President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a new Group Managing Director for Nigeria’s National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, with effect from 7th July, 2019. Mr. Mele Kolo Kyari is the new Group Managing Director of the NNPC, replacing incumbent Maikanti Baru who is due to retire in July.
President Buhari has also appointed seven (7) new Chief Operating Officers with effect from 7th July, 2019. They are:
1.Mr. Roland Onoriode Ewubare(South-South) – Chief Operating Officer, Upstream;
Engineer Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu (North-Central) – Chief Operating Officer, Refining and Petrochemicals;
Engineer Yusuf Usman (North-East) – Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power;
Ms. Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu (South-East) – Chief Operating Officer, Ventures;
Mr. Umar Isa Ajiya (North-West) – Chief Financial Officer;
Engineer Adeyemi Adetunji (South-West) – Chief Operating Officer, Downstream; and
Mr. Farouk Garba Said (North-West) – Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services (with effect from 28th June, 2019);
The President has directed that the new appointees work with the current occupants of the various positions between now and 7th July, 2019 towards a smooth transition on 8th July, 2019. The new Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Kyari Mele Kolo hails from Borno State. A geologist, Mallam Kyari is a quintessential crude oil marketer with prerequisite certification and outfield pedigree in petroleum economics and crude oil and gas trading. He is currently Nigeria’s Representative at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) where he provides leadership and participates in engagements relating to Crude oil, Gas production and associated market issues. Kyari, considered by many at the NNPC towers as a model servant leader who’s actions inspire, serve, and empower others to produce the best. He is credited with the transformation of the management of the complex Crude oil Marketing of the nation’s crude oil through the establishment of world class systems and processes. Mele Kyari, who shares the same surname with President Buhari’s Chief of Staff is not related to Abba Kyari with those in contact with him during his 28 years at the corporation describing him as results-driven leader. Kyari, led a team that proposed and managed the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) arrangement of Petroleum products from 2016 to date, a process that saved the nation $1 million in 2016 when compared with the previous crude SWAP arrangement with products. He also led various work teams in developing the Petroleum Industry Bill which ensured that Government’s take in the Production Sharing Contract Arrangement is greatly enhanced, and contributed immensely in resolving the disputes with International Oil Companies (IOCs) arising from the various interpretation issues with the PSCs averting claims of $9 billion dollars filed by the IOCs. He started his carrier as a Field Geologist with the Department of Geological Survey of Nigeria. He joined NNPC in 1991 as a Processing Geophysicist with Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL). In 1998 he was deployed to National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) as worked as an Exploration Geophysicist. In 2007, Mr. Kyari was given the role to head Production Sharing Contracts Management in Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD). While in COMD, he displayed exceptional management qualities that led to his appointment in 2014 as General Manager, Crude Oil Stock Management and in 2015 he became Group General Manager, COMD, a position he held till date. His knowledge of the industry had projected positive image for Nigeria at various international fora where he presented papers that highlight the enhanced and transparent National dealings in petroleum trades by the NNPC. Besides his professional accomplishments, Kyari has also been quietly working to make operations of the NNPC more transparent and accountable as the Corporation’s Focal person for the Open Government Initiative- a drive aimed at making governance more open and participatory. The procurement process he put in place for the DSDP (Direct Sale of Crude Oil and Direct Purchase of Petroleum Product) resulted in saving of over $1 billion every year since 2016. In addition, he is the Focal Person for NNPC’s Commodity Trading Initiative. This initiative makes it possible for Government to know those who are buying the country’s crude and at what prices, and how much has been made. Kyari, created effective systems to ensure maximum transparency and accountability of crude oil and gas sales in the industry. He has also restored sanity to the operations of Crude Oil & Gas Terminals owing to his leadership supervision. He is also a unionist, and many have cited his activism as a trade unionist as likely reason why he is an advocate for transparency. He is fondly called by other unionists as “grand chairman.” Kyari was born on the 8th of January 1965 in Maiduguri, Borno State. He attended Government Community Secondary School Biu in Borno State between 1977 to 1982. Mr. Kyari graduated from University of Maiduguri in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Geology. Kyari has also created effective systems to ensure maximum transparency and accountability of crude oil and gas sales in the industry. He has also restored sanity to the operations of Crude Oil & Gas Terminals owing to his leadership supervision. He was NNPC’s former General Manager, Crude Oil Stock Management, 2014-2015 NNPC Manager, Production Contracts Management- 2008-2014, Kyari has participated in various deepwater projects across the globe.