NNPC Spokesman, Ex-PPPRA CEO, MDs of WRPC, Shipping Line, Others Impacted in Latest Top Management Reshuffle

•All affected employees will receive exit package, says Kyari 

•At least 100 non-management level workers to go

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The massive sweep embarked upon by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) continued yesterday, with the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the national oil company, Mr Garba Muhammad, affected by the shakeup.

Among scores of others, also impacted by the top management level staff reshuffle were the former Chief Executive of the defunct Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Abdulkadir Saidu as well as the Managing Director of the Warri Refinery , Olasunkanmi Jimoh.

A list of those affected obtained by THISDAY yesterday also showed that the MD of the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, Ali Muhammed was asked to go as well as the MD NNPC Shipping,  Nike Kolawole.

 Earlier in the day, the NNPC had announced its intention to sack top management staff who had less than 15 months to retire from the national oil company.

The development is coming days after the oil company announced the removal and replacement of three of the its Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs).

Those impacted by the previous shakeup included Abdulkabir Ahmed, who was hitherto in charge of gas, power and new energies; Adokiye Tombomieye, who headed the  upstream segment as well as Adeyemi Adetunji, who was in charge of the downstream.

They were replaced by Olalekan Ogunleye as EVP gas, power and new energies; Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan for the company’s upstream operations, while Adedapo Segun took charge of the downstream.

In a brief statement Tuesday morning, the NNPC had stated that the new reshuffling was in line with its aspiration to rejuvenate its workforce.

Also swept off by the new shakeup were the Managing Director  Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN), Soibiton Isokariari, MD NNPC Properties, Ada Oyetunde as well as the MD, Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), Barwa Mohammed, among others.

All the impacted staff, including scores of managers and heads of strategic units, were supposed to retire from service between January and December next year.

It was also learnt that more persons, topping 100 at the non-management level will be asked to exit anytime soon to complete the clean sweep.

But in a separate letter obtained by THISDAY, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, who thanked the affected workers for their service, assured that all their entitlement will be paid accordingly.

Pending when new appointments are made, Kyari directed the staff that were shown the exit route to hand over to the most senior staff in their various departments.

“In our bid to pursue effective organisational renewal and significantly enhance NNPC Limited’s performance as well as long-term viability, three Executive Vice Presidents were recently appointed to join in driving the ambitious business growth and strengthen the commercial orientation across the value chain.

“ To further support the delivery of our strategic business objectives, it has become imperative to rejuvenate the workforce.

“Consequently, in addition to the recent exit of three Executive Vice Presidents, other management staff on Grade Levels M6 to M3 with less than  15 months to statutory retirement will be exiting the company effective 19th September 2023.

“While recognising their collective contributions to the success and growth of NNPC, on behalf of the entire NNPC Limited team, we extend our profound appreciation for their service, and wish them the best in their future endeavours,”  the GCEO stated.

He added: “In keeping with our employee value proposition, all affected employees will receive an exit package that will be equal to cash entitlements due to them up to their notional retirement date.

“Pending substantive appointments, business leaders are to ensure seamless handover by the exiting staff to their most senior direct reports for continuous business operations. I thank you for your commitment to our journey to global excellence.”

In recent years, the NNPC has been unable to meet its key business targets, including its underwhelming performance relating to the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil production quota as well as prolonged petrol shortages in-country.