Vice-President Kashim Shettima has invited Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd., and Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources (oil).
Gatekeepers News reports that Kyari and Lokpobiri honored the invite to presidential villa in Abuja alongside Ugbogu Ukoha, executive director of Nigerian Mainstream, Downstream, and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Thursday. Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA) was also at the meeting.
The meeting comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu issued a directive regarding the recent hike in pump price of petrol to Shettima.
Recall that NNPC increased the price of premium motor spirit (PMS), aka petrol from N568 to N855, N897 per litre depending on the area, two days ago.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Lokpobiri said Tinubu is empathetic about the hardship being faced by Nigerians over the hike of petrol prices amid its scarcity.
The minister noted that the vice president called the meeting for top stakeholders to reflect on the situation.
He said, “He (Tinubu) is concerned about the hardship of Nigerians, and that was why he directed the Vice President to call this meeting, for us to reflect on what is going on in the country.”
“What is important is that products are available in the country, and we believe that between now and the weekend, there will be availability of products across the length and breadth of the country.”
“The price could be high in some other areas, higher in some other locations, and in some locations, much more than others.”
“But we believe that by the time there is availability of products across the country, the price itself is stabilized.”
“But what is important is that the government is not fixing prices. This sector is deregulated. And we believe that with the availability of products, the price will find its level. And this is important for Nigeria to know.”
