The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has confirmed that the fuel product known as ‘Bobibos’, which recently went viral on social media, has not yet received any official certification from the government.

The Director General of Oil and Gas at the ESDM, Laode Sulaeman, explained that Bobibos fuel is currently undergoing a series of laboratory tests at the Oil and Gas Testing Center (Lemigas).

However, Laode declined to disclose the results of those laboratory tests, even though the product’s developers claimed that Bobibos has a Research Octane Number (RON) of 98. He emphasized that test results are confidential and not meant for public release.

“When a product undergoes testing, the outcome is simply a test report, not an official certification. I need to clarify this to prevent any misinformation. I also heard claims that this product had already been certified, so I want to make it clear here that Bobibos has not been certified yet,” said Laode to reporters at the ESDM headquarters on Friday, November 7, 2025.

Laode further stressed that laboratory testing does not automatically authorize the product to be sold to the public.

He explained that the certification process for fuel products involves a lengthy procedure, including a minimum testing period of eight months to determine whether the product is safe and meets the necessary standards.

Nevertheless, Laode stated that the government does not intend to hinder public innovation. He encouraged creative efforts in developing alternative fuels, but reminded innovators that they must comply with legal and technical procedures if they intend to distribute their products commercially.

“I want to clarify the legal procedure by which a fuel product can be officially recognized and approved by the government as a legitimate energy source,” he asserted.

Previously, Bobibos fuel had become widely discussed across social media platforms. According to its official Instagram account, ‘Bobibos’ stands for Bahan Bakar Original Buatan Indonesia Bos, which translates to Original Indonesian-Made Fuel, Boss.

The product is reportedly made from locally grown plants in several regions, including paddy fields, and is claimed to be environmentally friendly. In addition, the developers assert that Bobibos can travel longer distances compared to conventional fuels.

Representatives of the development team claimed that the fuel had undergone certification testing through an official institution under the ESDM, and that they were ready to expand its production through cross-sector collaboration.