NNPC: Kyari Takes Over From Baru, Vows To Make Nigeria A Net Exporter Of Oil

Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari has taken over as the new Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), on Monday, July 8, 2019.

In his inaugural speech at the valedictory session for the out-gone GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru, Kyari vowed that his administration will see to it that Nigeria becomes a net exporter of petroleum products come 2023.

He said that his administration will achieve this by making the four refineries in the country as well as the proposed Dangote Refinery functional.

The new GMD who expressed dismay that Nigeria has refineries and still imports almost 100 percent of its oil, assured that he will follow up and deliver all the four refineries before 2023.

According to him, “We will encourage private partnership and refineries especially the Dangote refineries. We will support them to come on stream in the first quarter of 2020. By having the four refineries functional by 2023, and the Dangote refinery running, the country must be a net exporter of petroleum products by the time President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office.

“It is the intention of the NNPC to support the industry, to make sure that we achieve the production level of 13 million barrels per day(bpd) and also to grow our reserve to at least 40 billion barrels. We will also achieve this and it is possible and we will do it before 2023”, he said.

Mallam Kyria also stated that his administration will begin by focusing on the expectations of Nigerians, which is to be  accountable, transparent, deliver petroleum products, create employment, and deliver on gas, so that at the end of the day, the NNPC will become a national Corporation that everyone would be proud of.

In a bid to eliminate corruption in the system, he stressed that they will work with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to ensure that they take up discretion in the system.

“It is very instructive that leadership is about trust and accountability, gone are the days where we see NNPC as a very opaque organization.

He said, “In NNPC, we have a responsibility to declare what we do to the citizens of this country as it is their rights. We will work with the press in transparency so that the Corporation will be built.

“It does not mean that we will not make mistakes but we will never make deliberate mistakes”, he noted.

He also noted that a lot of progress has been made in the last three years and  assured that he will make the NNPC a global Corporation with global best practices.

“We will expand the frontier of engagement with our stakeholders, National Assembly, state governments and all other institutions that require to know what we are doing”, he added.

Kyari while urging his family members not to accept gifts from anyone, warned members of the public not to give gifts to members of his family.

The Out-Going GMD Of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, advised The New Management Team To Focus On The STEP Agenda Which Is—Staff, Transparency, Energy And Production. He charged the new team to be focused on staff development, efficiency and productivity; Transparency of operations to resolve liquidity challenges and financial reporting standard; NNPC should continue to lead the way in the provision of energy security as a supplier of last resort for petroleum products to Nigerians, power and other energy mix for the country.

He noted that the task ahead is enormous, but express confidence in the new management team to deliver the Next Level agenda of moving the Corporation to even greater heights. “Your success in turning around the fortunes of NNPC is success for all of us”, he said.

Mallam Melle Kolo Kyari is the nineteenth Group Managing Director of the NNPC, with a new management team which include: Umar Isa Ajiya, CFO; Mr. Farouq Garba COO CS; Mr. Roland Onoriode Ewubare, the COO Upstream; Engineer Adeyemi Adetunji, the COO, Downstream; Engineer Ms. Lawrencia Ndupu,the COO Ventures; Engineer Yusuf Usman, the COO Gas and Power; and Engineer Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu, COO Refineries and Petrochemicals.

The Valedictory session was well attended by dignitaries including past GMDs and the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi.