By Daniel Michael
A coalition of civil society organisations has endorsed Engr. Bayo Ojulari, the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited NNPCL).
The coalition hinged their endorsement on what they called “achievement of significant milestones under his leadership.”
Engr. Bayo Ojulari marks four months since taking over as Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Briefing the media on behalf of the Coalition on Friday, in Abuja, Dr. Gabriel Nwambu commended Ojulari for implementing bold reforms across operational transparency, fiscal discipline and global competitiveness.
He said: “It is safe to say that the man has proven himself not only as a capable administrator but also a rare breed of technocrat.”
“Today, through effective and innovative contract reengineering and industry collaboration, the 614km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline Project has crossed the River Niger, marking a major step towards delivering the project that would turn around the industrial fortunes of Nigeria.
“His leadership acumen has also ensured significant increase in Nigeria’s crude oil production, generating more revenue for the country in the process.
“Under Ojulari’s watch, for the first time in a long while, the nation enjoyed 100% crude oil pipelines availability throughout June 2025. The feat which was possible through the industry-wide security interventions led by the NNPC.
“Ojulari’s tireless efforts led to the prompt payment of cash call obligations by the NNPC. Unlike in the past were NNPC’s Joint Venture partners complain of non-payment by their senior partner, today, the IOCs can close their eyes knowing that in NNPC, they have a reliable partner that will keep its own side of the contract.
“It is also not a secret today that the Ojulari-led management has revamped governance and procurement processes at the NNPC, saving the company billions of naira in potential losses.
“He has aso instituted a data-driven framework for contract awards and auditing, effectively blocking several channels previously exploited for financial recklessness.”
Nwambu, the Director-General of the Centre for Credible Leadership and Citizens’ Awareness (CCLCA), lamented what he described as the unrelenting attacks and surge in negative media coverage against NNPC Ltd and its senior management.
He said the attacks, carefully orchestrated and coordinated by faceless groups and individuals with nefarious intentions, were, to say the least, most unfortunate.
He said: “The frightening part of this dangerous development is that these negative campaigns do not look like they will stop anytime soon.
Today, it is Bayo Ojulari, the Group CEO, tomorrow, it is Dapo Segun, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and the next day, it is Udy Ntia, the Executive Vice President (EVP} Upstream.
“The evil forces appeared to be unrelenting in their quest to bring the company and its management to their knees.
“The NNPC Limited and its Management have seen enough: from sponsored media attacks to frivolous lawsuits, even staged protests from rented crowd based on nothing but the imaginations of the purveyors of fake news, the critics keep coming in droves.
“Apparently, some folks, both within and without are not happy with the direction the NNPC is going and would stop at nothing to derail the process of making NNPC work for all.
“To think that some Nigerians are behind these mischievous allegations in the media, is just serendipitous.
The purveyors of these acts are probably oblivious of the immense damage they are doing to a company which should be our collective national treasure.
“This is a company that could best be described as the goose that lays the golden egg. This is a company that is about to be listed on the stock exchange!.”
He also said: “But one might ask: what do they stand to gain by making these potentially damaging allegations towards one of Nigeria’s major brands and institutions?
What is their benefit if the National Oil Company goes down as a result of their cynical opinions which seem to keep discerning investors away? Where is their patriotism? Where is the national pride and where lies their conscience?
“Instead of resorting to media trial of the NNPC and its Management, why won’t these individuals and groups utilise legal option to prove their cases?
These traducers, in their myopic view, always think NNPC, led by Bashir Bayo Ojulari is the problem of Nigeria.
“Again, these critics, in their warped thinking and imagination, believe they or their paymasters can do better, in case they are asked to steer the ship of a Company that is gradually fighting its age-long demons and gradually coming back to life.
“The NNPC Management, especially under Ojulari’s stewardship, has never shied away from its many challenges.
If anything, it has always been seen to face the challenges headlong. And the result of that confrontation has seen the company’s fortunes, growing in leaps and bounds.
“A saying goes that “critics are like eunuchs in a harem, they have seen it done times without number, but they can never do it themselves.”
The NNPC critics fall in this category, because they have, many at times, been witnesses to how the Company, turbo-charged by the new legislative chest of the Petroleum industry Act (PIA) is gradually transforming into a world-class commercial entity of choice. Sadly, like the eunuchs, these onwatching cynics can never do it themselves.
“Fact is whether they like it or not, the NNPC reforms are like a moving train that can never be stopped. Mr. President did not make a mistake by nominating the current NNPC Management.
And from their performance so far, it is evident before everyone’s eyes that this is indeed a team driven by technical acumen, eagle-eyed attention to details, and unrelenting desire to rewrite the oil and gas playbook in Nigeria.
“As partners in the Nigerian Project, our coalition therefore calls on these detractors to support the Bayo Ojulari led management team for the good work it is doing at the NNPC.
The group admonished those they called “traducers” to allow the new Management at the NNPC turn around the fortunes of the company for the better and set Nigeria on the enviable path of greatness.”
