President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday 20th, June  appointed Mr. Mele Kyari, the new Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, with effect from July 8, 2019.

In a statement in Abuja, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, further stated that President Buhari also appointed seven new Chief Operating Officers to replace the existing ones.

According to him, the seven new chief operating officers are Mr. Roland Onoriode Ewubare (South-South) – Chief Operating Officer, Upstream; Engr. Mustapha Yinusa Yakubu (North Central) – Chief Operating Officer Refining and Petrochemicals; Engr. Yusuf Usman (North East) – Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power; Ms. Lawrencia Nwadiabuwa Ndupu (South East), Chief Operating Officer Ventures; Mr. Umar Isa Ajiya (North West) – Chief Financial Officer; Engr. Adeyemi Adetunji (South West) – Chief Operating Officer, Downstream and Mr. Farouk Garba Said (North West) – Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services.

Until his new appointment, Kyari, a geologist, was Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division of NNPC and also doubled, since 13th May, 2018, as Nigeria’s National Representative to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, Ughamadu stated.

He disclosed that President Buhari has directed that the New NNPC boss and the newly appointed Chief Operating Officers should 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.

He, however, said the appointment of Mr. Farouk Garba Said (North West), who is replacing a retiring Chief Operating Officer, is effective from 28th June, 2019.