FG denies ordering NNPC to raise fuel price

The Federal Government has refuted claims that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources instructed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to increase fuel prices by N1,000 above the approved pump rate.

The report in question alleged that the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, issued such a directive to NNPCL.

In response, the Federal Government issued a statement on Tuesday through Nnemaka Okafor, Special Adviser on Media and Communication to Minister Lokpobiri. The statement denounced the report as false and misleading, intended to create confusion and unrest within the oil sector.

The statement emphasized that the Federal Government has never interfered with petroleum pricing set by NNPCL, nor issued any instructions for price hikes.

The statement read: “The Federal Government is compelled to address the falsehoods circulating on social media, which falsely assert that Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), directed NNPCL to raise fuel prices above the approved rate.

“We strongly reject these claims as unfounded, malicious, and designed to stir public dissatisfaction. We urge anyone who claims to have evidence—whether written, audio, or video—to present it publicly.

“These accusations are entirely false and represent a deliberate attempt to deceive the public. It is crucial to understand that NNPCL functions as an independent entity governed by the Companies and Allied Matters Act, with a fully autonomous Board of Directors.

“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not and will not interfere in the internal operations of NNPCL, including its pricing decisions. Any claims to the contrary are incorrect and reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.”