NNPCL Shake-up: Tinubu Removes Mele Kyari, Pius Akinyelure, Appoints New Leadership
President Bola Tinubu has dismissed the chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Chief Pius Akinyelure, and the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, in a sweeping overhaul of the company’s leadership.
The president also dissolved the entire board of the NNPCL, which had been appointed in November 2023, and announced a new 11-member board. Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari has been named the Group Chief Executive Officer, while Ahmadu Musa Kida has been appointed as the non-executive chairman.
New Board Members and Their Representation
The newly appointed board consists of members drawn from Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. The six non-executive directors representing various regions are:
- Bello Rabiu – North West
- Yusuf Usman – North East
- Babs Omotowa – North Central
- Austin Avuru – South-South
- David Ige – South West
- Henry Obih – South East
Additionally, Adedapo Segun, who had replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as Chief Financial Officer last November, has now been formally appointed to the new board.
Two representatives from key ministries were also included:
- Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya – Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance
- Aminu Said Ahmed – Representative, Ministry of Petroleum Resources
Reasons for Restructuring
Explaining the rationale behind the board’s dissolution and the appointment of new leadership, President Tinubu invoked his powers under Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021. He stated that the restructuring was aimed at achieving several key objectives.
“President Tinubu, invoking the powers granted under Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, emphasised that the board’s restructuring is crucial for enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialisation and diversification,” the statement from the presidency read.
President Tinubu has charged the new leadership with immediate responsibilities, including reviewing the company’s assets and investments.
“President Tinubu also handed out an immediate action plan to the new board: to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture Assets to ensure alignment with value maximisation objectives.”
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Who is Ahmadu Musa Kida?
Ahmadu Musa Kida, the new NNPCL chairman, hails from Borno State. He is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he obtained a degree in civil engineering in 1984. He later pursued a postgraduate diploma in petroleum engineering at the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris.
Kida began his career at Elf Petroleum Nigeria before moving to Total Exploration and Production in 1985. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, becoming Total Nigeria’s Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services in 2015. In 2024, he was appointed as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.
Aside from his work in the oil industry, Kida is also known for his contributions to Nigerian basketball. He previously served as the president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Who is Bashir Bayo Ojulari?
Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the new NNPCL Group CEO, is from Kwara State. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Ojulari started his career as the first Nigerian process engineer at Elf Aquitaine before moving to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd in 1991 as an associate production technologist. He later held various technical and managerial roles in Europe and the Middle East, focusing on petroleum production, strategic planning, and field development.
In 2015, he was appointed Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO). Until his recent appointment, he was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company, where he played a key role in the $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).
Ojulari is also a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and has served as chairman of the board of trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council).
Tinubu Acknowledges Outgoing Board Members
President Tinubu expressed his appreciation for the outgoing board members, particularly for their efforts in reviving Nigeria’s refineries.
“President Tinubu thanked the old board members for their dedicated service to NNPC Limited, particularly their efforts in rehabilitating the old Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which enabled them to resume petroleum product production after prolonged shutdowns. He wished them well in their future endeavours.”
