NNPC probes lubricants-for-petrol incident at filling station

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, on Sunday, said it has commenced investigations into the incident where an attendant in one of its retail stations told customers to buy lubricants or engine oil before they can purchase Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol.

It said the attendant had claimed that this was a directive from the management of NNPC Retail, the downstream subsidiary of NNPC Group in charge of the operations of NNPC’s filling stations.

The national oil firm disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja by its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye.

The statement read in part, “The attention of NNPC Retail Limited has been drawn to a recent video clip making rounds on social media (X to be precise) concerning a fuel pump attendant in one of NNPC filling stations.

“In the said video, customers were coerced to purchase lubricants or engine oil as a prerequisite for purchasing or dispensing Premium Motor Spirit. Still in the video, the attendant alleged that this was a directive from NNPC Retail management.

“NNPC Retail wishes to state unequivocally that the allegation is entirely false and does not represent the company’s customer service charter. At all NNPC Retail filling stations, customers are not obligated to purchase lubricants, engine oil, or other products as a precursor to buying petrol.”

Speaking further on the incident, the Managing Director, NNPC Retail Ltd, Huub Stokman, said the oil firm had no such policies.

 “We are dedicated to providing clear, transparent, and quality service to all our customers, guaranteeing that their needs are met without any recourse to unnecessary and unscrupulous conditions,” Stokman stated.

The oil firm went ahead to state that the “public is hereby advised to disregard the information in its entirety and report any such occurrences to the appropriate authority.

“In the meantime, NNPC Retail Limited has launched an investigation into the unfortunate incident and assures that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the culprit(s).”

NNPC retail stations are usually flooded by motorists due to the cheaper prices of PMS at these outlets.

In Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, and other neighbouring states, for instance, the price of petrol in NNPC stations is N617/litre.

But the product sells for as high as N660 to N710/litre in other outlets operated by both major and independent oil marketers in these states.

Okechukwu, a journalist with Punch Newspapers, has 15 years experience covering Energy (Power and Petroleum), Finance, Agriculture, Environment, Humanitarian Services, Works and Housing, Trade and Investment, Capital Markets, Aviation and Transport, ICT, among others