Overview of NNPCL leadership from 1977 till date [Full List]

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) has entered a transformative phase with a sweeping overhaul of its leadership structure under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Announced on April 2, 2025, this bold move seeks to improve operational efficiency, bolster transparency, and reposition Africa’s largest state-owned oil company for commercial competitiveness.

Formerly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the NNPC was officially restructured into a limited liability company in July 2022 following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) of 2021.

Today, NNPC Limited boasts an asset base of approximately $153 billion and remains the exclusive licensee operating across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain, upstream, midstream, and downstream, while partnering with global oil majors to manage the country’s hydrocarbon assets.

Tinubu’s leadership reset

President Tinubu’s reconstitution of the NNPC Limited board marks a distinct shift from the structure established during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The dissolved board featured Senator Margret Chuba Okadigbo as Chairperson, Mele Kyari as Group CEO, and Umar I. Ajiya as CFO.

In the new setup:

Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari has been appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Mele Kyari.
Ahmadu Musa Kida takes over as Non-Executive Chairman.

Adedapo Segun, who replaced Umar I. Ajiya as CFO in November 2024, has been officially confirmed as a board member.

New Non-Executive Directors Representing Nigeria’s Geopolitical Zones:

Bello Rabiu – North West
Yusuf Usman – North East
Babs Omotowa – North Central
Austin Avuru – South-South
David Ige – South-West
Henry Obih – South-East

Additional board representatives include Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Aminu Ahmed, representing the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Appointments to Regulatory Agencies

Key leadership changes were also made in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority:

Francis Alabo Ogaree (Rivers) – Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing

Mustapha Lamorde (Adamawa) – Executive Director, HSE and Community

Mansur Kuliya (Kano) – Executive Director, Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund

Bashir Sadiq (Sokoto) – Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration

Dr. Zainab Gobir (Kwara) – Executive Director, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning

New council members of the Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure Fund include Efong Abia (Akwa Ibom), Bobboi Ahmed (Adamawa), and Engr. Abdullahi Bukar (Katsina).

This leadership overhaul is part of Tinubu’s broader effort to ensure stronger governance and commercial viability within NNPC Limited, amid rising calls for improved accountability and strategic energy management.

Chronology of NNPC Leadership (1977 till date)

Since its inception in 1977, NNPC/NNPC Limited has been led by a succession of Group Managing Directors (GMDs) and, more recently, Group Chief Executive Officers (GCEOs), who have each influenced Nigeria’s oil and gas trajectory:

1. R. A. Marinho (1977–1980)
2. Odiligi Lolomari (1980–1981)
3. Lawrence Amu (1981–1985)
4. Aret Adams (1985–1990)
5. Thomas John (1990)
6. Edmund Daukoru (1992–1993)
7. Chamberlin Oyibo (1993–1995)
8. Dalhatu Bayero (1995–1999)
9. Jackson Gaius-Obaseki (1999–2003)
10. Funsho Kupolokun (2003–2007)
11. Abubakar Yar’Adua (2007–2009)
12. Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo (2009–2010)
13. Shehu Ladan (2010)
14. Augustine Oniwon (2010–2012)
15. Andrew Yakubu (2012–2014)
16. Joseph Thlama Dawha (2014–2015)
17. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu (2015–2016)
18. Maikanti Baru (2016–2019)
19. Mele Kyari (2019–2025)
20. Bashir Bayo Ojulari (2025–Present)