The Federal Government has brushed off reports claiming that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources instructed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to sell fuel at a price exceeding the approved pump price. The alleged directive was attributed to Minister Heineken Lokpobiri.
In a statement released by the Special Adviser to Lokpobiri, the FG labeled the report as false, manufactured to create discord in the oil industry. It clarified that there was never any interference with petroleum pricing or directives to increase prices.
The government expressed condemnation towards the spreading of misinformation on social media, challenging anyone with evidence to come forward. It emphasized NNPCL’s independence and the Ministry’s non-intervention in the company’s internal decisions, including pricing.
This response aims to debunk the baseless claims and educate the public on the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector, assuring that no such directives were given by the Ministry.