Tensions mount as NNPC dismiss senior staff

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has taken a surprising move by dismissing high-ranking management personnel who are within 15 months of their retirement.

This decision comes shortly after the NNPC had already made headlines with the replacement of three of its Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs). The affected individuals in the previous restructuring included Abdulkabir Ahmed, who had been overseeing gas, power, and new energy sectors; Adokiye Tombomieye, responsible for the upstream segment; and Adeyemi Adetunji, who had been in charge of the downstream operations.

Their roles have been taken over by new leaders: Olalekan Ogunleye now assumes the role of EVP for gas, power, and new energies; Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan is entrusted with the company’s upstream operations, while Adedapo Segun takes the helm of the downstream division.

In a concise statement released on Tuesday morning, the NNPC explained that this latest reshuffle is part of their effort to revitalize their workforce. The statement reads, “As we pursue a comprehensive organizational renewal to align with our strategic business objectives, it has become necessary to invigorate our personnel. Consequently, apart from the recent departure of three executive vice presidents, other members of the management team with less than 15 months remaining until their statutory retirement will be leaving the company as of September 19, 2023.”

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports suggesting that additional staff may face similar disengagements in the forthcoming weeks and months.