A major controversy has erupted over Nigeria’s petrol importation status, with the Federal Government confirming that half of the country’s daily fuel needs are met through imports, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) denies importing even a single litre in 2025.
The Good Governance Watch (GGW) has strongly condemned NNPCL and its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, accusing them of misleading Nigerians and attempting to cover up the truth about fuel imports.
FG Confirms Fuel Imports Amid Decline in Daily Consumption
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) disclosed that Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption has dropped to 50 million litres, with local refineries supplying only half of the requirement.
The Executive Director of Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, Ogbugo Ukoha, clarified that the remaining 50% of the fuel demand is being met through imports.
“We must ensure the availability of petroleum products, and since local refineries are not producing enough, importation remains necessary to avoid scarcity,” Ukoha explained.
This directly contradicts NNPCL’s statement from the previous day, in which Olufemi Soneye denied that the company had imported over 200 million litres of petrol in February 2025.
“The report alleging that NNPCL imported over 200 million litres of PMS in February 2025 is completely false, baseless, and reckless. NNPCL has not imported a single litre of PMS this year,” Soneye declared in a statement on Tuesday, February 18, 2025.
Coalition Exposes NNPCL’s Alleged Lies with Evidence
The Good Governance Watch (GGW) has come out swinging against NNPCL and its leadership, presenting detailed evidence that the company indeed imported petrol in February.
The coalition’s National Coordinator, Dr. Sola Johnson, described NNPCL’s denial as “a blatant lie”, challenging the company to refute the Motor Tanker Vessels Report of February 10, 2025, which provided detailed records of fuel shipments into the country.
According to the GGW report, NNPCL imported:
- 37,000 metric tonnes of petrol via the ship Kriti Bay through Lagos ASPM terminal on February 10, 2025.
- Another 37,000 metric tonnes through the same terminal via the ship Kouris on the same day.
- A third shipment of 28,000 metric tonnes via the ship Hapia Andre at the PWA/BOP/NOJ Lagos terminal.
- A further 20,000 metric tonnes delivered at the Calabar Mainland terminal by the ship Mycroft.
Dr. Johnson accused NNPCL of deliberately misleading Nigerians, emphasizing that the NMDPRA had already confirmed that imports are necessary to meet demand.
“It is irresponsible for NNPCL to claim that it has not imported petrol in 2025 while maligning journalists who exposed its shady dealings. The evidence is clear, and NNPCL must stop deceiving Nigerians,” Johnson stated.
He added that the real motive behind NNPCL’s falsehoods was to cover up the fact that Nigeria’s refineries are not yet producing petrol or other refined products, despite claims that they have resumed operations.
GGW Calls for Accountability, Urges Tinubu to Take Action
GGW demanded an apology from NNPCL and called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, warning that the company’s deceptive practices could damage his administration’s credibility.
“If President Tinubu does not act now, the lies from NNPCL will stain his administration and weaken public trust. Nigerians deserve transparency, not propaganda,” the coalition warned.
The scandal has reignited concerns about NNPCL’s transparency and the overall state of Nigeria’s oil sector, raising fresh debates about fuel subsidy removal, local refinery capacity, and the company’s role in ensuring a stable fuel supply.
