Buhari appoints New NNPC GMD – Mele Kolo Kyari

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a new Group Management Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Buhari appointed Mele Kolo Kyari as the new head of the corporation, and seven others as Chief Operating Officers.

The announcement was made in a statement signed by NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Ndu Ughamadu, on Thursday.

Kyari replaces Maikanti Baru who was appointed in 2017.

The statement read in part:

President Buhari has directed that the New GMD and the newly appointed COOs work with the current occupiers of the various offices till 7th July 2019 towards a smooth transition on 8th July 2019 when their appointments would take effect to ensure a smooth transition. However, the appointment of Mr Farouk Garba Said (North West), who is replacing a retiring Chief Operating Officer, is effective from 28th June 2019.

Kyari was Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of the NNPC. The geologist has, since May 13, 2018, been Nigeria’s National Representative to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Ughamadu’s statement described as “a quintessential crude oil marketer with prerequisite certification and outfield pedigree in Petroleum Economics and crude oil and gas trading.”

The statement continued: “In the last 27 years, he had traversed the entire value chain of the Petroleum Industry, with exceptional records of performance. Under his watch, the Crude Oil Marketing Division has recorded noticeable transformation in the management and sales of various Nigeria’s crude oil grades via an infusion of transparency and automation of the processes.”

The newly appointed Chief Operating Officers are as follows:

• Roland Onoriode Ewubare (S/South) – COO Upstream
• Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu (N/ Central) – COO Refining & Petrochemicals
• Yusuf Usman (N/East) – COO, Gas & Power
• Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu (S/East), COO Ventures
• Umar Isa Ajiya (N/West) – Chief Financial Officer
• Adeyemi Adetunji (S/West) – COO, Downstream and
• Farouk Garba Said (N/West) – COO, Corporate Services.