The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, has advised stakeholders and Nigerians to stop sending congratulatory messages on his reappointment.
Kyari stated this on Wednesday via a statement issued by Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye.
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He thanked stakeholders and Nigerians for their enthusiasm regarding his reappointment by President Bola Tinubu.
He, however, emphasized the importance of all stakeholders working together to drive revenue growth and strengthen the naira and the nation’s economy.
Kyari, who described his reappointment as a new challenge, stated his commitment to stabilising the oil industry and improving service delivery to enhance revenue.
“I humbly appeal to stakeholders in the oil sector and fellow Nigerians to support the company under his leadership to ensure the success of its mandate.
“Consequently, I request all parties concerned refrain from issuing congratulatory messages on his reappointment,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Kyari declared that Nigeria would stop importing fuel by 2024.
He stated this during a visit to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.
During the visit, Kyari blamed the fuel subsidy regime for the inactive refinery activities in Nigeria, adding that the removal of subsidies is already attracting a lot of private sector investments.
The NNPCL boss assured that by December 2023, the Port Harcourt refinery will resume operations, the Warri refinery will come on stream by the first quarter of 2024, and the Kaduna refinery will join by the end of 2024.
“I can confirm to you that by the end of December at the latest, we will start the Port Harcourt refinery; early in the first quarter of 2024, we will start the Warri refinery; and by the end of 2024, the Kaduna refinery will come into operation.
This is the commitment we are making today, and you can hold us accountable on this; in 2024, many of the initiatives, including the rehabilitation of our refineries, the efforts of small-scale refiners, and the upcoming startup of the Dangote refinery, will make Nigeria a net exporter of petroleum products.
“We will no longer be talking about fuel importation by the end of 2024. I am very optimistic that this will crystallise,” Kyari said.
Kyari said previously that the NNPC did not have a habit of publishing its financial statements, but that is no longer the case, and all the company’s accounts since 2018 to date are now in the public domain.
He added that by the end of 2023, the expected government revenue from the company is N4.5 trillion, saying that NNPCL is returning value to shareholders in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.
Kyari assured that there will be no fuel scarcity over the Christmas season and beyond, as the NNPC has a robust supply plan and no one can hold the country to ransom.