Matrix Energy Group has denied claims of importing substandard petroleum products into the country, insisting that its products have consistently met approved specifications.
The oil marketing and trading company clarified in response to an online publication that Matrix Energy is one of the biggest fuel importers via Malta, a tiny European country.
The Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, had alleged some personnel of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, oil traders and terminals have opened a blending plant in Malta.
This was immediately denied by the group chief executive officer, NNPCL, Mele Kyari.
Nigeria’s petroleum importation from Malta surged significantly to $2.8 billion in 2023, compared to zero between 2017 and 2022, and a mere $13.32 million in 2016.
However, in its official reaction, the management of Matrix Energy, affirmed that it has never imported or distributed any substandard cargo in the company’s two decades of operation.
A statement signed by the Head Corporate Communications, Matrix Energy Group, Ibrahim Akinola, on Saturday, explained that the company did not discharge 200,000 metric tons of PMS into its facility in July 2024 as claimed by the news report.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a recent online publication where our name was featured. We would have loved to ignore the tissue of lies spewed in the publication but the need to set the records straight and facts from sensation behoves us to address the matter, as well as the need to protect and uphold the integrity of the brand and reputation we have meticulously built over the past 20 years.
“Matrix Energy Group is a wholly indigenous and independent oil marketing and trading company, with substantial investments in strategic infrastructure, including vessels, oil and gas terminals, trucks, and retail outlets across 28 states, including the Federal Capital Territory.
“We have consistently imported products that meet the approved specifications, and we have never been found wanting. Our commitment to quality is reflected in the fact that none of our customers have ever rejected our products; indeed, demand for Matrix products often exceeds our capacity to supply, a testament to our reputation for reliability.”
