The Energy Security Watch Group (ESG) has attributed the recent call by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for the suspension or resignation of Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to the activities of people opposed to the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ of President Bola Tinubu’s energy supply plans.
In a statement signed by ESG’s Executive Director (Strategy), Samuel Segun Nelson, the group urged calm, assuring that NNPCL was actively addressing the temporary disruption in petrol supply witnessed across Nigeria in the past few days. ESG questioned NANS’s motives, suggesting that their call against Kyari-led NNPCL could be politically motivated.
The statement highlighted that NNPCL has committed to addressing the petrol supply disruption, emphasizing that the company currently holds over 1.5 billion litres of fuel, sufficient for at least 30 days.
ESG mentioned that NNPCL’s explanation for the recent three-day distribution disruption was due to logistical issues, which have since been resolved. However, business interests in the sector took advantage of the situation to increase prices, leading to public frustration.
ESG commended the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) for their cooperation, indicating that, after NNPCL’s intervention, the fuel queues would soon disappear, with more petrol becoming available for distribution. Given these developments, ESG called on NANS and their sponsors to allow NNPCL to continue addressing the situation without adding unnecessary political tension.
The group urged caution and patience, advising against actions that could undermine the government’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’, which aims to tackle Nigeria’s energy crisis effectively.
