Buhari replaces Ararume with Okadigbo as NNPC Chair

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Senator Margaret Okadigbo, chairperson of the board of the National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPC Ltd). She replaces Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, who was nominated to head board in September 2021.

The new NNPC Ltd board chair is the wife of former Senate President, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo.

A State House statement on Wednesday said the President approved the appointment of a nine-man Board for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, in accordance with the power vested in him under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

He also appointed four Executive Commissioners for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

According to a release issued by the Media Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, the NNPC Limited Board Chairman is Senator Margret Chuba Okadigbo (South East), Mele Kolo Kyari, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Umar I. Ajiya, Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Other members of the Board are; Dr Tajudeen Umar (North East), Mrs Lami O. Ahmed (North Central), Mallam Mohammed Lawal (North West), Engr. Henry Obih (South East), Barrister Constance Harry Marshal (South South), and Chief Pius Akinyelure(South West).

The appointments take effect from the date of the incorporation of the NNPC Limited.

Also appointed are Executive Commissioners of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission. They are: Dr Nuhu Habib (Kano), Executive Commissioner, Development and Production, Dr Kelechi Onyekachi Ofoegbu (Imo), Executive Commissioner, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning, Capt. Tonlagha Roland John (Delta), Executive Commissioner, Health, Safety, Environment and Community, and Jide Adeola (Kogi), Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services and Administration.

New appointees at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority are Francis Alabo Ogaree (Rivers), Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing, Mustapha Lamorde (Adamawa), Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community, Mansur Kuliya (Kano), Executive Director, Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund, Bashir Sadiq (Sokoto), Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration, and Dr Zainab Gobir (Kwara), Executive Director, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning.

They join the Board Chairman, Executive Director, Downstream Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, the CEO, and Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, who had earlier been appointed by President Buhari.

For Midstream and Downstream Infrastructure Fund, new Council Members are; Mr Effiong Abia (Akwa Ibom), Bobboi Ahmed (Adamawa), and Engr. Abdullahi Bukar (Katsina).

The President had in September,2021 informed the Senate on the administrative structure amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act, which included appointment of Non-Executive Board Members, removal of the Ministries of Petroleum and Finance from the Board of the two new institutions, and appointment of Executive Directors.