KEY POINTS
- NNPC denied authorizing any sale of scrap materials from its three idle refineries.
- Fraudsters are impersonating NNPC representatives and soliciting money from unsuspecting members of the public.
- NNPC says any legitimate asset disposal will follow transparent, publicly communicated official processes.
Nigeria’s state oil company is warning the public about a fraud scheme that has been circulating claims that NNPC is selling scrap materials and equipment from its refineries.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited said the claims are false. It has not issued any request for bids, tenders, expressions of interest or approvals for the sale of scrap materials or refinery components from the Port Harcourt, Warri or Kaduna refineries.
“NNPC Limited wishes to alert the public to the circulation of misleading and false information suggesting that the company is selling scrap materials, equipment, or components from its refineries to individuals and private companies,” the company said in a statement signed by Chief Corporate Communications Officer Andy Odeh.
What NNPC says is happening
The company said it has received reports of individuals falsely presenting themselves as NNPC representatives or agents. These individuals are claiming to facilitate the sale of scrap metals and refinery equipment. NNPC was direct: they are not authorized.
The public, corporate organizations and industry stakeholders are being urged to disregard any such claims or solicitations. NNPC also encouraged anyone who encounters these individuals to report the matter to law enforcement authorities.
“NNPC Limited is not conducting, nor has it authorised, any sale of scrap metals, equipment, or refinery components from any of its facilities,” the company stated.
The refinery context behind the warning
The three refineries at the center of the fraud claims have remained largely idle. Years of efforts to revive them have produced little. Stakeholders have publicly questioned whether the facilities will ever return to commercial operation.
NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari has maintained that the refineries will be revived. That position has kept the assets in the public conversation, which may be part of what fraudsters are exploiting. Idle refineries with uncertain futures are an easy backdrop for scam operations built on vague promises of cheap equipment access.
NNPC was clear that any legitimate disposal of assets would only happen through established and transparent processes, publicly communicated through official channels and conducted in line with applicable regulations. That standard, the company said, has not been met by any of the parties currently circulating these claims.
