The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has refuted allegations that it has been importing adulterated premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, following protests at its Abuja headquarters.
Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, addressed these accusations on Tuesday, challenging those who made them to provide evidence of any substandard fuel imported by NNPC.
This response comes after civil society organizations demonstrated outside NNPC’s offices, calling for the removal of Mele Kyari, NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), in protest against recent petrol price hikes. Soneye insisted that the company adheres to strict quality standards, stating, “The NNPC Ltd. does not import adulterated fuel. If anyone has evidence to the contrary, they should bring forward samples of any such fuel imported by NNPC Ltd.”
The protest follows a recent allegation by Dangote Petroleum Refinery that any marketer selling petrol at a price lower than that of Dangote’s refinery is likely distributing substandard fuel. This claim emerged after some marketers suggested that Dangote’s petrol prices were higher than those of imported alternatives.
In response to claims that Kyari is responsible for the recent surge in petrol prices, Soneye clarified that price adjustments are beyond the CEO’s purview, noting, “If they were informed, they would know that the GCEO is not responsible for the fuel price increase.” He also highlighted that under Kyari’s leadership, NNPC maintained a price of N620 per liter for over a year, despite a higher landing cost of above N1,100.
Petrol prices have surged significantly, with NNPC raising rates from N855 per litre in September to N998 in October, and further increasing prices on October 28 to N1,025 in Lagos and N1,050 in Abuja. Despite public outcry, NNPC has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing President Bola Tinubu’s roadmap for national energy security.
Soneye concluded by stating that the company remains dedicated to key projects aimed at securing Nigeria’s energy future, undeterred by ongoing protests.
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