The Federal Government says no directive was issued to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to increase the price of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, to N1,000.
The Star had reported that the NNPCL retail stations across Nigeria, on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, adjusted their pump price, selling petrol at N855 as against N617 per litre.
Independent marketers are selling between N930 and N1,000.
Speaking on the development, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, said he did not direct the NNPCL or any other entity within the sector to manipulate prices.
Lokpobiri, in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Nnemaka Okafor, said: “The Federal Government has been compelled to address the outright falsehood and malicious claims currently circulating on social media.
“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.
NNPCL raises petrol price to N855
“Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognised as an intentional effort to mislead the public.”
The minister explained that the NNPCL operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) with a fully empowered Board of Directors, adding that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources does and will not interfere in NNPCL’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,” he added.
Lokpobiri further enjoined the public to dismiss “these malicious rumours”, saying: “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.”
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