Group commends Ojulari’s reforms, urges fairness in pipeline surveillance contracts
By Victor Idajili
The People’s Wellbeing Association (PWA) has praised the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Bayo Ojulari, for what it described as landmark reforms that have repositioned the national oil company.
The commendation was conveyed in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja by the group’s Head of Communications, Abba Abubakar.
Abubakar said Ojulari’s leadership since his appointment in April 2025 had driven unprecedented reforms and operational achievements across the company’s upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.
According to him, despite resistance from what he termed “greedy oil thieves,” Ojulari had remained committed to transparency and commercial discipline, placing the organisation on a path of sustainable growth.
He noted that NNPC Ltd.’s upstream subsidiary recently recorded a daily crude oil production of 355,000 barrels, the highest in 36 years, surpassing levels last seen in 1989. The milestone, he said, had strengthened national output and boosted foreign exchange earnings.
Abubakar also highlighted the reinstatement of monthly operational and financial reports as a major transparency measure, alongside the introduction of modern Delegation of Authority (DoA) and Delegation of Financial Authority (DoFA) frameworks to enhance efficiency and accountability.
He added that governance reforms had been reinforced with the establishment of Chief Compliance and Chief Sustainability offices to improve oversight within the company.
Referencing remarks made by Ojulari at the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026, Abubakar said the NNPC boss had acknowledged that political pressures previously kept state-owned refineries running at a loss.
He said the company was now shifting from contractor-led refinery rehabilitation to partnerships with experienced global operators who would co-own and manage the facilities to ensure efficiency and profitability.
“We are not looking for contractors anymore. We want companies that run refineries successfully. They will co-own the assets, lead operations, and help us build the competence to manage them sustainably,”
Abubakar quoted Ojulari as saying.
While endorsing the reforms, the PWA also raised concerns over pipeline surveillance contracts, urging Bola Tinubu not to renew existing agreements without broader stakeholder inclusion.
The group called for equitable distribution of such contracts among Niger Delta stakeholders to promote fairness, peace, and security in oil-producing communities.
Abubakar further suggested that security agencies, including the Nigerian Army and Navy, should be considered for pipeline surveillance responsibilities, citing their capacity to protect critical national infrastructure.
He added that industry observers believe Ojulari’s reforms have transformed NNPC Ltd. from a closed public institution into a commercially accountable national energy company.
The statement also noted that the Coalition of Civil Society for Transparency in the Extractive Industry (CCSTEI) had recently commended Ojulari for restoring public confidence in the organisation.
“He has proven that visionary leadership, coupled with accountability and performance excellence, can redefine an institution for the better,” Abubakar said.
