MELE Kyari has been named the new Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Kyari’s appointment was disclosed in a statement signed by the NNPC Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndu Ughamadu on Thursday.
He will be the 19th GMD of the national oil company on his resumption on July 8 when Maikanti Baru, the current GMD who was appointed in 2016 will retire.
Asides Kyari, President Buhari also appointed seven Chief Operating Officers.
“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,” the statement read in part.
Kyari, before his appointment is the current group general manager, crude oil marketing division of the NNPC and also Nigeria’s representative to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) since May 2018.
The 54-year-old Kyari was born in Maiduguri, Borno state. In 1987, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology at the University of Maiduguri.
“He is a quintessential crude oil marketer with prerequisite certification and outfield pedigree in Petroleum Economics and crude oil and gas trading. In the last 27 years, he had traversed the entire value chain of the Petroleum Industry, with exceptional records of performance,” part of the statement read.
The appointed seven new chief operating officers for the public oil company represent each geo-political zones, however, two people were appointed from the North West.
The newly appointed Chief Operating Officers are:
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.