The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) on Friday issued a stern public warning, urging citizens to be on high alert following the emergence of false and misleading claims that the company is offloading scrap materials and equipment from its refineries across the country.
The warning, delivered through a statement by the company’s spokesperson, Andy Odeh, was unequivocal: NNPC Ltd. has not approved, initiated, or authorized any such sales, and anyone claiming otherwise is operating outside the law.
According to the state oil giant, the fraudulent scheme is more organized than it may appear. Beyond mere false advertising, some individuals have gone as far as posing as official NNPC representatives, engaging members of the public with fabricated offers relating to equipment from the company’s refinery facilities.
The company was categorical in its denial of any affiliation with these individuals, stressing that no agent, individual, or corporate entity has been authorized to conduct such transactions on its behalf.
“These persons are not linked to the organization,” the company made clear, in what amounted to a direct disavowal of the fraudsters and their activities.
The three facilities specifically named in the clarification, the Port Harcourt Refinery, the Warri Refinery, and the Kaduna Refinery, are among Nigeria’s most prominent, if beleaguered, downstream assets. NNPC stated emphatically that no items are being sold from any of these locations.
In an effort to close every possible loophole that scammers might exploit, NNPC confirmed that it has not issued any bids, tenders, or formal approvals for the sale of materials from its refinery network.
This is a significant detail, as fraudsters in such schemes often lend credibility to their operations by circulating forged tender documents or fake procurement notices that mimic the language and formatting of legitimate government processes.
The company’s firm position is that the circulating claims are “misleading and “untrue”—a pointed choice of words from an organization that has, in recent years, faced mounting public scrutiny over the management and operational status of its refineries.
Beyond issuing a warning, NNPC called on members of the public who may have already fallen victim to these fraudulent schemes to report their experiences to the relevant authorities. While the company did not specify which agencies should be contacted, the directive underscores the seriousness with which it is treating the matter and suggests that legal and investigative action may be forthcoming.
Members of the public were also advised to ignore any such offers entirely, regardless of how convincing or official they may appear.
In a bid to reassure Nigerians and protect the integrity of its procurement processes, NNPC outlined what any genuine asset disposal would look like. The company stated that any legitimate sale of its assets would be conducted through clear, transparent, and verifiable procedures and would be formally announced through official channels, leaving no room for ambiguity or back-channel dealings.
This commitment to due process, the company said, reflects its broader dedication to accountability and the responsible management of Nigeria’s national assets that, it is worth noting, belong ultimately to the Nigerian people.
The timing of this alert is not without significance. It comes against the backdrop of ongoing and deeply felt public concern over the state of NNPC’s refinery infrastructure. Nigeria, despite being one of Africa’s largest crude oil producers, has for decades struggled to operate its refineries at meaningful capacity, forcing the country to spend billions of dollars annually importing refined petroleum products—a paradox that has long fueled public frustration and debate.
In that environment of uncertainty and limited information, the conditions are ripe for bad actors to exploit public curiosity — or desperation — with fraudulent schemes dressed up as insider opportunities.
For now, NNPC’s message to the Nigerian public is simple and direct: if it did not come through official channels, do not trust it and do not pay for it.
Anyone with information about suspicious individuals or activities related to this scheme is encouraged to report to the appropriate authorities without delay.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has issued an urgent warning to the public: there is no ongoing sale of refinery scrap or equipment from any of its facilities, and anyone claiming otherwise is a fraudster. No bids, tenders, or approvals have been issued, and no individual or agent has been authorized to conduct such transactions on the company’s behalf.
Nigerians are advised to disregard any such offers entirely and report suspicious activity to the authorities. When in doubt, remember, any legitimate NNPC asset sale will always be announced through official channels. Do not pay for what does not exist.
