NNPC Alleges Sabotage by Insiders and External Forces Amid Anti-Corruption Reforms

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has raised alarm over what it describes as a coordinated sabotage campaign by individuals both within and outside the organisation, aimed at undermining its ongoing anti-corruption and reform efforts.

In a strongly worded statement released on Friday, the new management team led by Group Chief Executive Officer Bayo Ojulari said it had uncovered deliberate attempts to derail its mission to reposition the company as a transparent, performance-driven energy institution. Ojulari took over the reins from Mele Kyari, who was dismissed by President Bola Tinubu on April 2, 2025.

NNPC accused a group of known and unnamed actors of deliberately spreading misinformation and falsehoods to discredit the new leadership and mislead the public. According to the company, these individuals are threatened by the sweeping reforms and are planting fabricated reports in the media as part of their campaign.

“These are calculated efforts by those who feel threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change,” the statement noted. “Their tactics include planting scandalous and fabricated reports, curated to distract leadership and undermine the commitment of our dedicated workforce and reform-minded Nigerians.”

Despite anticipating a rise in defamatory content in the coming weeks, the company maintained that it remains undeterred. It reaffirmed its commitment to President Tinubu’s mandate to overhaul the state-owned oil giant and assured Nigerians that the transformation process is ongoing and unstoppable.

The company urged staff, stakeholders, and the general public to remain focused and not be swayed by the growing “noise.”

Meanwhile, NNPC has not yet named a replacement for its former spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, who resigned from his position on Saturday.

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