NNPC Ltd Board Hits The Ground Running, Holds Inaugural Meeting

Following the inauguration of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited by President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, December 18, 2023, the Board today held its Inaugural Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Board Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure, was attended by the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPCL Mallam Mele Kyari and other members of the board.

President Bola Tinubu has during the inauguration of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) on Monday, urged the new members to “immediately get to work,” while commending the company’s Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari for hard work.

Tinubu, however, warned members of the NNPCL board against non-performance and entitlement, saying the board would be dissolved without notice if it fails to meet expectations.

“The challenge is corporate governance. Yes, we will improve the security situation. We are working very hard. Sincerely, the Chief Executive Officer, Kyari, is doing very well and doing all that I know.

“But you could be suddenly dissolved if there is no sustained excellence in performance. It is my honour to inaugurate this board, which has people of great integrity. I am honoured that we are doing this. I recognize all of you,’’ he said.

President Tinubu also highlighted the extreme environmental damage the Niger Delta has endured from decades of oil operations, saying corporate social responsibility for the region must be given special attention.

Niger Delta must be seen as the goose that lays the golden egg, and we must treat that region with the deserved respect and care. It is not asking for too much to ensure quality and constant water supply, schools, medical facilities, and roads.

“It is not about us. It is about the well-being of the entire country and the lifeblood of the nation. We should care more about the environment. We will do more for security to minimise stealing and vandalisation,’’ Tinubu’s Chief Press Secretary, Ajuri Ngelale, quoted him as saying at the inauguration.

According to Ngelale, President Tinubu further directed the NNPCL Board to prioritise the nation’s transition to cleaner natural gas energy while addressing the persistent issues of oil theft, pipeline sabotage, and production declines.

“We need to show that we are committed to the welfare of our country.

“Take a look at the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), and know what the pitfalls are. The Cabinet members and Board should decide what we can do differently for production increase, profitability, and governance. It is in your hands. I will work with you,’’ he said.