By Njoku Chijioke
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, has commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and TotalEnergies E&P Nigeria Limited joint venture for boosting national oil output.
His remarks come amid controversy surrounding the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), which has denied claims by former presidential aide Reno Omokri that it opposed the recent petrol price cut.
IPMAN’s National Vice President, Hammed Fashola, insisted the association supports full deregulation and could not have protested against lower prices.
The price reduction, a result of downstream sector deregulation, has sparked mixed reactions among stakeholders.
While some welcome the move, others worry about its impact on the industry.
Lokpobiri’s praise for the NNPCL-TotalEnergies partnership underscores the critical role of government-private sector collaborations in sustaining growth and stability in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
