Controversy trails Mele Kyari’s continued stay in office amid soaring fuel prices

The ongoing fuel crisis in Nigeria, marked by skyrocketing prices and shortages, has triggered a wave of mixed reactions over the continued leadership of Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director (GMD) and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
Many Nigerians, alongside key industry stakeholders, are calling for accountability as the country’s oil and gas sector struggles under immense pressure.

Fuel prices have ballooned from N145.48 per liter in 2019 when Kyari assumed office, to nearly N1,000 per liter today, leaving the country in the grip of a cost-of-living crisis. This has led to widespread criticism of Kyari and the NNPCL, with some accusing the corporation of inefficiency and mismanagement that has further strained the already fragile economy.

Speaking in Abuja, Felix Osakwe, the 2023 presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), expressed deep disappointment with the state of the oil sector. He placed much of the blame on both Kyari and President Bola Tinubu, who also serves as the Minister of Petroleum.

“Engr. Mele Kyari should not be held solely responsible for the current crisis. The President, as the Minister of Petroleum, should also be accountable,” Osakwe said. “Kyari takes instructions directly from him, and they have failed to address the suffering of Nigerians due to the high cost of fuel.”

Osakwe further criticized the government for its lack of empathy, stating that the rising cost of transportation caused by escalating fuel prices has eroded the essence of democracy, making everyday life a struggle for Nigerians.

The call for Kyari’s removal has been echoed by lawmakers in the National Assembly.
A group, known as The Economy Rescue Group, led by Rep. Esosa Iyawe, has demanded Kyari’s resignation, citing the mismanagement of NNPCL as a primary cause of the sector’s decline. Iyawe emphasized that Kyari’s leadership has undermined President Tinubu’s administration and the promises of economic recovery under the “Renewed Hope Agenda.”

“We, the concerned lawmakers, believe that the mismanagement and failures of the NNPCL under Kyari have been disastrous for the country,” Iyawe said in a statement. “If he does not resign, we urge the President to suspend him to allow for a full investigation into the NNPCL’s activities.”

The lawmakers pointed to numerous issues plaguing the oil sector, including the distribution of adulterated fuel, indiscriminate licensing, and ongoing fuel scarcity despite Nigeria’s position as a major oil-producing nation.
They argue that the presence of cronyism within NNPCL and the use of middlemen for fuel trading have contributed to the crisis, demanding that Kyari’s management be thoroughly investigated.

Despite these growing calls for his resignation, Kyari has defenders. Rev. Olusegun Peters, National Chairman of the Democratic Peoples Congress (DPC), argued that Kyari should not be the scapegoat for Nigeria’s fuel crisis. Peters called for full deregulation of the oil sector, believing that more competition in the downstream sector would naturally drive prices down.

“Mele Kyari is not the real problem,” Peters said. “We need to open the oil and gas sector to competition. The more players we have, the better prices will become. No one man or entity should be allowed to dominate the supply of fuel.”

Peters also criticized the government for creating monopolistic conditions in the sector, suggesting that Kyari and the NNPCL are being unfairly blamed for deeper structural issues.

This controversy comes against a backdrop of significant challenges for Nigeria’s oil industry, including delayed refinery rehabilitation and allegations of corruption. Under Kyari’s leadership, the sector has been hit by accusations of inefficiency and mismanagement, leaving many to wonder if his continued tenure is sustainable in the face of public discontent.

As the pressure mounts, Nigerians continue to bear the brunt of the country’s fuel crisis, with hopes that swift and effective reforms will provide relief. The question remains whether the government will take decisive action to address the issues at the heart of the crisis, starting with the leadership of NNPCL.