Presidency officials have revealed that the recent dismissal of Mele Kyari, the former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL), along with the state-owned company’s board members, was due to growing concerns over their performance.
Sources within the presidency, who requested anonymity, made this known on Wednesday, shedding light on President Bola Tinubu’s decision to replace Kyari with Bayo Ojulari and reconstitute the NNPCL board.
This reshuffling has prompted various reactions, with the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) expressing support for the decision.
Despite the backlash, the exact reasons behind the removal of Kyari and the former NNPCL board chairman, Pius Akinyelure, had not been clearly explained until now.
Speaking on the matter, several presidency officials emphasized that the reshuffle was performance-based.
“President Tinubu did this because of their performance. We needed to do things differently. The former leadership was taking us in circles, and some of them became part of the problem,” one official shared.
Another official clarified, “It’s not about Kyari’s age. NNPCL is a limited liability company and operates under different rules than the civil service. The president’s action is about bringing in fresh talent to drive the company in new directions. The mandate given to the president is clear, and he is committed to fulfilling it.”