The Concerned Northern Forum (CNF) has cautioned against attempts to use the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) recruitment controversy to divide Nigerians along regional lines, describing recent allegations of lopsided appointments as a deliberate effort to pitch the North against the South.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Sunday, the Convener of the group, Aliyu Muhammad, said Nigeria could not afford divisive narratives at a time when national unity and collective commitment were needed to address the country’s challenges.

He accused those behind the reports of seeking to create ethnic tension by linking staff appointments in NNPC Ltd to the recent Employee Exit Scheme, insisting that both events were unrelated.

According to Muhammad, NNPC Ltd has not conducted any recent recruitment or appointment of senior management staff, noting that the appointments being cited by critics were made in the third quarter of 2025 and publicly announced at the time.

“It is grossly misleading to resurrect a recruitment exercise that is nearly a year old and link it to the Employee Exit Schemes that took effect on June 30, 2026. These are two separate corporate events,” he said.

ALSO READ: IPMAN Decries Issuance of Petrol Import Licenses

Muhammad maintained that the North had no reason to feel threatened by the operations of NNPC Ltd, stressing that the national oil company belongs to all Nigerians and should not be viewed through ethnic or regional lenses.

He explained that the 2025 recruitment exercise followed a competitive headhunting process approved by the company’s board to fill critical vacancies, adding that the exercise was merit-based, competency-driven and tied to approved workforce plans.

The CNF convener further revealed that some of the individuals mentioned in the controversial report were employed before the current management assumed office, describing their inclusion as an attempt to sensationalise the matter and mislead the public.

On the controversy over frontier exploration funding, Muhammad said NNPC Ltd had not suspended oil exploration activities in Northern Nigeria, contrary to claims in some quarters.

He explained that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) places responsibility for funding frontier exploration on the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), while NNPC Ltd remains committed to supporting the Kolmani Integrated Development Project and other frontier basin initiatives in line with regulatory directives.

Muhammad said the interests of Northern Nigeria were not under threat and urged citizens to exercise patience and support institutions working to balance commercial viability with national development priorities.

The group also expressed confidence in the leadership and governance structures of NNPC Ltd, noting that appointments and capital allocation decisions are guided by the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020, the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, and the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Muhammad commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing what he described as the legal and policy framework that has transformed NNPC Ltd into a more accountable and commercially focused entity, while calling on Nigerians to verify information through official channels and resist attempts by “those who profit from disunity” to distract the nation.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has lamented the recent approval of import licences for petroleum products, because it is worsening price volatility and putting unnecessary pressure on the naira.

IPMAN National Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Ukadike, expressed these views in a voice note released to Energy Correspondents in Abuja.

He was responding to the current state of the country’s downstream petroleum sector.

ALSO READ: Dangote Granite Mines Boosts Access to Education with Bursary Awards for Ogun Host Community Students

According to Ukadike, independent marketers had studied the situation closely, including price volatility, the import licence regime, and the sale of petroleum products in dollars.

The spokesman called on the Federal Government to look into the matter transparently through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), which he described as the industry regulator.

According to him, the recent import licences, meant to serve as a check on domestically refined petroleum products, are not achieving the results expected by independent marketers.

He said marketers were shocked that some of the companies granted import licences were pegging their prices at around N1,350 per litre, a figure he said was far higher than what the Dangote Refinery sells to marketers.

Ukadike questioned the rationale behind the licences, noting that if the goal of the NMDPRA and the Federal Government was to checkmate the domestic price of petroleum products, then bringing in imported products of questionable quality and higher prices defeated that purpose.

“What is the essence of issuing this price? This will create a lot of tension in society,” he said, adding that price volatility was deepening and directly affecting independent marketers, who now do not know which way to turn.

He further explained that landing costs for imported petroleum products were about 20 percent higher than those charged by the Dangote Refinery, which, in his view, makes the import arrangement counterproductive.

He argued that importing fuel at a higher cost than locally available fuel puts unnecessary pressure on Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves and the naira.

Ukadike linked this pressure to the recent rise in the dollar to about N1,400, which he said, in turn, was affecting the pump price of petroleum products across the country.

He called on the Federal Government to sit down with the presidential committee on the downstream sector to examine the challenges facing the Dangote refinery and to ensure it continues to receive support to produce enough petroleum products for the country, in naira.

He noted that the one major gain Nigeria has recorded from local refining is a continuous, uninterrupted supply of petroleum products, something the country struggled with in the past when it depended heavily on imports.

“If we have a continuous, uninterrupted supply, our problem is pricing. Is it not better to sit down and see how this issue can be controlled than to sign unnecessary import licences that will further inflate the price of petroleum products in our country?” he asked.

