The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari, has refuted claims regarding the presence of substandard fuel in the country, describing such reports as baseless and harmful marketing tactics.
Speaking during a fireside chat at the 60th Nigeria Mining & Geosciences Society (NMGS) Conference in Abuja, Kyari dismissed the allegations, emphasizing that the quality of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, in Nigeria meets all regulatory standards.
“The talk around fuel quality is unfortunate and a very bad marketing practice. It’s all drama and entertainment, and as we know, drama has a way of entertaining the people,” Kyari stated.
He explained that fuel quality standards vary across countries, citing an example from Europe where oxygenate additives are required to prevent fuel from solidifying in car tanks. However, the same additives would turn into water when exposed to air in Nigeria, highlighting the need for region-specific fuel regulations.
Kyari reassured the public that regulatory agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), are responsible for ensuring that all imported fuel meets the required specifications.
“I believe these regulatory agencies are doing their job. They have not come back to tell anyone that we have substandard products in the country,” he said.
Addressing concerns over misleading reports, Kyari also debunked claims that NNPC Ltd imported 200 million liters of fuel in February. He described the reports as “lies” and clarified that the company did not bring in any products during the period in question.
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“These are just lies because we didn’t even import products within that window when the report was published. All the mischief about aligning this fictitious importation with the so-called low-quality fuel is just baseless,” he asserted.
Kyari noted that petroleum importation is a global industry practice, pointing out that even oil-rich nations such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE import fuel, despite having refineries.
Beyond fuel quality concerns, Kyari urged members of the Nigerian Mining & Geosciences Society to embrace new technologies and foster continuous innovation to maximize the country’s natural resources.
The NMGS Conference, themed “Transformation of the Mineral, Energy, Water, and Construction Sectors through Innovation,” focused on industry reforms, policy enhancements, and the role of geosciences in national development.
