NNPCL: Northern Interests Not Under Threat –  Forum

The Concerned Northern Forum has accused some people of attempting to use the affairs of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to sow ethnic and regional divisions.

It urged Nigerians to reject narratives capable of pitting the North against the South.

Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, the convener of the forum, Aliyu Muhammad, said recent reports alleging irregularities in NNPC’s recruitment and the suspension of frontier oil exploration in Northern Nigeria were misleading and did not reflect the true position of the company.

He said the forum carefully examined the issues and the clarifications issued by NNPC Ltd before arriving at its position.

The group stated that the interests of Northern Nigeria were not under threat.

“We reject in its entirety any attempt to use the activities of NNPC Limited to divide Nigerians along regional lines. Nigeria cannot afford narratives that undermine national unity at a time when collective progress should be our priority,” he said.

Muhammad explained that NNPC Ltd had not carried out any recent recruitment or appointment of senior management staff, noting that the appointments being referenced were made in the third quarter of 2025 and publicly announced at the time.

He described attempts to link those appointments to the employee exit scheme implemented on June 30, 2026, as misleading, saying they were two separate corporate events.

According to him, the 2025 recruitment followed a competitive headhunting process aimed at filling critical vacancies requiring specialised expertise, adding that the exercise was merit-driven, competency-based and conducted in line with the company’s approved workforce policies.

He also faulted reports that included individuals who joined the company before the current management assumed office, describing the development as an attempt to sensationalise the issue and create unnecessary public suspicion.

On concerns over frontier oil exploration in Northern Nigeria, Muhammad said NNPC Ltd had not suspended funding for exploration activities in the region.

He explained that the Petroleum Industry Act places responsibility for funding frontier exploration on the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), while NNPC Ltd remains ready to execute exploration activities as directed by the regulator.

He added that the Kolmani Integrated Development Project and other frontier basin projects remained strategic national priorities and that efforts were ongoing to advance them in a commercially sustainable manner.

“The interests of Northern Nigeria are not under threat. What is required is patience, understanding and support for institutions working within the legal and regulatory framework,” the group said.