By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has officially ushered in a new era of leadership as Bayo Ojulari assumed office as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), succeeding Mele Kyari, who bowed out after years of service at the helm.
The symbolic handover ceremony, held on Friday at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, marked a smooth transition of leadership in Africa’s largest oil company. Addressing management and staff, Ojulari commended Kyari for his transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to national development.
“This is a moment of continuity and consolidation,” Ojulari said. “We are inheriting a legacy of reform and innovation, and it is our responsibility to build on these achievements to take NNPC Ltd. to greater heights.”
Acknowledging the enormity of the task ahead, Ojulari emphasized the importance of collaboration across all levels of the company. “The goals before us are ambitious, but with your cooperation and the guidance of my predecessor, we will succeed,” he said. “I will be reaching out. I will be seeking your counsel.”
In his valedictory remarks, Kyari congratulated his successor and expressed gratitude to the NNPC workforce for their support during his tenure. He pledged to remain available to assist the new leadership whenever needed.
“I have absolute confidence in your ability to lead this company into its next chapter,” Kyari told Ojulari. “And I remain just a phone call away.”
The transition comes at a critical time for NNPC Ltd., as the company continues its transformation into a fully commercial entity and intensifies efforts to reposition Nigeria’s oil and gas sector for greater efficiency, transparency, and global competitiveness.
