The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has dismissed allegations of underperformance and impropriety against its management, saying crude oil production increased by six per cent in the year to April 2026.
The company also said gas production rose by five per cent during the same period under the leadership of its Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari.
NNPC’s reaction followed allegations by the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum, which called for a probe into the company’s leadership over concerns relating to production performance, transparency, licensing procedures and contract awards.
The forum, in a statement signed by its convener, Ayodele Momoh, also called for Ojulari’s removal and questioned whether the company had achieved a significant improvement in crude oil production since the change in leadership.
But NNPC, in a statement issued on Saturday by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, rejected the allegations and said they did not accurately reflect the company’s statutory responsibilities or operational performance.
The national oil company also distanced itself from the licensing issues raised by the group, stating that it has no authority to conduct oil licensing rounds or allocate oil blocks.
“Under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, the conduct of oil licensing rounds and the allocation of oil blocks fall squarely within the statutory mandate of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission,” NNPC said.
It added that NNPC Ltd operates as a commercial entity and “holds no regulatory or allocative authority.”
On production, NNPC said average crude oil output, including condensates, increased from 1.60 million barrels per day in April 2025 to 1.67 million barrels per day in April 2026.
The company said the increase of about 80,000 barrels per day represented approximately six per cent growth.
Gas production also increased from 7,354 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) in April 2025 to 7,729 mmscfd in April 2026, according to NNPC.
The company said the five per cent increase was part of efforts to expand gas supply for domestic energy needs and meet Nigeria’s export commitments.
NNPC urged industry stakeholders, analysts and professional bodies to verify claims about its operations through appropriate regulatory and corporate channels.
It said it welcomed scrutiny of its performance but insisted that public commentary should be based on factual and verifiable information.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, while warning that it would take necessary steps to protect its reputation and that of its leadership from what it described as false or unsubstantiated claims.
