In a significant move, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) has carried out a major management overhaul, leading to the dismissal of several top officials.
Among those who were removed are Bala Wunti, the former chief of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), and Ibrahim Onoja, who was the managing director of the Kaduna Refinery.
Additionally, Lawal Sade, previously the chief compliance officer and managing director of NNPC Trading, has also been asked to leave.
These departures come on the heels of Mele Kyari‘s removal as group chief executive officer (GCEO) on April 2, 2025. It is believed that the dismissed staff members were closely connected to Kyari.
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The restructuring has impacted around 200 employees so far, and this is expected to be just the beginning of further staff changes within the organisation.
One of the notable aspects of the new leadership is a shift towards greater female representation in senior roles.
Maryam Idrisu has been appointed the managing director of NNPC Trading, where she will be responsible for overseeing crude oil transactions. In another key development, Obioma Abangwu has been named the chief liaison officer, handling board-related matters.
The sackings occurred four weeks after Bayo Ojulari took over as the new GCEO. Shortly after his appointment, NNPC also introduced a new eight-member senior management team to guide the company’s direction.