The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) on Saturday rejected allegations of impropriety and poor performance levelled against its management by the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF), stressing that its crude oil and gas production have recorded sustained growth under its Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bayo Ojulari.
The company also clarified that it has no regulatory or allocative powers over oil licensing rounds, noting that the conduct of licensing rounds and allocation of oil blocks are statutory responsibilities of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The statement by NNPC followed allegations by the OGPF, which called on the federal government to investigate the leadership and operations of both NNPC over what it described as transparency concerns surrounding production performance, licensing procedures and contract awards.
The forum, in a statement signed by its convener, Ayodele Momoh, alleged possible insider influence and uneven application of rules in the marginal fields licensing process and called for the removal of Ojulari as NNPC GCEO.
It also raised questions over alleged relationships involving persons said to be close to the NNPC leadership and companies that reportedly benefited from licensing outcomes.
The group questioned whether oil production had improved materially since the change in leadership at NNPC, alleging that output remained below what it described as the widely cited 1.7 million bpd benchmark.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, the NNPC said the allegations did not reflect the company’s statutory responsibilities or its operational performance.
“Under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, the conduct of oil licensing rounds and the allocation of oil blocks fall squarely within the statutory mandate of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
“NNPC Limited, since its incorporation, has operated strictly as a commercial entity and holds no regulatory or Åallocative authority,” the national oil firm stated.
The company said its production performance also contradicted claims that the current management had failed to improve output.
According to NNPC, average crude oil production stood at 1.60 million barrels per day (bpd), including condensate, in April 2025. By April 2026, the figure, it said, had risen to 1.67 mbpd.
Quoting its Monthly Performance Report, the national oil company said the increase of about 80,000 bpd represents approximately 6 per cent growth, urging stakeholders to rely on verifiable corporate and regulatory data when assessing its performance.
The company also stated that it reported an increase in gas production during the period under review. It said average gas production rose from 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729 mmscfd in April 2026, representing approximately five per cent growth.
NNPC said the increase reflected expanding gas output to support domestic energy security as well as Nigeria’s gas export commitments, pointing out that it welcomes scrutiny of its operations.
“While NNPC Limited welcomes scrutiny of its operations and performance, consistent with the transparency and accountability the company holds itself to, it is important to set the record straight on the specific claims raised,” it said.
It urged industry commentators, analysts and professional associations to verify information through appropriate regulatory and corporate channels before making public claims about its operations.
“This will help ensure that public commentary is factual, balanced, and contributes constructively to informed discourse on the Nigerian energy sector,” it added.
NNPC further stated that it remained committed to transparency and would continue to engage openly on issues concerning its performance and operations.
At the same time, the national oil company said it reserved the right to take necessary steps to protect its reputation and that of its leadership against what it described as false or unsubstantiated claims.
Emmanuel Addeh
