Finally, the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari,has lost his job.
President Bola Tinubu sacked him, according to a statement issued today, Wednesday, April 2, by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga.
Tinubu also dissolved the NNPCL Board, firing its Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure.
Speculations on Kyari’s possible removal from office had,from time to time, gripped the nation since 2023.
Onanuga said Tinubu invoked his powers under section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to carry out the sweeping reconstitution, citing the need for “enhanced operational efficiency, restored investor confidence, and a more commercially viable NNPC.”
The presidential spokesman said Tinubu approved a new 11-man board, which has Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive Chairman.
The statement stated: “Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the Chief Financial Officer last November, has been appointed to the new board by President Tinubu.
“Six board members, non-executive directors, represent the country’s geopolitical zones. They are Bello Rabiu, North West, Yusuf Usman, North East, and Babs Omotowa, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas( NLNG), who represents North Central.
“President Tinubu appointed Austin Avuru as a non-executive director from the South-South, David Ige as a Non-executive director from the South West, and Henry Obih as a non-executive director from the South East.
“Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, will represent the Ministry on the new board, while Aminu Said Ahmed will represent the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.”
All the appointments take effect from today, Onanuga said.
