Ojulari takes over from Kyari, vows to elevate company to new heights

Abdullateef Fowewe

In a significant transition at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari has officially succeeded Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer.

During a brief handover ceremony, Ojulari praised Kyari’s contributions and expressed his intent to build upon past successes.

He emphasised the need for cooperation from staff and the guidance of his predecessor to meet ambitious targets.

This was made known in a statement signed in Abuja on Friday, by the NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.

Ojulari further noted that though the targets set for his management were quite massive, he would be relying on the co-operation of the Management and staff of the company, as well as the counsel of his predecessor to achieve set targets.

“I will be counting on your support. I will need it. I will be coming around to seek your counsel,” Ojulari informed Kyari.

In his remarks, Kyari congratulated Ojulari and thanked the Management and staff of the company for their support while in office.

He pledged to do everything within his power to support the new Management to succeed, stressing that he was only a call away.

Dailyeconomy on Wednesday reported that President Bola Tinubu has made significant changes to the NNPCL board, removing Chairman Pius Akinyelure and Group Chief Executive Officer, Kyari.

The new board, effective April 2, 2025, is led by Ojulari as Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive chairman.

Tinubu removed all other board members appointed with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.

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.