By Udeme Akpan

Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari’s tenure as Group Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) represents a defining chapter in Nigeria’s energy reform journey. His leadership has been marked by strategic restructuring, operational resurgence, strengthened corporate governance, and a renewed commitment to national value creation.

Under his leadership, NNPCL’s upstream subsidiary achieved a daily crude oil production level of 355,000 barrels, the highest in 36 years. This milestone significantly strengthened national output performance, enhanced foreign exchange earnings, and reinforced Nigeria’s upstream recovery strategy.

For the 2024 financial year, NNPCL recorded a historic Profit After Tax (PAT) of ?5.4 trillion, the highest in the company’s history. This achievement reflects improved commercial discipline, financial transparency, operational efficiency, and stronger revenue contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

Engr. Ojulari oversaw the advancement and commissioning of critical upstream and midstream infrastructure, including the Madu First Oil Project, Akpo West Start-Up, Soku Pipeline Optimization, Gbaran Nodal Compression Train, the ANOH, OB3 Pipeline Commissioning, and the successful River Niger crossing on the AKK Gas Pipeline Project. These projects represent major engineering milestones that strengthen crude and gas value chains, enhance domestic gas supply, and promote industrial growth and energy security nationwide.

A landmark moment under his administration was NNPCL’s first-ever Group Earnings Call to publicly disclose its audited 2024 financial results, a bold step toward global best-practice transparency. Additionally, the introduction of modern Delegation of Authority, DoA, and Delegation of Financial Authority, DoFA, frameworks improved decision-making efficiency, accountability, and internal governance standards.

NNPCL expanded its downstream footprint across West Africa, including the promotion of its lubricant brand Oleum, strengthening Nigeria’s competitive presence in regional energy markets and reinforcing its ambition to become a continental energy leader.

Recognizing that transformation begins with people, Engr. Ojulari prioritized human capital development through enhanced staff welfare, improved compensation structures, and the recruitment of 1,000 young professionals, “Tigers,” to nurture the next generation of industry leaders. These initiatives have strengthened institutional culture, innovation capacity, and long-term sustainability.

From the outset, he articulated a bold investment and growth roadmap aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s energy future, including attracting $30 billion in investments by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030, increasing crude oil and gas production targets, expanding domestic refining capacity, and unlocking gas-based industrialization and energy access. This long-term strategy positions NNPCL as a commercially viable, globally competitive energy company.

Through consistent engagement with global investors, energy partners, host communities, and civil society organizations, his leadership has rebuilt confidence in Nigeria’s energy reform agenda and fostered stronger collaborative partnerships. Despite resistance from entrenched interests, independent stakeholders and reform advocates have acknowledged that the structural changes introduced under his leadership are restoring institutional credibility and operational stability within NNPCL.

Collectively, these accomplishments reflect visionary leadership, public accountability, reform excellence, and national value creation, qualities that define a bold reset of Nigeria’s energy trajectory and justify his recognition.