Kehinde Fajobi
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied claims that it imported 200 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or any volume of petrol in 2025.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, February 18, Chief Corporate Communications Officer Olufemi Soneye dismissed the report as “completely false, baseless, and a reckless misrepresentation of facts.”
He accused those behind the claim of either engaging in “lazy and unprofessional journalism” or deliberately spreading misinformation on behalf of “economic saboteurs” to mislead Nigerians.
“Setting the record straight: NNPC Limited has not imported a single litre of PMS in 2025,” Soneye stated.
While the company clarified that it does not control private marketers’ import operations or issue licences, it condemned attempts to attribute all petrol imports to NNPCL as “misleading, deceptive, and irresponsible journalism that ignores basic fact-checking principles.”
Soneye, however, stressed that NNPCL has no legal restrictions preventing it from importing petrol if necessary.
“As Nigeria’s foremost energy company, we have a duty to ensure energy security. Should any supply shortages arise, NNPC Limited retains the full right and responsibility to step in and import to stabilize the market,” he said.
The company warned that spreading misinformation of this scale distorts market realities and misleads stakeholders.
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“NNPC Limited will not tolerate the spread of false and malicious reports aimed at undermining its reputation. We will take all necessary legal measures to hold accountable those responsible for fabricating and disseminating falsehoods about our operations,” the statement added.
It called on media organisations to uphold journalistic integrity and verify facts before publishing misleading reports.
“NNPC Limited remains committed to transparency and will not be swayed by attempts to manipulate public perception,” Soneye concluded.