President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, officially inaugurated the newly appointed board and executive management team of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The inauguration ceremony was held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, just before the President proceeded to participate in the National Summit of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which took place at the Banquet Hall of the Villa.
This inauguration follows the announcement made by the Presidency seven weeks earlier regarding the new appointments, which marked a significant leadership transition within Nigeria’s premier oil corporation.
The appointments effectively brought an end to the tenure of Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPCL—a position he had held since the company was transformed into a limited liability entity under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The newly constituted board reflects a diverse representation of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones and key stakeholders in the petroleum and energy sectors. The members include:
Adedapo Segun – Board member with vast experience in the oil and gas industry.
Bello Rabiu – Appointed to represent the North West geopolitical zone.
Yusuf Usman – Representing the North East region, he brings years of expertise in petroleum engineering and asset management.
Babs Omotowa – A former Managing Director of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Omotowa will represent the North Central zone. He is widely respected for his leadership in the LNG sector and contributions to global energy policy.
Austin Avuru – Appointed as a non-executive director representing the South-South zone. Avuru is a seasoned oil and gas executive and the co-founder of Seplat Energy.
David Ige – A strategic thinker and former Executive Director at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ige will serve as a non-executive director from the South West.
Henry Obih – Representing the South East, Obih is a veteran in the downstream petroleum sector and served as Group Executive Director at the NNPC.
Mrs. Lydia Jafiya – Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance. She will serve as the statutory representative of the ministry on the NNPCL board.
Aminu Ahmed – Represents the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and brings policy experience essential to aligning the company’s operations with national energy goals.
All appointments officially took effect from April 2, 2025, and the new leadership team is expected to steer the NNPCL through a new era of reform, transparency, and efficiency, aligning with President Tinubu’s administration’s broader economic agenda.
This board is charged with the responsibility of transforming the NNPCL into a commercially viable and globally competitive national oil company, as envisioned by the PIA.
The President, while addressing the new board members, emphasized the importance of integrity, innovation, and accountability in managing Nigeria’s most critical revenue-generating institution.
He expressed confidence in the board’s capability to deliver on their mandate and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economic stability and energy security.
The inauguration marks a critical milestone in the administration’s ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector, which is pivotal to Nigeria’s economic development and global competitiveness in the energy market.