Scores of youths, alongside Civil Society Organizations, protested at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) headquarters on Monday, demanding the immediate resignation of Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari. Led by figures such as Abdullahi Bilal of the Two Million Man March Against Oil Scam Cabal, Barrister Napoleon Otache, and Olayemi Isaac from Citizens and Economic Freedom Rights Activists in Nigeria, the demonstrators voiced frustration over soaring fuel prices, recurring fuel shortages, and ongoing economic hardships.
The protesters carried placards with messages like “We demand the immediate resignation of Kyari,” accusing the NNPCL leadership of failing to manage Nigeria’s oil sector effectively. Central to their grievances were concerns over skyrocketing fuel prices and the unending fuel queues, which they claim have exacerbated inflation and plunged many Nigerians into poverty.
They also criticized the importation of substandard fuel, arguing that these imports have damaged vehicles and hurt businesses across the country. The demonstrators demanded accountability for these imports, questioning why adulterated fuel continues to enter Nigeria despite assurances of quality control.
Further, the group expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing delays in the Dangote refinery’s promise to address the country’s fuel crisis. They noted that despite substantial investments in refinery development and the refurbishment of existing facilities, Nigeria remains dependent on costly fuel imports, which, they argued, contradicts its status as an oil-producing nation.
“The Two Million Man March stands as a united voice for every citizen betrayed by a system enriching a few at the expense of the majority,” Bilal told journalists during the protest. “We are calling for the immediate resignation of the current leadership in the oil sector. Fuel prices have soared, and substandard fuel is being imported under their watch, imposing further hardship on Nigerians.”
The protesters demanded the complete removal of the subsidy regime, arguing that full deregulation is necessary to promote transparency and competition in the sector. Otache and Isaac echoed these calls, stating that the ongoing fuel queues, high prices, and daily disruptions are forms of “economic sabotage” that require immediate action. They pressed for transparency in the handling of fuel quality and distribution.
NNPCL spokesperson Femi Soneye responded to the protests, asserting that the demonstrators lacked an understanding of the complexities of the oil sector. He highlighted that the GCEO, Kyari, had worked to maintain fuel availability at N620 per litre for over a year, despite the landing cost exceeding N1,100. “If anyone has evidence that NNPC imports adulterated fuel, they should present it,” Soneye remarked, dismissing the claims as unfounded and politically motivated.
Soneye further emphasized NNPCL’s commitment to implementing President Bola Tinubu’s energy sector roadmap, stating that no group would derail these efforts. The protest underscores growing frustration over Nigeria’s fuel crisis, with citizens increasingly demanding reform, transparency, and accountability in the nation’s oil sector.
