“Misleading, mischievous”: Dangote slams NNPC over N898 per litre petrol price claim

• The rebuttal and clarification was necessitated by viral reports that NNPC had purchased fuel from Dangote at N898 per litre

The Dangote Group has described as “misleading and mischievous” recent claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, that the company sold Premium Motor Spirit to the NNPC at N898 per litre.

The Group’s Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, said there was no iota of truth in the NNPCL claim, stating that it seeks to sabotage the company’s recent milestones in addressing Nigeria’s perennial energy crisis.

The rebuttal and clarification was necessitated by viral reports that NNPC had purchased fuel from Dangote at N898 per litre.

Chiejina, in a press release issued on Sunday evening, said the claim is aimed at derailing the inroads recorded in ensuring energy sufficiency and security in the country.

He also implored Nigerians to ignore the NNPC claim, saying the company is working towards guaranteeing fuel availability in every local government of the country.

The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement attributed to NNPCL spokesperson, Mr Olufemi Soneye, that we sell our PMS at N898 per litre to the NNPCL.

“This statement is both misleading and mischievous, deliberately aimed at undermining the milestone achievement recorded today, September 15, 2024, towards addressing energy insufficiency and insecurity, which has bedevilled the economy in the past 50 years.

“We urge Nigerians to disregard this malicious statement and await a formal announcement on the pricing, by the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries, appointed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, which will commence on October 1, 2024, bearing in mind that our current stock of crude was procured in dollars.”

Chiejina further clarified that the current stock of crude sold to NNPC was procured in dollars, with significant savings compared to existing import prices.

“With this action, there will be petrol in every local government area of the country regardless of their remote nature.

“We assure Nigerians of availability of quality petroleum products and putting an end to the endemic fuel scarcity in the country,” the statement concluded.