The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd has appointed Maryam Idrisu as Managing Director of NNPC Trading and Obioma Abangwu as Chief Liaison Officer for Board Matters.
This followed the reported sack of over 200 staff, including loyalists of the former Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari.
According to sources, those departing immediately are Bala Wunti, former chief of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), and Ibrahim Onoja, managing director of the Kaduna Refinery.
Also asked to leave is Lawal Sade, the Chief Compliance Officer and former Managing Director of NNPC Trading.
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It was gathered that over 200 employees have been impacted, marking the beginning of what may be a series of staff changes.
However, a source in the company said the sacking was conditional and for staff who have 17 months and below before their retirement.
“Many of those affected had about 17 months and below to retire so they were given incentives to retire early to allow fresh people into the system. It is a practice that has been going on for years in the NNPC. Some of those who were promoted also worked with Kyari,” the source said.
Profile of new appointees
According to the LinkedIn profile of Maryam Idrisu, she previously served as the Executive Director, Planning & Commercial, NNPC Trading and was also the Executive Director, Crude & Condensate, NNPC Trading Limited.
She also served as Manager, Pricing & Valuation, Crude Oil Marketing Division, Manager, Pricing & Valuation, Crude Oil Marketing Division and Deputy Manager, Pricing & Performance, Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC.
The profile also stated that Maryam studied Economics at the University of Abuja from 1996 – 1999, and obtained her Masters at the University of Dundee in Energy Economics, 2004 to 2005.
While the full profile of Obioma Abangwu could not be obtained due to her limited presence online, information on the website of NNPC showed that she was formerly the Head, Corporate Law, and Board Matters of the oil coy and a lover of golf.
Ojulari’s restructuring
Since his appointment as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bashir Bayo Ojulari, has engaged in restructuring the oil conglomerate.
The GCEO started with the appointment of an eight-member senior management team.
The team consists of Rowland Ewubare as Group Chief Operating Officer; Adedapo Segun as Group Chief Financial Officer; and Olalekan Ogunleye as Executive Vice President Gas, Power & New Energy.
Other members of the team include; Udy Ntia as Executive Vice President Upstream; Mumuni Dangazau as Executive Vice President Downstream; Sophia Mbakwe as Executive Vice President Business Services; and Adesua Dozie, as Company Secretary & Chief Legal Officer.
The GCEO had during his takeover of office, pledged that the objective of his management will be to consolidate on the successes of his predecessor, Mele Kyari, and take the company to the next level.
Ojulari commended Kyari for his contributions to the growth of NNPC Ltd and his sterling service to the nation.
He also said though the targets set for his management were quite challenging, he would be relying on the cooperation of the management and staff of the company, as well as the counsel of his predecessor to achieve the target.
“I will be counting on your support. I will need it. I will be coming around to seek your counsel,” Ojulari told Kyari.
Vows to pursue bold ambitions
While speaking during a town hall meeting with staff, Ojulari also vow to pursue the company’s bold ambitions and build an NNPCL that will be the pride of all Nigerians.
Unveiling his agenda, Ojulari said the NNPC Ltd under his stewardship aims to attract sectoral investments worth $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030; raise crude oil production to over 2 million barrels per day, sustained through 2027 and attain 3 million by 2030; expand refining output to 200kbpd by 2027, and 500kbpd by 2030; grow gas production to 10bcf per day by 2027, and 12bcf by 2030 and deepen energy access and affordability for all Nigerians.
To achieve these targets, the company will be focusing on reconfiguring its business structure for agility and value creation; conducting independent value assessments to inform data-driven decisions; enforcing a robust performance management framework; building transparent, value-aligned partnerships with all stakeholders and most critically, taking control of its narrative.
While explaining the criticality of pursuing the company’s bold ambitions, the Group CEO said the targets are not just metrics, but indicators of hope, jobs, industrial growth, and energy security for millions of Nigerians.
Describing NNPC Ltd as a renewed, forward-facing, and future-ready organisation that is proudly leading Nigeria’s energy transformation, Ojulari said “it’s time we tell our story—one of innovation, reform, and national pride.”
He charged staff to be proud of NNPC Ltd’s recent transformation, stressing that the next journey to becoming a fully-fledged limited liability company will require the collective drive towards making NNPC more transparent, profitable and accountable.
The Group CEO pledged to give all employees the space to be able to outperform competitors. “We will provide the best combination where the experienced and the young will both thrive towards achieving our set targets,” he assured.
Kyari’s sack
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had last month sacked the board of the NNPCL including its Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari and board chairman Pius Akinyelure.
A statement by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the president removed all board members appointed along with Akinyelure and Kyari in November 2023.
Kyari was first appointed NNPC chief by former President Muhammadu Buhari but reappointed in 2023 by President Tinubu.
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A renowned professor of petroleum economics, Wunmi Iledare, said NNPCL needs to be transparent and accountable in disclosing the reason for relieving the workers.
He said there is nothing wrong in rebranding and restructuring as the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 guarantees job security of NNPCL’s staff.
While stating that the appropriate words for disengaged staff is “relieve”, he said the rekindling of the NNPC’s restructuring “may require relieving some staff of their duties. However, the PIA 2021 demands transparency and accountability in all decision-making processes. No profiling and no politics and the rules of law must be the first condition to optimise the flavour of the desired winepress of the new wine skin, otherwise you will face fear.
He added that the new board should be allowed to do what will make them accomplish the PIA objectives.
On whether lack of confidence might be the reason for disengaging the MD of Port Harcourt Refinery, he said, “maybe, and I’m not speaking on their behalf, I don’t have any right to. I’m just thinking that they must have reviewed what has happened in the Port Harcourt Refinery and perhaps they don’t think the current team there is going to be able to accomplish the purpose and the plan that they have in mind.
“But they must let people know, without necessarily releasing private information, why this is not working. Again, let me go back to PIA. PIA gives the responsibility for the sustainable operation of NNPC Limited to the NNPC management team and gives the responsibility for strategic decision making to the board of directors and the two of them are more or less mandated to be transparent and accountable.
This means they must be able to provide for anybody that is relieved of their position, the reason behind it so as not to allow speculation and create anarchy, and to derail their ability to go forward. Transparency and accountability, following the rule of law, are key. Both of them are key to attracting investment.
“The public perception index must be high for NNPC to be able to accomplish what they desire to accomplish. So, it may be confidence; the management must have confidence in management team members to be in alignment with the definition of government.
“It must be in accordance with the law. Anything that breaks the rule of law has consequences.”
