The Task Ahead: How Strategic Appointment Could Shape NNPCL’s Turnaround under Bayo Ojulari

Farouk Mohammed

In a country where energy is not just an industry but a symbol of national potential, the recent announcement of Adesua Dozie as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel of NNPC Limited signals a new chapter—not just for Nigeria’s energy behemoth, but for how trust, competence, and global corporate discipline are being redefined at the highest levels. Only just a few days ago, President Bola Tinubu, invoking the relevant sections of the Petroleum Industry Act, embarked sweeping changes in the board and management of NNPCL ushering in a new board led by Ahmed Musa Kida and a management team led by Bayo Ojulari. Industry experts have hailed the move with many describing it as arguably the most competent team ever put together for a government affiliated company. Amongst those appointed to the key management is Adesua Dozie

With over two decades of experience as a trusted legal advisor to some of the world’s largest and most demanding multinationals, including ExxonMobil, GE Africa, Coca-Cola, and Total Energies, Adesua Dozie has navigated boardrooms from Lagos to London, consistently proving her ability to balance complex legal frameworks with strategic commercial objectives. Her skills in negotiating intricate, cross-border deals and her rigorous approach to corporate governance are precisely what NNPCL requires as it transitions into a globally respected, commercially driven, publicly accountable entity.

Adesua Dozie arrives at NNPC not as a political appointment or a symbolic choice but as a strategic asset. At a time when NNPC is preparing for future capital markets engagement and restructuring under the Petroleum Industry Act, her mandate will be to embed corporate best practices, elevate investor confidence, and build a legal and governance architecture fit for global scrutiny.

Adesua’s career has long danced at the intersection of power, regulation, and corporate diplomacy. A graduate of the University of Buckingham, with an LL.M. from Cornell Law School and bar qualifications in Nigeria and New York, Dozie’s international credentials speak to her capability to manage the global investor expectations that will accompany NNPCL’s IPO journey. Her tenure at ExxonMobil, where she served as Vice Chairman and Regional General Counsel (Africa, Upstream), saw her reinforcing transparency, corporate accountability, and compliance. These are some qualities NNPCL seeks to emulate as it positions itself for global investors.

She played a key role in managing the legal complexities of the landmark shallow water divestment from ExxonMobil to Seplat. This exercise was marked by significant regulatory challenges, intricate dispute resolution, and industrial relations sensitivities. That transaction, and the seamless handling it received under her stewardship, was a masterclass in legal strategy below the headlines. It showcased her ability to work across institutions, resolve long-standing legacy issues, and steer outcomes that preserved value while respecting national interests.

As General Counsel for GE Africa, she guided complex negotiations across over 20 countries while co-chairing the GE Women’s Network in Africa. At Coca-Cola, she managed legal operations and shaped social impact through her role as Legal Adviser and Secretary to the Board of the Coca-Cola Africa Foundation. These were not just side projects but early signals of her ability to balance hard-edged risk management with inclusive leadership.

Now, at NNPC, she is expected to help guide one of Africa’s most critical institutions through a complete transition and transformation from a state corporation to a fully commercial, investor-facing national energy company in line with Nigeria’s PIA. Her role will span everything from managing compliance, governance, and contracts to strengthening the institution’s internal legal culture, investor relations, and global reputation. Quietly but decisively, Adesua will shape how the world reads the fine print on Nigeria’s energy future.

Educated at the University of Buckingham, with an LL.M from Cornell, and called to both the Nigerian and New York Bars, Adesua brings pedigree. Still, it’s her balance of clarity, discretion, and institutional loyalty that has earned her respect across the world.

She has spoken often about navigating the “complex dance between purpose, profit, and risk.” But perhaps her most potent credential is not always written in bios—deeply rooted in her heritage, globally respected in practice, and quietly rewriting what leadership looks like in the corridors of oil and power. Behind every successful transition is a figure who brings steadiness. At NNPCL, that figure might just be Adesua—bringing balance to the Bayo Ojulari-led team.