By Saminu Ibrahim
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has dismissed recent claims questioning the performance of its Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Bayo Ojulari, particularly in relation to the recently concluded oil licensing round conducted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The company, in a statement issued by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, on Saturday, said it had continued to record steady growth in national crude oil and gas production under its current leadership.
NNPC Ltd. was reacting to media reports attributed to the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF), which questioned the performance of the company’s leadership over the oil licensing exercise.
The company said while it welcomed scrutiny of its operations in line with its commitment to transparency and accountability, it was necessary to clarify what it described as inaccurate claims concerning its role in the licensing round.
According to NNPC Ltd., the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 clearly places the conduct of oil licensing rounds and allocation of oil blocks within the statutory mandate of the NUPRC.
It stressed that since its incorporation, NNPC Ltd. had operated strictly as a commercial entity and did not possess regulatory or allocative powers over oil blocks.
On crude oil production, the company said available data showed sustained improvement in output under Ojulari’s leadership.
It said average crude oil production stood at 1.60 million barrels per day (mbpd), inclusive of condensate, as of April 2025, adding that production rose during the second half of 2025 and reached 1.67mbpd by April 2026.
The company said the increase of about 80,000 barrels per day represented a six per cent growth in crude oil production.
NNPC Ltd. also reported an increase in gas production during the period under review.
It said gas production rose from an average of 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729mmscfd by April 2026, representing a five per cent increase.
According to the company, the growth in gas production underscores efforts to strengthen domestic energy security while meeting Nigeria’s export commitments.
NNPC Ltd. said the production figures were contained in its publicly available Monthly Performance Reports.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and open engagement on issues concerning its operations and performance.
It, however, warned that 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.
NNPC Ltd. urged industry commentators, analysts and professional associations to verify information through appropriate regulatory and corporate channels before making public statements.
It said such verification would ensure that public commentary on the Nigerian energy sector remained factual, balanced and constructive.
