President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially inaugurated the newly reconstituted board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), naming Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and appointing Ahmadu Musa Kida as the Non-Executive Chairman. The swearing-in ceremony took place on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at the President’s office in the State House, Abuja, just ahead of his attendance at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Summit at the Banquet Hall of the State House.
According to ThePulseInfo, the inauguration signals a renewed commitment by the federal government to reposition Nigeria’s energy sector for improved efficiency, accountability, and global competitiveness. President Tinubu emphasized that the new board members were carefully selected based on their proven experience, integrity, and understanding of the energy industry, as well as their representation of the country’s diverse regions.
The 11-member board is designed to reflect a strategic blend of professional expertise and geopolitical balance. Notable appointees include Adedapo Segun and Bello Rabiu, both representing the North West; Yusuf Usman from the North East; and Babs Omotowa, former Managing Director of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), representing the North Central zone.
Other distinguished members of the board are Austin Avuru, a seasoned industry expert appointed as Non-Executive Director for the South-South; David Ige, representing the South-West; and Henry Obih, standing in for the South-East. The inclusion of these individuals is seen as a deliberate move to ensure that the board brings together a wide array of regional insights and technical know-how to guide the NNPCL through its critical transformation phase.
Also appointed to the board is Lydia Shehu Jafiya, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, who will represent the ministry on the board. Additionally, Aminu Said Ahmed will serve as the representative of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, completing the roster of officials tasked with overseeing the strategic direction of Nigeria’s flagship energy company.
The ceremony was attended by several high-ranking government officials, including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri. Their presence at the event underscored the importance the federal government places on the NNPCL as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic growth and energy security.
During his address, President Tinubu urged the newly inaugurated board to prioritize transparency, accountability, and innovation. He challenged them to develop and execute strategies that will drive the NNPCL toward operational excellence and long-term sustainability. Tinubu highlighted the urgent need for reforms in the energy sector to align with global best practices and address the ongoing challenges of production inefficiencies, infrastructure deficits, and crude oil theft.
He also tasked the board with repositioning NNPCL to not only be a revenue-generating enterprise but also a critical enabler of national development through job creation, industrialization, and technological advancement.
All appointments to the board officially took effect from April 2, 2025. This is part of a broader effort by the Tinubu administration to revamp public institutions and enhance the delivery of service to the Nigerian people.
Industry analysts believe that the appointment of Bashir Ojulari as GCEO is particularly significant given his extensive background in petroleum economics and project management. Ojulari is expected to bring a data-driven, results-oriented approach to NNPCL’s operations and help steer the company toward global relevance in a rapidly changing energy landscape.
With a fresh board now in place, expectations are high among industry stakeholders and the Nigerian public for a new era of performance and accountability at the NNPCL. The next few months will likely reveal how effectively the new leadership team can translate the administration’s vision into tangible results.
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