The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has raised concerns over what it describes as a coordinated smear campaign aimed at discrediting its newly restructured management team. In a strongly worded statement released this week, the state-owned oil giant alleged that certain media outlets and interest groups are deliberately spreading misinformation to undermine its leadership and stall ongoing reforms in the petroleum sector.

The alarm was raised amid a growing wave of critical reports targeting senior officials at NNPCL, including the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, and the Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya Some of these reports have accused the company of financial impropriety and operational inefficiency, particularly regarding the ongoing rehabilitation of Nigeria’s refineries and broader fiscal management.

Responding to these developments, several civil society groups, notably the pro-democracy organisation Stand Up Nigeria, came to the defence of the NNPCL leadership. The group described the reports as “malicious and politically motivated,” warning that the attacks are part of a wider campaign to derail the progress being made under the current administration.

“We are aware that some media platforms, notably Sahara Reporters, have been engaged to consistently fabricate falsehoods against the leadership of the NNPCL,” said Stand Up Nigeria’s National Coordinator, Sunday Attah, during a press briefing in Abuja. “Their intention is to distract, discredit, and destabilize the reforms being implemented at NNPCL, especially now that efforts are being made to return the refineries to full functionality.”

Attah accused unnamed vested interests, including business figures with monopolistic control over petroleum infrastructure, of sponsoring the smear effort in a bid to protect their own economic dominance. He called on the government to investigate the source of the allegations and protect public institutions from politically motivated media attacks.

NNPCL, under its current leadership, has been at the centre of a reform-driven transformation following the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). The company has since transitioned into a commercially operated limited liability entity and has spearheaded efforts to revamp Nigeria’s refineries, expand domestic energy capacity, and foster transparency in crude oil transactions

While some watchdogs and opposition voices have raised concerns about financial accountability, NNPCL maintains that all of its operations are guided by industry standards and regulatory oversight. The company has not only denied any wrongdoing but insists that it remains committed to driving economic growth through energy sector reform.

Industry analysts say the ongoing controversy reflects the intense power struggles surrounding Nigeria’s multi-billion-dollar oil industry, where the overlapping interests of private conglomerates, state officials, and political actors often collide.

As the allegations and counterclaims continue to circulate, the NNPCL is urging the public and stakeholders to focus on verified facts and judge its performance based on progress made in transparency, cost-saving measures, and refinery rehabilitation.

The company has also warned that it may take legal action against any individuals or media houses found to be deliberately spreading defamatory or false information against its leadership.

For now, the NNPCL leadership remains in place and says it will not be distracted by what it describes as “manufactured crises” designed to derail the company’s forward momentum.