The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has tackled the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), over its recent claims.
MURIC had in a statement claimed that recent changes to the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly called petrol, will prevent the Dangote Refinery from offering lower prices and that NNPCL had become the sole offtaker of all products from the refinery.
But reacting in a statement issued on Saturday by Olufemi Soneye, its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, the NNPCL said the pricing of petroleum products from any refinery, including the Dangote Refinery Ltd, is determined by global market forces.
Specifically, the national oil company said the recent changes in PMS prices have no impact on the Dangote Refinery or any other domestic refinery’s access to the Nigerian market.
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It noted that if current prices are perceived as high, it presents an ideal opportunity for the refinery to sell its products at lower prices in the Nigerian market.
It further emphasized that there is no guarantee of lower prices associated with domestic refining compared to any global parity pricing framework, as confirmed by the Dangote Refinery.
NNPCL said it would only fully offtake PMS from the Dangote Refinery if the market prices of PMS are higher than the pump prices in Nigeria.
The statement reads: “The attention of the NNPC Ltd has been drawn to a press release by the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, which claims that the Dangote Refinery Limited (DRL) is being undermined by actions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd). Specifically, MURIC asserts that recent changes to the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) will prevent the Dangote Refinery from offering lower prices and that NNPC Ltd has become the sole offtaker of all products from the refinery.
“The pricing of petroleum products from any refinery, including the Dangote Refinery Ltd (DRL), is determined by global market forces. The recent changes in PMS prices have no impact on the DRL or any other domestic refinery’s access to the Nigerian market.
“In fact, if current prices are perceived as high, it presents an ideal opportunity for the refinery to sell its products at lower prices in the Nigerian market.
“Furthermore, we emphasize that there is no guarantee of lower prices associated with domestic refining compared to any global parity pricing framework, as confirmed by the DRL. The NNPC Ltd will only fully offtake PMS from the DRL if the market prices of PMS are higher than the pump prices in Nigeria.
“The DRL and any other domestic refinery are free to sell directly to any marketer on a willing buyer, willing seller basis, which is the current practice for all fully deregulated products. NNPC Ltd has no desire or intention to become the distributor for any entity in a free market environment, and therefore, the notion of becoming a sole offtaker does not arise.
“The NNPC Ltd cannot undermine a business in which it holds a billion-dollar stake. As an advocacy group for fair and just treatment, MURIC should have verified the facts before making statements that are entirely flawed and have the potential to incite ordinary Nigerians against NNPC Ltd.”
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