2 days Ago By Ifeanyi Onuba
Again, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mele Kyari has demonstrated the words of American singer and actor, Frank Sinatra that “the best revenge is massive success.” Despite the multiple campaigns of calumny, lies, plots and character assassination sponsored by the nation’s oil saboteurs against the NNPC Ltd, Kyari has continued to show professionalism and excellence with visible and outstanding results in the Nigerian oil and gas sector. Just last week, a group, the Nigerian Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, called for immediate investigations into alleged sabotage against the plan to turn around the petroleum refineries in the country.
This group also demanded the immediate removal of Kyari from office as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Ltd, noting that his management of the oil industry has done more to the local refineries than good. In a protest rally at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, on Friday, the coalition of Civil Society Organisations said policies formulated by the NNPC Ltd to reposition the oil sector are merely profit-driven but “Obstructs local initiatives designed to support energy self-sufficiency and job creation.” Addressing journalists at the event, the national spokesperson of the group, Segun Adebayo, called for the sack of the NNPC Ltd’s boss, threatening to take the protest to the 36 states of the federation if their demand was not met.
“We are here at the National Assembly to demand that our representatives stand with the Nigerian people. We call for the immediate removal of Mele Kyari from his position as the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd. His leadership has frustrated local refinery initiatives, maintained harmful policies, and upheld a system that harms the nation’s economy.
“If the government does not act, NICOCSO here today, pledge to continue this advocacy, rallying every day across the 36 States to make our voices heard. We will not stand down until this administration addresses our demands for transparency, reform, and accountability within the NNPC Ltd,” he added. While detractors and forces of evil in the nation are busy plotting against the NNPCL chief because of their personal interests, Kyari has remained resilient, professional and focused in his bid to change the bad narratives of the oil and gas sector.
He has painstakingly introduced several innovations into the oil company, which had since positioned the NNPC Ltd on an upward trajectory. With his TAPE Agenda (Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence), Kyari has turned around the oil company, making it competitive at the global market and thereby increasing the nation’s prosperity. Beyond running the company on sound and globally recognised and acclaimed management principles, Kyari has repositioned the NNPC Ltd as one of the leading oil companies in the world.
In addition, he has used his position as helmsman of the company to aid in the tackling of key challenges confronting the Nigerian economy. One of these is the vexed question of crude oil theft, which had challenged successive governments in Nigeria since the country’s return to representative democracy in 1999. It is on record that the NNPC Ltd under Kyari’s leadership, designed the “Crude Theft Monitoring Application”, an application, which has options for reporting incidents, with prompt follow up and responses, and another for crude sales documents validation.
Prior to the launch of the application, Kyari had taken leading officials of the Nigerian government to the Niger Delta creeks to tackle the menace of oil theft. His effort paid off as a four-kilometre illegal oil connection line from the Forcados Terminal into the sea where for nine years, criminals had been siphoning Nigeria’s oil, was discovered. More discoveries of crude oil theft and illegal pipeline connections have also been made by the NNPC Ltd working collaboratively with security agencies.
Success achieved in this regard proved pivotal as Kyari’s efforts have also rekindled investor confidence in the sector. Under his visionary leadership, the NNPC Ltd has been able to reduce pipeline vandalisation and crude oil thefts in the Niger Delta areas. As against the trend, today, Nigeria’s crude oil production has increased to approximately 1.
8 million barrels per day (inclusive of condensate). The 1.8 million barrels per day achievement was announced last Thursday during a meeting held at the Oil Production War Room located at the NNPC Headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting presided over by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, was attended by the Chairman of the NNPC Ltd Board, Chief Pius Akinyelure; the Group Chief Executive of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, the Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Adedapo Segun, the Executive Vice President, Downstream, Mr. Isiyaku Abdullahi, the Executive Vice President Upstream, Udobong Ntia, and the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Mr.
Bala Wunti, among others. Lokpobiri had described the feat as a remarkable one as the NNPC Ltd has demonstrated that it has the potential to achieve and even surpass the two million barrels per day crude oil production target for December this year. The minister said: “Today we are grateful that we have crossed a line of 1.
8 million barrels per day, and also crossed 7.4 BCF of gas, this is our agenda. Today, the entire team is fully aligned and committed to delivering greater value, and we’re committed to delivering two million barrels by the end of the year.
“This is possible. This is achievable. I’m a very proud minister.
We can do it again. Let me formally, on behalf of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, congratulate the Chairman, board members, and the management of NNPC Ltd for navigating this process.” Under the leadership of Kyari, the NNPC Ltd has been leading the charge with substantial investments in gas, significantly impacting the sector’s contribution to the GDP.
Recent statistics underscore the importance of these initiatives in the context of Nigeria’s economic landscape. In the second quarter of 2024, Nigeria’s oil sector recorded a GDP growth rate of 3.52%, reflecting a recovery from previous downturns.
This growth is attributed not only to crude oil production but increasingly to the expanding natural gas sector. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the oil and gas sector’s contribution to GDP has seen a marked improvement, with gas output playing a vital role. Recognising the strategic importance of gas, NNPC Ltd is shifting its focus from solely oil production to include significant gas investments.
With Nigeria possessing over 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, the potential for growth is immense. The NNPC Ltd is also spearheading the construction of key gas pipelines and processing facilities. The completion of the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline is set to enhance the transportation of gas across Nigeria, facilitating greater domestic supply and export capabilities.
Kyari’s programmes and policies have enhanced transparency and efficiency in the operations of the company which has led to its continued growth in profitability since he assumed office in 2019 – a drastic turn from consistent losses the NNPC had suffered before 2019..
