The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has firmly denied allegations that it imports adulterated premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol.
Speaking on Tuesday, Olufemi Soneye, NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, responded to a protest by civil society groups calling for the removal of NNPC’s Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari, over rising petrol prices.
Soneye challenged anyone with evidence of adulterated fuel imports by NNPC to come forward. “The NNPC Ltd. does not import adulterated fuel,” he stated.
“If anyone has proof, we encourage them to provide samples of any such fuel imported by NNPC Ltd. We are focused on critical projects to secure Nigeria’s energy future.”
This statement follows a recent remark by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which claimed that oil marketers selling petrol below Dangote’s rates are likely offering substandard products.
In addressing the price hike, Soneye clarified that Mele Kyari is not responsible for recent increases. He noted that the GCEO had managed to keep petrol prices at N620 per litre for over a year, despite a landing cost of more than N1,100 per litre.
NNPC raised the price from N855 per litre in September to N998 per litre in October, and again to N1,025 in Lagos and N1,050 in Abuja by the end of the month.
Soneye emphasized that only those uninformed would blame Kyari for the hikes, as market factors and global costs drive fuel prices.
Despite the protests, Soneye affirmed that NNPC remains committed to advancing President Bola Tinubu’s roadmap for achieving energy security in Nigeria.
