In a landmark shake-up at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, more than 200 senior staff members-including several close associates of former Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari-have been dismissed as part of a sweeping management restructuring. The move, led by new CEO Bayo Ojulari, marks the most significant overhaul at the state oil giant in years and signals a new era of leadership and accountability for Nigeria’s most critical economic institution..
Among those affected are Bala Wunti, former chief of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS); Ibrahim Onoja, managing director of the Kaduna Refinery; and Lawal Sade, chief compliance officer and former managing director of NNPC Trading. These executives, widely regarded as Kyari loyalists, were relieved of their duties just weeks after Kyari’s own removal on April 2, 2025, and the subsequent appointment of Ojulari as GCEO.
The restructuring has also ushered in a wave of new appointments, notably increasing female representation in NNPC’s top ranks. Maryam Idrisu has been named managing director of NNPC Trading, overseeing all crude oil transactions, while Obioma Abangwu has been appointed chief liaison officer for board matters-both significant steps toward gender balance in the company’s leadership.
The changes come on the heels of President Bola Tinubu’s reconstitution of the NNPC board and his directive for a comprehensive strategic review of the company’s portfolio. The administration’s broader goals include boosting operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, and advancing Nigeria’s oil and gas ambitions-such as raising oil production to three million barrels per day by 2030 and scaling up gas output.
Ojulari, an industry veteran with over two decades of experience, faces the formidable task of transforming NNPC into a more transparent, efficient, and competitive entity. This will likely involve further workforce reductions, asset sales-especially of non-core businesses like petrol stations and underperforming refineries-and a renewed focus on oil production. Analysts warn, however, that such changes could face resistance from entrenched political interests and will require deft management of internal dynamics, including ethnic and regional considerations.
The restructuring has reportedly been well received by many within NNPC, who view it as a long-overdue move to align the company with global best practices and national priorities. The shake-up is also seen as an effort to place “round pegs in round holes,” ensuring that appointments are based on merit and the needs of the organization rather than patronage.
President Tinubu’s administration has made oil sector reform a central pillar of its economic strategy, aiming to attract up to $60 billion in investment by 2030 and significantly expand domestic refining capacity. The recent changes at NNPC are widely interpreted as a first step toward achieving these ambitious targets.
As NNPC embarks on this new chapter, industry watchers will be closely monitoring how Ojulari and his team navigate the complex landscape of Nigerian oil politics, operational challenges, and the push for greater transparency. With more changes anticipated in the coming months, the success of this restructuring will be pivotal not only for NNPC but for the broader Nigerian economy, which remains heavily reliant on oil revenues.
The coming period will test whether the reforms can break with the past and deliver the efficiency, investment, and innovation needed to secure Nigeria’s energy future.