will affect global supplies.

    Trump tweeted: “(We) are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) as to who they believe was the cause of this attack and under what terms we would proceed!”

    The US government has produced satellite photos showing what officials said were at least 19 points of impact on Saturday at the two Saudi energy facilities, including damage at the heart of the kingdom’s crucial oil processing plant at Abqaiq. Officials told US media the photos showed impacts consistent with the attacks coming from the direction of Iran or Iraq, rather than from Yemen to the south. Iraq denied that its territory was used for an attack on the kingdom. US officials said a strike from there would be a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.

    The US officials said additional devices, which apparently didn’t reach their targets, were recovered northwest of the facilities and were being jointly analysed by Saudi and American intelligence. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, did not address whether the weapons could have been fired from Yemen, then taken a round-about path, but did not explicitly rule it out.  As a result of the attack oil price rose by almost $12 a barrel to $71.95 on Monday.

    In reaction to Trump’s comment, a senior commander from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that the Islamic republic was ready for “full-fledged” war. “Everybody should know that all American bases and their aircraft carriers in a distance of up to 2,000km around Iran are within the range of our missiles,” the head of the Revolutionary Guards Corps’ aerospace force, Amirali Hajizadeh, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

    However, Saudi de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has said the kingdom was “willing and able” to respond to this “terrorist aggression.”

    Reports say Saudi Arabia’s oilfields and pipelines have been targeted by rebels over the past year but never on such a scale and causing such disruption. Analysts warned that global supplies of oil are likely to suffer a “major jolt” following the attack. Aramco said the attacks would cut output by 5.7 million barrels daily, more than five per cent of global crude supply.

    Although Aramco’s Chief Executive Officer, Amin Nasser, said work was underway to restore production and that it would take weeks to return to full production capacity at the damaged facilities.

    Looking beyond Saudi attack

    According to industry analysts, the attack on Saudi oil facilities should be a concern to the global energy industry. They noted that oil producing countries should not jubilate over the increase in crude price necessitated by the attacks as there would be energy crisis should such attack be carried out on two more major oil producers simultaneously. To them, the sudden rise in crude price, especially if caused by incidents such as the Saudi attacks, will have long-term negative impact on the global economy. Therefore, there should be collective concerted efforts to prevent such attacks in all oil producing country.

    “If this incident is not tackled frontally to prevent future occurrence not just in Saudi but in all oil producing country through a collective effort, the perpetrators may extend it to other oil producing country and that will have damaging ripple effect. Every effort must be made to stop terrorist attack in any form on oil facilities. Oil is central to efficient global activities, therefore, besides astronomic rise in price, attacks on oil facilities especially cross-border attacks that target large facilities have to be nipped in the bud.

    “Remember that Saudi Arabia used to have the world’s largest oil reserves before it was overtaken by Venezuela in 2011. Currently, Venezuela is in crisis and most of this reserves are shut-in. Venezuela as at 2011 had reserves of more than 300 billion of proven reserves. Saudi Arabia’s reserves were 269 billion barrels as January of 2016. Also Iran and Iraq are among the world’s top oil reserves holders with 158 billion barrels and 143 billion barrels as at 2016.

    “In terms of daily production, according to statistics from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) at the end of last year, Saudi Arabia’s daily oil production was 12,419,000 barrels. Although United States’ daily output was more at 17,886,000 barrels per day, its consumption was more at 19.88 million barrels daily. Therefore, any major attack on one more big producers will create a major supply gap.”