Ukadike called for stronger support for local refining capacity, including government-owned refineries alongside Dangote Refinery, describing this as necessary for the country’s energy security. He said Nigeria should prioritise its own refining capacity rather than depend on imports.

“Nigerians are suffering. This is a time to call for national unity, a time to call for one Nigeria, a time to call for support for our industrialists and our refiners,” he said.

He added that Nigeria could also explore exporting finished petroleum products as an additional source of foreign exchange, once local supply is sufficient for domestic consumption.

Ukadike recalled the difficulties of the era when Nigeria depended solely on imported petroleum products, noting that the country sometimes experienced fuel scarcity for two to three weeks at a stretch.

He said that since the Dangote local refinery began operations, such scarcity has become a thing of the past.

He therefore urged the Federal Government to look inward and support the domestic refining of petroleum products to guarantee energy security, ensure a sufficient local supply, and generate additional foreign exchange earnings for the country through exports.

Dangote Granite Mines, a subsidiary of the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has further stamped its commitment to educational advancement and sustainable community development with the presentation of annual bursary awards to students drawn from its host communities in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State.

Biztellers reports that the company made the presentation at the weekend to 60 beneficiaries drawn from various institutions comprising 40 tertiary institution students and 20 secondary school students.

They were selected from the four host communities of Ayebandele, Olorunmodu, Saliu Babarisi and Idi Omo under the company’s annual education support programme.

The bursary presentation ceremony brought together traditional rulers, community leaders, parents, students and management representatives of Dangote Granite Mines, reflecting the strong partnership that has existed between the company and its host communities for more than a decade.

Speaking at the event, the General Manager, Community Relations, Dangote Granite Mines, Mr. Joseph Alabi, described the bursary scheme as one of the company’s most impactful investments in the future of its host communities.

ALSO READ: Dangote Refinery Shields Nigeria from Global Fuel Price Shock – S&P

According to him, education remains a powerful catalyst for individual and societal advancement, making it imperative for corporate organisations to support young people in achieving their academic aspirations.

“Every year, we are delighted to support brilliant and deserving students from our host communities because we recognise that education is the foundation of sustainable development. These beneficiaries represent the next generation of leaders, professionals and change-makers who will contribute meaningfully to society,” Alabi said.

He noted that the bursary programme forms part of the company’s broader Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, which is designed to address critical community needs and improve quality of life.

Alabi highlighted several interventions undertaken by the company over the years, including classroom rehabilitation, donation of school furniture, healthcare support initiatives and the provision of potable water through solar-powered boreholes.

“Our commitment extends beyond annual bursaries. We have consistently implemented projects that improve access to education, healthcare and other essential services. Our goal is to ensure that our operations create lasting value and tangible benefits for our host communities,” he stated.

The community relations chief added that the enduring partnership between Dangote Granite Mines and its host communities has been built on mutual trust, continuous engagement and a shared commitment to sustainable development.

He further disclosed that the company is planning additional community-focused projects aimed at expanding opportunities and improving livelihoods across the beneficiary communities.

Commending the initiative, the Sopinlukale of Oke-Sopin, Ijebu-Igbo, Oba Mufutau Adesesan Yusuf, lauded Dangote Granite Mines for its longstanding dedication to community development and educational empowerment.

“For more than a decade, Dangote Granite Mines has consistently fulfilled its commitments to our communities through meaningful and impactful interventions. The annual bursary programme has become a source of hope and encouragement for many families, enabling students to pursue their educational ambitions,” the monarch said.

The royal father observed that the company’s CSR interventions have gone beyond educational support to include investments that have strengthened healthcare delivery, improved learning infrastructure and enhanced overall community welfare.

“The impact of Dangote’s interventions is evident across our communities. From classroom rehabilitation and furniture donations to healthcare and other development projects, the company has continued to demonstrate genuine concern for the wellbeing of our people,” he added.

Oba Adesesan also attributed the cordial relationship between the company and its host communities to Dangote Granite Mines’ responsiveness to community needs and its inclusive approach to stakeholder engagement.

“Our relationship with Dangote Granite Mines has remained peaceful and productive because the company consistently engages with the communities and honours its commitments. Today, we see Dangote not merely as a business operating within our environment, but as a trusted development partner and a member of our extended family,” he said.

The annual bursary programme has become one of the flagship community development initiatives of Dangote Granite Mines, underscoring the company’s belief that sustainable development begins with investing in people. Through strategic investments in education and community development, the company continues to strengthen its partnership with the people of Ayebandele, Olorunmodu, Saliu Babarisi and Idi Omo communities while creating pathways for future growth and prosperity.

Also speaking, some of the student beneficiaries expressed appreciation to Dangote Granite Mines for the annual gesture promising not to disappoint the company but to continue to display academic excellency that earned them the awards.