The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed the managing directors of its three major refineries—Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna—alongside several top executives, in a sweeping overhaul initiated by its new leadership.
The changes, confirmed by multiple sources within the state-owned oil company, come under the direction of the newly appointed Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, and Executive Non-Chairman of the board, Musa Ahmadu-Kida.
Among those affected is Bala Wunti, former Chief of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), a key NNPCL subsidiary. Several other officials, including those with less than a year to retirement, were also directed to exit the company.
An NNPCL official who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “The managing directors of Port Harcourt Refining Company, Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, and Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company have all been relieved of their duties. Other senior executives have also been affected.”
The shake-up also saw the appointment of Maryam Idrisu as the new Managing Director of NNPC Trading.
As of press time, NNPCL spokesperson Olufemi Soneye had not responded to requests for comment.
This development follows the April 2025 dismissal of former GCEO Mele Kyari and former Board Chairman Chief Pius Akinyelure by President Bola Tinubu, who replaced them with Ojulari and Ahmadu-Kida amid concerns over the poor performance of key refineries.
Despite claims last year that the rehabilitated Port Harcourt refinery had resumed operations, it reportedly struggled to exceed 50 percent capacity. The Warri refinery, which underwent costly maintenance reportedly totaling $897.6 million, has been shut down since January 25, 2025, due to safety issues in its Crude Distillation Unit Main Heater.
A regulatory report from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority also revealed that the Warri facility failed to produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) before being shut down, just weeks after former GCEO Kyari announced it had resumed operations.
