President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has executed a dramatic overhaul of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, dissolving the existing board and replacing key leadership figures. The sweeping changes, announced via a presidential statement on X, see the departure of Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari and Board Chairman Pius Akinyelure, effective April 2, 2025.
New Board Chair: Ahmadu Musa Kida – From Court to Crude
- Ahmadu Musa Kida, hailing from Borno State, has been appointed as the new NNPC Board Chairman.
- Kida’s career spans both the basketball court and the oil industry.
- A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, with a degree in Civil Engineering, he also holds a postgraduate diploma in Petroleum Engineering from the Institut Francaise du Petrol (IFP) in Paris.
- His extensive oil sector experience includes roles at Elf Petroleum Nigeria and Total Exploration and Production, culminating in his position as Deputy Managing Director of Deep Water Services at Total Nigeria in 2015.
- Most recently, he served as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Pan Ocean-Newcross Group.
- Notably, Kida is also a former basketball player and the current president of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF).
New GCEO: Bashir Ojulari – Shell Acquisition Architect - Bashir Ojulari, from Kwara State, assumes the role of NNPC’s new Group Chief Executive Officer.
- Prior to this appointment, Ojulari was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company.
- He recently played a key role in the $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) equity by a consortium of indigenous energy firms.
- Ojulari, also an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
- His career includes stints at Elf Aquitaine and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd, with extensive experience in Nigeria, Europe, and the Middle East.
- He served as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) in 2015.
- Ojulari is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and has held leadership positions within the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council).
Impact: These changes signal a significant shift in the leadership of Nigeria’s crucial oil sector. The appointments of Kida and Ojulari, both with extensive experience in their respective fields, are expected to bring fresh perspectives and drive the NNPC forward.
