By Emmanuel Akanni
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has again been the target of a deliberate misinformation campaign to tarnish its reputation and undermine the remarkable strides it has made recently.
After failing to discredit the accomplishments of the Mele Kyari-led management—most notably the revitalisation of the 60,000-barrel-per-day Port Harcourt Refinery, which had been non-operational for over 30 years, and the successful restreaming of the Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company on December 30, 2024—critics have turned to spread false claims about the quality of fuel supplied by NNPC Ltd.
In a recent viral video, a content creator claimed to have bought a litre of Dangote petrol from the MRS filling station in Lagos at N925 and another litre of PMS from an NNPC station at N945. The video showed two new generators running the fuel, and according to him, the generator running the NNPCL fuel stopped after 17 minutes, while the Dangote petrol lasted for 33 minutes.
Of course, the controversial video was sponsored to damage the reputation of NNPC Ltd, which had recorded major milestones under Kyari. The video, which was done in bad faith, portrayed NNPC Ltd as a supplier of substandard fuel, an allegation too weighty to be overlooked.
Dismissing the claims, Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer at the NNPC Ltd, said, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd strongly refutes the false and misleading allegations made in a viral video circulating online, which claims that NNPC fuel does not last. This assertion is baseless and entirely unfounded, originating from unverified and amateur research that lacks credibility, accuracy, and professional oversight.”
The NNPC Ltd reaffirmed that its fuel was carefully formulated with one of the best compositions, ensuring optimal efficiency, durability, and environmental sustainability for consumers.
“Furthermore, it is important to emphasize that a significant percentage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) sold at NNPC retail stations in Lagos—where this deceptive video was created—is sourced from the Dangote Refinery, a strategic partner in promoting local production and energy security. Dangote Refinery adheres to strict industry standards, guaranteeing the quality of petroleum products supplied to our consumers,” NNPC Ltd. added.
According to Soneye, the misleading video was another desperate attempt by economic saboteurs to misinform the public and tarnish NNPC Ltd’s reputation.
Vowing that the NNPC would no longer tolerate malicious and deliberate misinformation designed to undermine its operations and mislead Nigerians, the company warned of dire legal consequences for the merchants of misinformation and campaigners of calumny against it.
“Henceforth, NNPC Ltd will take firm legal action against individuals or groups who intentionally spread falsehoods about our brand and operations. Those engaged in such malicious activities will be held fully accountable under the law,” Soneye added.
After thorough testing, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) condemned the amateurish video and submitted that the fuel supplied by NNPC Ltd. meets the highest industry standards.
“We urge content creators not to joke with sensitive matters that can collapse the economy,” said Billy Gillis-Harry, the PETROAN president.
The viral video lacks scientific proof and is inappropriate, offensive, and unethical. The content creator should have opted for laboratory analysis instead of a social media stunt aimed at discrediting one brand against the other. It was bad comparative and combative advertising that was dangerous to both brands.
The sustained campaign to de-market NNPC Ltd started after the company, under Kyari’s sound leadership, reopened the Old Port Harcourt Refinery on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, apparently to the disappointment of forces opposed to the revival of the country’s four refineries.
Attempts by sceptics to rubbish the NNPCL roundly repudiated the achievement recorded with the Port Harcourt refinery, workers at the refinery, experts, and delegates from the Presidency, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers. However, traducers will stop at nothing to carry out their nefarious agenda.
Let it be known that those fabricating lies to destroy NNPC’s reputation are fighting a lost war. Nobody can de-market a company that is doing well and consistently breaking new ground. From what was believed to be a cesspool of corruption to an organisation guided by sound management, transparency, and corporate governance, Kyari and his team are doing a good job. NNPC Ltd. remains steadfast in its mission to ensure fuel availability, affordability, and quality for all Nigerians while maintaining global industry standards.
Of course, the coming of the $23bn Dangote Refinery has changed the Nigerian downstream landscape, igniting competition and a recent price war; such development is welcome, and demand and supply forces are expected to continue to drive the market. It is, however, important to keep the competition healthy and virile. There is no need to de-market one another. The downstream market should be a level playing field for all.
Recall that Kyari was pivotal in supporting the Dangote Refinery by securing a $1bn loan backed by NNPC’s crude reserves. The strategic move addressed liquidity challenges and ensured the successful completion of Dangote Refinery.
According to NNPC Ltd., this underscores Kyari’s commitment to fostering public-private partnerships that deliver long-term value to the nation.
The NNPCL boss was said to have considered the investment in the Dangote Refinery a strategic move to strengthen the domestic fuel supply.
“A strategic decision to secure a $1bn loan backed by NNPC’s crude was instrumental in supporting the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery during liquidity challenges, paving the way for establishing Nigeria’s first private refinery. This initiative underscores NNPC’s dedication to fostering public-private partnerships that drive national development,” Soneye, the NNPC spokesman, had said at a recent Energy Relations Stakeholder Engagement in Abuja.
The Kyari-must-go campaigners have also joined the smear campaign against NNPC Ltd., sponsoring opinion pieces and media publications to undermine the company’s progress. However, no hostile rhetoric can diminish NNPC Ltd.’s achievements under Kyari’s leadership.
Apart from the refineries, NNPC Ltd, under Kyari, declared a profit of N3.297trn for the 2023 financial year, the highest in its 46-year history and an increase of over N700bn (28 percent) compared to the 2022 profit of N2.548trn. Of course, this has been credited to the stringent financial management strategies Kyari and his team have deployed.
In 2021, NNPC declared profit in its operations for the first time. From a loss position of N803bn in 2018, it reduced the loss to N1.7bn in 2019.
However, in 2020, it posted its ‘first-ever’ profit of N287bn. Then, in 2021, it recorded a profit of N674.1 bn; in 2022, the profit grew to N2.548bn, an unprecedented achievement in its financial performance. In a company where profitability was like an anathema, Kyari has bucked the trend and changed the narrative by posting profit year-on-year.
Efforts to discredit NNPC Ltd. are futile in the face of the company’s impressive performance. While constructive criticism is welcomed, malicious campaigns to harm the company’s reputation are unacceptable. NNPC Ltd. should continue to fight against such attacks and stand firm in its commitment to serving the nation.
*Emmanuel Akanni, an energy analyst, writes from Lagos.
