Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has denied instructing the Nigerian National Petroleum Resources (NNPC) to halt it’s refinery’s operations and focus solely on equity investment in other refineries.
This follows reports that suggested Lokpobiri’s directive was conveyed by Engr. Kamoru Busari, Director of Upstream in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, during an event in Lagos.
Busari, who represented the minister, allegedly implied that NNPCL was instructed to prioritize equity participation over direct refinery management.
In a clarifying statement, Lokpobiri stated, “My attention has been drawn to statements made by Engr. Kamoru Busari, Director of Upstream in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, who represented me at a recent conference in Lagos.
“I wish to categorically state that the claim that I directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to stop running its own refineries and focus solely on equity participation in other refineries is false. This does not represent my position as Minister overseeing the oil sector, nor does it reflect the stance of the Federal Government.”
Lokpobiri further emphasized that NNPC operates independently under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), managed by its own board and executive team, without direct oversight from the Ministry.
He clarified that, as a deregulated entity, NNPC is encouraged to pursue in-country refining, with the government providing strategic support rather than operational control.
SOURCE: nnu.ng