By Dayo Adesulu
Dangote Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, has said that the statement of NNPCL Spokesperson on PMS pricing was misleading and mischievous.
In a release, he said that the comments made by the NNPCL spokesperson Mr. Olufemi Soneye regarding the pricing of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was uncalled for.
According to him, Soneye claimed that Dangote sells its PMS to NNPCL at N898 per litre, a statement that Chiejina has described as both “misleading and mischievous.”
Chiejina emphasized that the statement appears to be a deliberate attempt to undermine the significant progress made towards resolving Nigeria’s long-standing issues of energy insufficiency and insecurity. He pointed out that this development, announced on September 15, 2024, marks a pivotal achievement for the country, which has faced energy challenges for the past 50 years.
The spokesperson urged Nigerians to disregard the misleading statement and to await an official announcement regarding pricing from the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries. This committee was recently appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and is set to commence operations on October 1, 2024. Chiejina noted that the current stock of crude oil was procured in dollars, complicating the pricing narrative.
Furthermore, he highlighted that the products sold to NNPCL were also priced in dollars, resulting in significant savings compared to current import costs. Chiejina expressed confidence that this initiative will ensure the availability of petrol in every local government area, including remote regions of the country, thereby addressing the persistent issues of fuel scarcity.
The company reassured Nigerians of their commitment to providing quality petroleum products and ending the endemic fuel shortages that have plagued the nation.
This statement comes at a crucial time for Nigeria as it seeks to stabilize its energy sector and improve the overall economy.