NNPC scraps COO roles in new management structure to drive profitability

By Onome Amuge

Nigeria’s state-owned national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has done a make over of its management structure involving the scrapping of the role of chief operating officers (COOs) across its system, elevating the role to that of group executive director, and, hence, benchmarking itself with its peers in the global hydrocarbon business.

The corporation is linking the new management structure to a desire to position it for profitability following the expected dramatic changes that will come with the passage of the petroleum industry bill (PIB) by the National Assemby (NASS). In announcing the change to the old structure, which came into force about 2015 when Ibe Kachukwu was appointed group managing director and later junior petroleum minister, the NNPC said chief operating officer positions in the corporation have now been redesignated as group executive directors (GEDs), in alignment with the rules of Company & Allied Matters Act (CAMA), preparatory to the new status of the Corporation as a Limited Liability Company, post-Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

It came with the announcement of key appointments, including two new group executive directors and the disengagement of another, as well as the return of Garba Deen Mohammed to the position of group general manager, public affairs division, which he once occupied.

The major reshuffle of senior management positions, the corporation hopes, will strengthen and reposition its ongoing structure towards attaining global excellence and profitability.

In a statement signed by Kennie Obateru, the outgoing group general manager, group public affairs division of the corporation, Billy Okoye has been appointed the new group executive irector, ventures and business development, while Aisha Ahmadu-Katagum was promoted to the position of group executive director, corporate services.

Prior to their recent appointments,Okoye and Ahmadu-Katagum served as group general ganagers, crude oil marketing division (COMD) and supply chain management division in the corporation, respectively.

In furtherance, Adeyemi Adetunji, erstwhile chief operating officer, business & ventures development, has been appointed group executive director, downstream, while Mohammed Abdulkabir Ahmed, formerly chief operating officer, corporate services, becomes the group executive director, gas and power.

The repositioning  saw the disengagement of Yusuf Usman, formerly chief operating officer, gas and power, while Garba Deen Muhammad, will replace Kennie Obateru as the group general manager, group public affairs division of the corporation as Obateru is reportedly retiring next month.

Commenting on the development, Mele Kyari, group managing director,NNPC, said the recent appointments would enable the corporation to live up to the expectations of Nigerians and achieve its vision of becoming a world-class energy company of choice.