PRESIDENT of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has described the recent appointment of new leadership at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as a “revolutionary change” that would save Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The billionaire businessman said this when he visited President Bola Tinubu to commend him for putting together a new team at the state-owned oil firm, according to a statement on Monday night by the group’s chief branding and communications officer, Anthony Chiejina.
Dangote also described the new team as formidable, professionally competent, and eminently qualified to take NNPCL to a greater height.
He believes the new management team brings a wealth of technical expertise and managerial experience essential for revitalising Nigeria’s most strategic public enterprise.
He also believes the team reflects the president’s strategic intent to drive reform and innovation across the energy sector.
“We are confident that this team will address systemic challenges, align with the president’s vision of a $1 trillion economy, and reposition NNPC Limited for operational excellence and long-term sustainability,” Dangote said.
The ICIR reported on April 2 that Tinubu sacked the NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Mele Kyari, along with the chairman, Pius Akinyelure, and other board members.
The sack was a complete overhaul of the 11-man NNPCL board. The president replaced them with Bashir Ojulari as the new GCEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as non-executive chairman.
His decision became necessary to enhance operational efficiency, restore investor confidence, boost local content, and advance gas commercialisation and diversification.
Dangote had, over the weekend, expressed worries that he was still fighting for the survival of his $20 billion refinery, assuring that he was determined to fight the cabals in the oil sector to a standstill.
Fielding questions from journalists in this regard, he clarified that the statement was not in any way connected to the new leadership of the NNPCL, but that the new leadership had so far been supportive in meeting the Dangote Refinery’s needs.
He said that the cabals he referred to were some major oil marketers and traders bent on frustrating Tinubu’s effort to revamp the nation’s economy.
He said recent activities and structural reforms introduced by NNPCL were strong indicators of the organisation’s renewed focus on transparency, efficiency, and accountability.
“The calibre of individuals at the helm, and their deliberate, reform-driven agenda, demonstrate a commitment to fostering a culture of performance and professionalism,” Dangote maintained.