&w=64&q=75)
President Bola Tinubu has received massive applause for his decision to remove Malam Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
Tinubu disbanded the NNPCL board on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, and reconstituted it with appointments into various key positions. He approved the removal of Chief Pius Akinyelure as the chairman and Kyari as the GCEO, among others.
The President replaced Kayari with Bashir Bayo Ojulari as Group CEO, and Ahmadu Kida replaced Akinyelure as non-executive chairman. Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umaru Ajiya as chief financial officer last November, has been appointed to the new board.
The restructuring aligns with the government’s vision of revitalising the oil sector and increasing Nigeria’s crude oil production and refining capacity.
ALSO READ: Meet Bashir Ojulari: The new CEO of NNPCL
Reacting to the development, an energy advocacy group, the Energy Reforms Advocates (ERA), lauded Tinubu's decision, describing it as a courageous step toward reforming Nigeria’s oil sector and tackling entrenched corruption.
This is contained in a statement by Abdulkadri Isah, president of ERA, on Wednesday.
Isah said Kyari’s removal would allow a full investigation into alleged fraudulent refinery projects under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
“The dismissal of Mele Kyari signals a new dawn in our nation’s commitment to eradicating corruption in the oil and gas sector. We commend President Tinubu for demonstrating the political will to confront these challenges head-on,” he stated.
Group demands probe of fake refinery projects
ERA also urged the newly appointed leadership of the NNPCL to prioritise an audit of past projects and ensure accountability in the sector.
“The probe into fake refinery projects must be swift and thorough. Nigerians deserve to know how billions of dollars were allocated to non-existent or uncompleted projects while the country continued to rely on fuel imports,” he stated.
It called on relevant anti-corruption agencies to support the process, warning that failure to expose past mismanagement would hinder any meaningful reform.
READ ALSO: Kyari gets 72 hours ultimatum to resign as NNPCL boss
“This investigation should not end with a change in leadership. There must be consequences for those who mismanaged funds and deceived Nigerians. The government must set a precedent that corruption will no longer be tolerated,” Isah added.
The group also expressed optimism that under fresh leadership, the NNPC could regain public trust and reposition itself as a driver of economic growth.
“With competent leadership, the NNPC can finally fulfill its mandate. We expect reforms that will boost local refining capacity, attract investment, and ultimately reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products,” the statement read.