The Federal Government of Nigeria has refuted claims that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to sell fuel at ₦1,000 per litre.
In an official statement issued by Heineken Lokpobiri’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Nnemaka Okafor, on Tuesday, the government dismissed the report as false and intended to create discord and confusion within the oil industry.
The false report suggested that Lokpobiri had instructed the NNPCL to implement the price increase. However, the minister clarified that the government has never intervened in NNPCL’s pricing decisions.
The statement read: “The Federal Government feels compelled to address the baseless rumors circulating on social media, alleging that the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, directed the NNPCL to raise petroleum prices above the approved pump price.
“We strongly condemn these unfounded claims as malicious and deliberately aimed at inciting public unrest. We challenge anyone with credible evidence—written documents, audio, or video recordings—to make them public.
“Such claims are entirely without merit and should be recognized as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public. It is important to emphasize that NNPCL operates independently under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, with its Board of Directors fully empowered.
“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not interfere in NNPCL’s internal decisions, including pricing matters. Any suggestion to the contrary is not only false but also reflects a misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.”
