The federal government has debunked reports stating that it issued a directive to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to increase the pump price of petrol (PMS) to N1000 per litre.
The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, on Tuesday made this clarification in a statement from his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Nnaemeka Okafor where he noted that he did not direct the NNPC Ltd. or any other entity within the sector to adjust petrol prices.
“The Federal Government has been compelled to address the outright falsehood and malicious claims currently circulating on social media”, the statement reads.
“We categorically condemn these claims as baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent.
“We challenge anyone in possession of any evidence-be it written documents, audio, or video recordings-that supports these fabrications to make it public. Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognised as an intentional effort to mislead the public.
“NNPC Ltd. operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not interfere in NNPC Ltd.’s internal decisions, including pricing matters.
“Any suggestion otherwise is not only incorrect but also reveals a profound misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector. Any claim to the contrary is nothing more than an ill-conceived attempt to sow discord and confusion.
“We urge all Nigerians to remain vigilant and rely solely on information from verified and official channels,” Heineken Lokpobiri said.
Reports surfaced on Tuesday morning indicating that some filling stations owned by NNPC Retail Limited had adjusted their pump price for PMS to N897 per litre as against N617 per litre that was the prevalent price especially in Lagos. This fueled unsubstantiated reports that the federal government directed the NNPC Ltd to increase pump price of PMS.
The NNPC amidst ongoing fuel scarcity in some parts of the country last Sunday complained of a heavy debt burden, saying its inability to settle its liabilities to suppliers was threatening its operations and responsible for the fuel scarcity.
Following the supply constraints, fuel prices in recent weeks have witnessed an upward increase. Independent marketers are selling PMS for between N930 to N1000 per litre. The price is even higher in the rural areas where access to the product is limited.