NNPC Boss Kyari Dispels Sabotage Claims, Reaffirms Commitment to Local Refineries
By Matthew Eloyi
The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Mele Kyari, has firmly denied allegations that the company is undermining local refineries, emphasising its commitment to bolstering Nigeria’s domestic fuel supply.
Kyari addressed these issues on Monday during the 42nd Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Lagos, where he outlined NNPC Ltd.’s vision for a secure, sustainable, and affordable energy future.
Kyari, who served as the event’s Special Guest of Honour, stressed that the NNPC is a shareholder in Dangote Refinery, calling the investment a strategic move to strengthen domestic production.
“Today, NNPC does not import any product; we are taking only from domestic refineries,” Kyari confirmed.
The controversy arose after Dangote shared details of NNPC’s reduced stake in his refinery, revealing that an initial agreement for a 20% share was later scaled back to 7.2%.
Dangote noted that NNPC’s decision to modify the payment arrangement was final, saying, “They no longer wanted the crude deduction arrangement and preferred to pay the remaining balance in cash.”
Kyari further revealed NNPC’s plans to collaborate with private refineries to ensure a stable supply and support the Naira by implementing “Naira-for-crude” transactions.
This collaboration also aims to expand the country’s gas infrastructure, including projects like the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) and Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipelines, alongside the development of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) options.
In response to the energy “trilemma” of security, affordability, and sustainability, Kyari announced upcoming projects, including 12 CNG mother stations and mini-LNG plants.
“The energy trilemma is a profound responsibility we shoulder as stewards of Nigeria’s energy future. NNPC Ltd. is working tirelessly to improve our supply chain, develop new refining capacities, and expand our retail network,” he said.
