A large group of young Nigerians on Monday stormed the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, demanding the resignation of Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer.
According to The PUNCH, the demonstration, led by various Civil Society Organizations, was a reaction to what they called Kyari’s “incompetent leadership,” citing soaring fuel prices, relentless fuel queues, and the worsening economic hardship across Nigeria.
The protesters, carrying placards with messages like “We demand the immediate resignation of Kyari,” expressed disappointment in the NNPCL’s leadership.
Abdullahi Bilal from the “Two Million Man March Against Oil Scam Cabal,” along with Barrister Napoleon Otache and Olayemi Isaac from Citizens and Economic Freedom Rights Activists in Nigeria, took the lead, insisting on immediate steps to address what they called a failure in managing the oil sector.
Central to the protests were grievances over the sharp increase in fuel prices, endless fuel queues, and inflation, which they argued has exacerbated poverty in Nigeria.
The protesters pointed to the recent importation of substandard fuel, calling it a corrupt practice that damages vehicles and small businesses.
They demanded an end to these imports and held officials accountable, questioning why such fuel continues to enter the country despite assurances of quality control.
Adding to the frustration, the activists criticized the unfulfilled promises of the Dangote refinery, which was expected to resolve Nigeria’s fuel shortages.
They noted that, despite significant investments in building the refinery and refurbishing other facilities, Nigeria still relies heavily on costly fuel imports, a dependency they say is unacceptable for an oil-rich nation.
The protesters urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene by overhauling the leadership in the oil sector, emphasizing that reforms are needed to prioritize citizens’ needs.
The group pledged to continue mobilizing until their calls for transparency and accountability are met.
Addressing the crowd, Abdullahi Bilal spoke passionately about the protesters’ mission, saying, “The Two Million Man March stands as a united voice for every citizen who has been betrayed by a system that continues to enrich a few at the expense of many. Today, we call for the immediate resignation of the current leadership in the country’s oil sector. Their management has failed Nigerians. Under their watch, we have seen fuel prices skyrocket without consultation or consideration of the devastating impact on the people. We have endured fuel scarcity while substandard, adulterated fuel is imported, causing further hardship.”
Bilal further demanded the removal of what he termed a “fraudulent fuel subsidy regime” that has only benefited a privileged few.
He advocated for full deregulation to foster transparency, competition, and fairness in the oil sector.
Otache and Isaac echoed Bilal’s statements, condemning the current state of affairs as “economic sabotage” and holding it responsible for endless queues, escalating fuel prices, and disruption to daily life.
“We demand an immediate end to fuel queues, transparency, and accountability from all involved parties. We want to know how substandard fuel continues to enter the country despite assurances of quality control,” they insisted.
Kyari’s tenure as Group Managing Director began on July 7, 2019, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, but his current role as GCEO now aligns with the Petroleum Industry Act, independent of his previous ranks in the company.
In response to the protests, NNPCL’s spokesperson, Femi Soneye, dismissed the criticisms, arguing that the protestors lacked a true understanding of the oil sector.
He emphasized that Kyari had worked to keep fuel available at N620 per liter for over a year, even when the landing cost exceeded N1,100. Soneye elaborated, “Unfortunately, they lack understanding of the sector. If they were informed, they would know that the GCEO is not responsible for the fuel price increase; in fact, he ensured Nigerians had access to fuel at N620 per litre for over a year, even when the landing cost was above N1,100.”
Soneye also challenged the protesters to provide evidence of their claims that NNPCL imports adulterated fuel, saying, “NNPC Ltd does not import adulterated fuel. If anyone has evidence to the contrary, they should bring forward samples of any such fuel imported by NNPC.”
He concluded by emphasizing NNPCL’s focus on critical energy projects, stating, “I won’t waste time engaging with individuals motivated by selfish interests. We have more pressing projects to accomplish to ensure energy security for our nation, rather than focusing on inconsequential groups. We are committed to implementing President Bola Tinubu’s roadmap for the sector, and no group will deter or distract us from achieving this goal.”
