Profiles of new NNPCL Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, Board Chairman, Musa Kida
By Kunle Sanni
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday appointed Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the new non-executive chairman of Nigeria’s state-owned oil and gas company.
This appointment follows the removal of Mele Kyari, the former NNPCL Group Managing Director (GMD), along with all other board members, including Chairman Chief Pius Akinyelure, who were appointed in November 2023.
All appointments are effective as of April 2, according to a statement from the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.
President Tinubu issued this directive in accordance with Section 59, subsection 2 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021.
He emphasized that restructuring the board is essential for enhancing operational efficiency, restoring investor confidence, boosting local content, driving economic growth, and advancing gas commercialization and diversification.
Bayo Ojulari: A Seasoned Energy Executive
Bayo Ojulari brings over three decades of experience in the global energy sector to his new role as the head of NNPCL.
He is an accomplished business leader with extensive expertise in upstream oil and gas operations, project development, and corporate strategy.
Ojulari’s career began at Elf Petroleum Nigeria (now part of TotalEnergies) as a Fields and Process Engineer in 1989. He joined Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in 1991 as an Associate Production Technologist and steadily climbed the ranks within the global oil giant. His tenure at Shell spanned over 24 years, culminating in his appointment as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) in 2015, a position he held until 2021.
Throughout his career, Ojulari held various leadership roles, including Head of Planning, Economics, and Budgeting at SPDC, Asset Leader in Oman, and Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Planner at Shell’s headquarters. His expertise in project development was further demonstrated during his time as Development Director at SPDC Nigeria.
Following his retirement from Shell, Ojulari established BAT Advisory and Energy Company Nigeria Ltd, providing consultancy services in the energy sector. In early 2024, he was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company, which recently acquired Shell’s onshore assets in Nigeria.
His appointment as NNPCL’s GCEO comes at a crucial time, as the company faces pressing challenges, including operational inefficiencies, corruption allegations, and the broader transition in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Musa Kida: Experienced Oil Executive and Sports Administrator
Ahmadu Musa Kida, the newly appointed non-executive chairman of NNPCL, is a veteran of the oil and gas industry with over 32 years of experience. A graduate of Ahmadu Bello University with a Postgraduate Diploma in Petroleum Engineering from the French Petroleum Institute (IFP), Kida has held key leadership roles in TotalEnergies.
He joined Elf Petroleum Nigeria Limited (now TotalEnergies) in 1985, working on major projects such as the OBITE Gas Plant, the AMENAM/KPONO Phase 1 Project, and the OML 58 Upgrade. After serving as an Offshore Installation Manager (OIM), he moved into senior operational roles, leading staff development and overseeing major deepwater projects.
In 2014, Kida was appointed Executive Director and Board Member of Total Exploration & Production Nigeria (TEPNG). A year later, he became Deputy Managing Director of Total’s Deepwater District, where he played a significant role in the Egina Deepwater Project, a development expected to add 200,000 barrels of oil per day to Nigeria’s output.
Beyond the oil sector, Kida is a passionate sports administrator and currently serves as the President of the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF). His leadership in sports governance has earned him recognition both locally and internationally.
