A coalition, under the aegis of Good Governance Watch (GGW), has cautioned the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) against deceiving Nigerians about the importation of petrol into the country.

This followed the national oil company's recent denial that it was importing petrol to meet local daily demands.

The NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, refuted claims that the company imported more than 200 million litres of petrol in February 2025 alone.

In a statement in Abuja, Soneye claimed that the NNPCL did not import even a single litre of petrol in the quoted month, contrary to reports.

“The report alleging that NNPC Limited imported over 200 million litres of PMS in February 2025 is a completely false, baseless, and reckless misrepresentation of facts. It is either the result of lazy and unprofessional journalism or a deliberate, sponsored attempt by economic saboteurs to mislead the public.

“Setting the Record Straight: NNPC Limited has not imported a single litre of PMS in 2025,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government said that Nigeria's daily petrol consumption has dropped to 50 million litres per day, with local refineries supplying half of the daily requirements.

The government added that the other half is being sourced through importation, stressing that none of the companies involved in domestic refining was involved in the importation.

The Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Mr. Ogbugo Ukoha, made this known while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, February 19, 2025.

He explained that petrol importation became necessary to ensure that scarcity does not return to the downstream sector.

Coalition blasts NNPCL, Soneye

Responding to NNPCL's claims, GGW blasted the national oil company and its spokesperson, noting that several Motor Tanker Vessels Reports confirmed the importation of petrol into the country.

On Thursday, the group's National Coordinator, Dr Sola Johnson, in Abuja, asked the NNPCL to stop deceiving Nigerians, who are better informed than the corporation and its spokesperson assumed.

Johnson declared, "It is irresponsible of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to claim that it has not imported any petrol in 2025 and even went on to malign journalists who exposed its shady dealings by accusing them of engaging in lazy reporting and unprofessional journalism.

“We challenge NNPCL to dispute the Motor Tanker Vessels Report of February 10, 2025, which indicated it imported 37,000 metric tonnes of petrol through the Lagos ASPM terminal on February 10 on the ship Kriti Bay, another 37,000 metric tonnes through the Lagos ASPM terminal on the ship Kouris on the same day, imported a third shipment of 28,000 metric tonnes that arrived on Hapia Andre at the PWA/BOP/NOJ Lagos terminal and a further 20,000 metric tonnes of petrol shipped by Mycroft and delivered at the Calabar Mainland terminal.

“It is most unfortunate that while NNPCL’s Soneye was spinning his lies when the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) confirmed that half of the nation’s 50 million litres per day consumption was being imported. NMDPRA clearly stated that less than 50% of this daily consumption is contributed by domestic refineries such that the shortfall is sourced by way of imports in accordance with the Petroleum Industry Act, which makes the lies by NNPCL disingenuous.

“What makes NNPCL’s latest lies disheartening is that it has become a pattern of the corporation to constantly mislead Nigerians and the government even when the facts are glaring. The lies in this instance are about covering up the fact that the refineries the corporation claimed have started operation are not producing petrol or other refined products.

“The Good Governance Watch consequently demands that the NNPCL and its spokesperson stop lying to themselves, thinking they are lying to Nigerians. We demand that the NNPCL and its leadership apologise to Nigerians for these lies while taking steps to sanction those behind this campaign of lies and scams,” the group stated.

GGW urged President Bola Tinubu to act and address the alleged damage the NNPCL is doing to his administration, warning that the corporation would tarnish his administration’s image if he failed to take decisive action.