Abiodun JIMOH
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, has dismissed concerns about substandard fuel in Nigeria, describing them as baseless and a product of bad marketing tactics. Speaking at the 60th Nigeria Mining & Geosciences Society (NMGS) Conference in Abuja, he argued that claims of poor-quality petrol circulating in the country were nothing more than unnecessary drama, designed to mislead the public.
Kyari maintained that fuel quality standards vary from country to country, and what is considered a requirement in one nation may be unsuitable in another. He cited the example of oxygenates—fuel additives used in Europe to prevent petrol from solidifying in car tanks. While necessary in European conditions, he explained that introducing the same additives in Nigeria would turn them into water upon exposure to air, demonstrating how fuel standards are tailored to different climates and regulatory environments.
He reassured that Nigeria’s regulatory agencies, including the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Regulatory Agency (NMDPRA), rigorously monitor imported petroleum products to ensure compliance with national standards. According to him, these agencies had not raised any concerns about substandard fuel, further proving that the recent controversy was unfounded.
Addressing reports that NNPC Ltd imported 200 million litres of fuel in February, Kyari dismissed the claims as false. He clarified that the company did not import any petroleum products within the period in question and accused those spreading such information of attempting to create unnecessary panic. He further emphasized that fuel importation is a global industry practice, pointing out that even countries with well-established refineries, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE, engage in product imports to balance supply.
Beyond the fuel quality debate, Kyari urged members of the Nigerian Mining & Geosciences Society to embrace innovation and new technologies to maximize the country’s natural resources. The NMGS conference, themed “Transformation of the Mineral, Energy, Water, and Construction Sectors through Innovation,” focused on policy reforms and technological advancements to boost Nigeria’s mining and energy sectors.
