By EMMANUELLA ANOKAM

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), says it has no intention of becoming the sole offtaker of Dangote Refinery Limited (DRL) or any entity in a free market environment.

The NNPC Ltd. Said the refinery and any other domestic refinery were free to sell directly to marketers on a willing buyer, willing seller basis, which was the current practice for all fully deregulated products.

Mr Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd. Made this known on Saturday in Abuja while reacting to claims thatDangote Refinerywas being undermined by NNPC Ltd. Actions.

The attention of the NNPC Ltd. Has been drawn to a press release by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which claims that the Dangote Refinery is being undermined by actions of NNPC Ltd.

Specifically, MURIC asserts that recent changes to the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) will prevent the Dangote Refinery from offering lower prices.

It said that NNPC Ltd. Has become the sole offtaker of all products from the refinery, he said.

To set the records straight, Soneye said that the pricing of petroleum products from any refinery, including the Dangote Refinery is determined by global market forces.

He said the recent changes in PMS prices had no impact on the Dangote Refinery or any other domestic refinerys access to the Nigerian market.

In fact, if current prices are perceived as high, it presents an ideal opportunity for the refinery to sell its products at lower prices in the Nigerian market.

We emphasise that there is no guarantee of lower prices associated with domestic refining compared to any global parity pricing framework, as confirmed by Dangote Refinery.

NNPC Ltd will only fully offtake PMS from the Dangote Refinery if the market prices of PMS are higher than the pump prices in Nigeria.

NNPC Ltd has no desire or intention to become the distributor for any entity in a free market environment, and therefore, the notion of becoming a sole offtaker does not arise.

The NNPC Ltd cannot undermine a business in which it holds a billion-dollar stake, he said.

He said MURIC, as an advocacy group should verify the facts before making statements that were entirely flawed and has the potential to incite ordinary Nigerians against the NNPC Ltd. (NAN)