Things To Know About New NNPC GCEO, Bayo Ojulari

Following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointment of Bashir Bayo Ojulari to replace Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company.

Here are the key things to know about the new helmsman.

First, Ojulari hails from Kwara State, North Central Nigeria, and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Until his appointment by Tinubu, Ojulari was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company, the current owners of Shell Nigeria Limited.

Recall that Renaissance recently led a consortium of indigenous energy firms in the landmark acquisition of the entire equity holding in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), worth $2.4 billion.

He commenced his professional career in the oil sector at Elf Aquitaine as the first Nigerian process engineer.

From Elf, he joined Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. in 1991 as an associate production technologist.

Similarly, apart from working in Nigeria, he worked in Europe and the Middle East in different capacities as a petroleum process and production engineer, strategic planner, field developer, and asset manager.

In 2015, he became the managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO).

During his career, he was chairman and a member of the board of trustees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE Nigerian Council) and a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Ojulari replaced Kyari, who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2019 and clocked 60 years on January 8, 2025.

Ojulari will work side by side with NNPC’s new board chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida, who replaced Pius Akinyelure.