The Federal Government has issued a strong denial of recent social media rumors claiming that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has ordered the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to increase fuel prices to N1000 per liter.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser for Media and Communication, Nnemaka Okafor, the Minister described the rumor as “baseless, malicious, and a deliberate attempt to incite public discontent.” He emphasized that the information is entirely false and should be disregarded.
The statement clarified that the NNPCL operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and has its own Board of Directors.
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The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not interfere in the internal decisions of the NNPCL.
The government urged Nigerians to be cautious and rely only on information from verified and official sources.
According to Nnemaka, ‘there was never a time FG interfered with petroleum pricing with NNPCL, let alone give directives for price increment.
She said, “The Federal Government is compelled to address the outright falsehoods currently being circulated on social media, which claim that the Honourable Minister for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to inflate petroleum prices above the approved pump price.”
“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.”
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“Such a claim is entirely devoid of truth and should be recognized as an intentional effort to mislead the public.”
“It must be stressed that NNPCL operates as an independent entity under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), with a fully empowered Board of Directors. “
“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources does not, and will not, interfere in the internal decisions of NNPCL, including pricing matters. Any suggestion otherwise is incorrect and reveals a profound misunderstanding of the deregulated nature of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.”
She further advised on the importance of dismissing misinformation to avoid unnecessary panic and confusion.
