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President Muhammadu Buhari has named Mele Kolo Kyari as new Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He replaces Dr. Maikanti Baru who clocks 60 years next month.
A geologist as well as Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of the corporation and Nigeria’s ex-National Representative to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Kyari joined the organisation over two decades ago.
Announcing the appointment in a statement, NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Ndu Ughamadu, added that the president also appointed seven new chief operating officers (COOs).
“President Buhari has directed that the new GMD and chief operating officers work with the current occupiers till July 7 for a smooth transition on July 8 when their appointments would take effect. However, the appointment of Mr. Farouk Garba Said (North West), who is replacing a retiring Chief Operating Officer, is effective from June 28, 2019,” he said.
The new COOs are Roland Onoriode Ewubare (South South) for Upstream; Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu (North Central) – Refining and Petrochemical; Yusuf Usman (North East) – Gas and Power; Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu (South East) – Venture; Umar Isa Ajiya (North West) – Chief Financial Officer; Adeyemi Adetunji (South West) – Downstream; and Farouk Garba Said (North West) for Corporate Services.
Ughamadu stated that Baru has congratulated the new appointees.
The new GMD is a crude oil marketer with certification and pedigree in Petroleum Economics and crude oil and gas trading, graduating from the University of Maiduguri in 1987 with Bachelor’s Degree in Geology/Earth Science.
He joined the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency in 1988 and later moved to Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), a subsidiary of the NNPC in 1991 before proceeding to the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) in 1998.
He became the Abuja Operations Manager of NAPIMS in 2004 and Senior Supervisor, Production Sharing Contracts in 2006.
Kyari was Head and later Manager of Production Contracts Management. He also served as General Manager, Crude Oil Stock Management before becoming Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division in 2015.
The corporation submitted that under Kyari’s watch, the department recorded transformation in the management and sales of the nation’s various crude oil grades via infusion of transparency and automation of the processes.