Nigerian businessman, Aliko Dangote and his company, Dangote Group, have been exposed as the alleged masterminds behind a deliberate smear campaign targeting the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), its Group CEO Mallam Mele Kyari, and the newly overhauled national refineries.
For some time, NNPCL and its leadership have been subjected to a well-coordinated smear effort. The attack seems to be orchestrated by powerful individuals who feel threatened by Kyari’s leadership and the progressive policies being implemented by the NNPCL under his stewardship. These policies have disrupted many of their long-standing, murky operations, which can no longer thrive in the new and transparent environment fostered by the company.
Behind the scenes, powerful figures have allegedly employed hired mercenaries to spread misleading narratives, aiming to tarnish the reputation of both the NNPC and its management and the successes of the refineries.
The smear campaign, however, escalated following the overhaul and reactivation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries. Those seeking to monopolize the nation’s oil sector perceived the operational refineries as a direct threat to their control over the market. As a result, false reports began circulating, claiming that the refineries had either collapsed or were no longer functioning, an assertion that was far from the truth. These fabricated stories were designed to mislead the public and undermine the significant progress made by the Kyari-led NNPCL team.
After several failed attempts to destabilize NNPCL, its leadership, and the national refineries, a new disinformation strategy emerged. Just last week, a particularly egregious attempt at spreading falsehoods surfaced on social media. The narrative pushed by sponsored content creators falsely claimed that the fuel produced at the government-owned refineries was substandard, citing an alleged high burn rate that rendered it unsuitable for use. The creator of the video further claimed that he purchased a liter of petrol from an MRS Filling Station in Alapere, Lagos, at N925, while the same quantity of fuel from NNPC in Ojodu Berger was priced at N945. According to the video, when the two fuels were tested in separate power generators, the one running on NNPC fuel supposedly stopped after just 17 minutes, while the generator running on Dangote petrol allegedly ran for 33 minutes.
NNPCL swiftly responded, with its spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, dismissing the claims as baseless and entirely unfounded. Despite this, it became evident that the smear campaign was far from over.
In one of the latest efforts to discredit NNPCL, Dangote’s team sent out a sponsored news report on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, aimed at undermining the national oil corporation and its ongoing refinery overhaul. The report falsely claimed that NNPCL had imported over 200 million liters of petrol in February 2025, despite the refinery overhaul. The email, which was presented as an independent news story from an online newspaper, was sent by Dangote’s Digital Media Manager, Victor Ogunyinka, using his official Dangote Group email address, with another staff member, Oluwakemi Victor, copied in the distribution.
The report alleged that between February 1 and February 12, 2025, NNPCL imported 159,000 metric tons of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, despite the ongoing refinery overhaul. However, independent investigations revealed that the claim was entirely false and lacked any factual basis. The false narrative appeared strategically designed to manipulate public opinion and create doubt about the progress and effectiveness of the NNPCL’s refinery revitalization efforts.
It is widely believed that Dangote, whose interests are closely tied to monopolizing Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, views the revival of national refineries as a direct challenge to his dominant position in the market. His continued attacks on NNPCL and its operations suggest a concerted effort to maintain his control over the industry, even at the expense of public trust and the well-being of ordinary Nigerians.
The exposure of Dangote’s involvement in this smear campaign underscores the extreme measures certain influential individuals are willing to take to protect their interests, even if it means spreading lies and misinformation.
Contrary to the rumors and smear campaigns, independent findings by this newspaper have confirmed that both the Port Harcourt and Warri Refineries are fully operational and working efficiently. Their operations have had a significant positive impact on the fuel supply chain, contributing to job creation, boosting local economies, and positioning Nigeria’s oil industry for greater self-reliance.
While the Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 80 percent of its capacity, the 125,000 barrels-per-day Warri Refinery is running at 60 percent capacity. Both refineries are playing crucial roles in reducing Nigeria’s dependency on imported fuel and supporting the nation’s energy needs.
