Abuja – April 2, 2025: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has overhauled the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, appointing Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Ahmadu Musa Kida as Non-Executive Chairman.
The restructuring, which takes immediate effect, aims to reposition NNPC for greater efficiency, increased investments, and improved crude oil production. The president removed the previous board, including Chairman Chief Pius Akinyelure and Group CEO Mallam Mele Kyari, along with other members appointed in November 2023.
The newly constituted 11-member board includes:
Adedapo Segun (Chief Financial Officer)
Bello Rabiu (North West), Yusuf Usman (North East), Babs Omotowa (North Central), Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South West), and Henry Obih (South East) as Non-Executive Directors
Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya (Federal Ministry of Finance Representative)
Aminu Said Ahmed (Ministry of Petroleum Resources Representative)
President Tinubu, invoking Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021, tasked the new leadership with advancing gas commercialization, energy diversification, and boosting local content. A key directive is to review NNPC’s assets to align with investment and revenue-maximization goals.
Ambitious Goals for the Oil and Gas Sector
The Tinubu administration aims to:
Attract $30 billion in oil and gas investments by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030
Increase crude oil production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2027 and 3 million bpd by 2030
Expand gas production to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion cubic feet by 2030
Boost NNPC’s crude oil refining capacity to 200,000 bpd by 2027 and 500,000 bpd by 2030
Meet the New Leaders: Ojulari and Kida
Bashir Bayo Ojulari – NNPC Group CEO
A seasoned petroleum engineer, Ojulari has extensive experience in Shell and Renaissance Africa Energy Company, where he led the $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC). A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, he previously served as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).
Ahmadu Musa Kida – NNPC Board Chairman
An oil industry veteran and former Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Kida has over three decades of experience in Total Exploration & Production. A civil engineer from Ahmadu Bello University, he played a key role in deepwater operations and gas development.
Farewell to the Outgoing Board
President Tinubu commended the outgoing board members for their service, particularly their contributions to reviving the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
This restructuring signals the administration’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s energy security, boosting investments, and strengthening NNPC’s global standing.
