Tinubu Fires NNPCL CEO Mele Kyari, Appoints Bayo Ojulari as Successor

President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and dissolved its board, including Chairman Chief Pius Akinyelure.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, announced the decision in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Onanuga, Tinubu exercised his authority under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to restructure the NNPCL, aiming to enhance operational efficiency, restore investor confidence, and make the company more commercially viable.

The president has now approved a new 11-member board, appointing Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group CEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the non-executive chairman.

According to the statement, “Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Isa Ajiya as the chief financial officer last November, has been appointed to the new board by President Tinubu.

“Six board members, non-executive directors, represent the country’s geopolitical zones. They are Bello Rabiu, North West, Yusuf Usman, North East, and Babs Omotowa, a former managing director of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas( NLNG), who represents North Central.

“President Tinubu appointed Austin Avuru as a non-executive director from the South-South, David Ige as a Non-executive director from the South West, and Henry Obih as a non-executive director from the South East.

“Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, will represent the ministry on the new board, while Aminu Said Ahmed will represent the Ministry of Petroleum Resources”.

He added that all the appointments are effective as of today, April 2.