The Federal Government has vehemently denied reports claiming that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources instructed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to sell fuel at N1,000 above the approved pump price.
Nnemaka Okafor, Special Adviser on Media and Communication to Minister Heineken Lokpobiri, issued a statement dismissing the allegations as “baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent.”
“We categorically refute these false claims,” Okafor stated. “The Ministry of Petroleum Resources has never and will never interfere with NNPCL’s pricing decisions. Such suggestions reveal a profound misunderstanding of Nigeria’s deregulated petroleum sector.”
The statement challenged anyone with evidence supporting these claims to make it public, emphasising the NNPCL’s independence under the Companies and Allied Matters Act.
However, contrary to the government’s denial, market checks reveal that NNPC Ltd has indeed increased the pump price of petrol from N615 to N855 per litre nationwide.
A fuel station manager in Ogba Lagos, who requested anonymity, confirmed, “We received directives to adjust our prices. It’s challenging for consumers, but we’re just following orders.”
