Tinubu Dismisses Mele Kyari, Appoints Bayo Ojulari as NNPC CEO

NNPC Leadership Change: Bayo Ojulari Takes Over from Kyari

On April 2, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced a significant restructuring of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which included the dismissal of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari, and the appointment of Bayo Ojulari as his successor.

Bayo Ojulari brings extensive experience in the oil and gas sector to his new role. He previously served as the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) from 2015 to 2021. Before this, he held various managerial positions in petroleum, process, and production engineering across Europe and the Middle East. Ojulari is also recognized for his contributions to professional organizations, having been chairman and a member of the board of trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigeria Council) between 1998 and 1999.

In addition to Ojulari’s appointment, President Tinubu reconstituted the NNPCL board, appointing an 11-member team aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and restoring investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Ahmadu Musa Kida has been named the non-executive chairman of the board, replacing Pius Akinyelure.

This leadership change is part of the administration’s broader strategy to revitalize the NNPCL, with objectives to increase oil production and improve refining capacities. The government aims to boost oil output to 2 million barrels per day by 2027 and to 3 million barrels per day by 2030.

Similarly, the goal for gas output is to reach 8 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2027, with ambitions to increase to 10 billion by 2030. Additionally, the new board has been tasked with raising the company’s refining capacity to 200,000 barrels per day by 2027 and to 500,000 barrels per day by 2030.