• Home
  • Anti-Corruption
  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
  • National
    • Government
  • Security
  • Features
  • State
  • Event
    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Search
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
PRNIGERIA PRNigeria News
PRNIGERIA PRNIGERIA
  • Home
  • Anti-Corruption
    • ICPC Secures Conviction of Rector for Running Unaccredited Degree Programmes

      Engr Abba Babagana Dalori

      Engr Dalori Forfeits Galaxy Hospital, Petrol Station, Properties & Cash

      Chinese nationals jailed in Lagos

      Court Jails Nine Chinese Nationals for Cybercrime in Lagos

      ASUU

      Tackle Corruption, Institutional Decay – ASUU Charges FG

      EFCC Arraigns Bauchi Accountant General Over N8bn Fraud as Court Sentences…

  • Fact-Check
  • Economy
    • Customs Partners US Mission to Prevent Expanded Visa Ban

      Nigeria Customs Partners China on Smarter Ports, Officer Training, Reforms

      Comptroller General Nigerian Customs Bashir Adewale

      Customs Moves Against 223 Importers in N379bn Permit Breach

      Bashir Adewale Adeniyi Customs Boss

      How Customs is Tightening Borders to Stop Illicit Cash Flows –…

      Customs boss, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi with NAFDAC DG Professor Moji Adeyeye

      Codeine, Tramadol Worth ₦20.5bn Seized as Customs-NAFDAC Cooperation Deepens

  • National
    • Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bayo Ojulari

      Purported Resignation: Who are after NNPC Boss Bashir Ojulari

      Dr. Emmanuel Ojukwu and representatives at NIPR FCT the meeting

      NIPR FCT Chapter Focuses on Crisis Communication and Professionalism

      Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun

      IG Boosts Police Intelligence Capacity with New Tech, Training for Technical…

      Army Commander keeps 100 students in school

      Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 students

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ’s Education Program

    • Government
      • Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bayo Ojulari

        Purported Resignation: Who are after NNPC Boss Bashir Ojulari

        The Paramount Ruler of Oka-Akoko, His Imperial Majesty Oba (Dr) Yusuf Adebori Adeleye, OON, the Olubaka of Oka

        Olubaka of Oka Praises Foundation for “Best Oka Day” Festival

        Dr. Emmanuel Ojukwu and representatives at NIPR FCT the meeting

        NIPR FCT Chapter Focuses on Crisis Communication and Professionalism

        Mohammed Idris Malagi, Honorable Minister of Information and National Orientation

        FG Reacts to Niger Governor’s Closure of Badegi FM

        Northern leaders at Arewa Summit

        Northern Leaders Urge Action on Almajiri Crisis, Equitable Resources at Arewa…

  • Security
    • After ₦250m Ransom Demand, Security Guard Arrested for Murder of Caregiver,…

      The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major-General Markus Kangye,

      Troops Eliminate Dozens of Terrorists, Arrest 578 Suspects in July Operations

      Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun

      IG Boosts Police Intelligence Capacity with New Tech, Training for Technical…

      Nigerian Police Force

      Anambra Police Nab Wanted Kidnap Suspect in Kaduna

      Nigerian Navy

      Navy to Establish  Base in Kebbi to Tackle Inland Waterway Crimes

  • Features
    • CG Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

      Customs Just Wrote Nigeria’s Energy Rulebook

      Okello Oculi

      Okello Oculi: A Pan-Africanist Asteroid Burns out Forever By Is’haq Modibbo…

      Leon Usigbe

      Death, you can’t be Proud of this By Abdulrahman Abdulraheem 

      Tinubu’s Plateau Gambit – Yilwatda, 2027, and the Return of the…

      Ozumi and a recipient of a wheelchair

      Wheels of Hope: How a Simple Gift is Reshaping Lives at…

  • State
    • After ₦250m Ransom Demand, Security Guard Arrested for Murder of Caregiver,…

      court Judiciary

      Lawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property Redesign

      Army Commander keeps 100 students in school

      Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara

      Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, receiving the land document from Governor Pastor Umo Bassey Eno in Akwa Ibom

      Akwa Ibom Boosts National Security with Land Donation for Nigerian Air…

      Nigerian Army

      Army Denies Allegations of Misconduct in Imo Community

  • Event
    • The Paramount Ruler of Oka-Akoko, His Imperial Majesty Oba (Dr) Yusuf Adebori Adeleye, OON, the Olubaka of Oka

      Olubaka of Oka Praises Foundation for “Best Oka Day” Festival

      court Judiciary

      Lawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property Redesign

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 students

      Sam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ’s Education Program

      Comptroller General Customs Bashir Adewale and his staffs with the representatives of the European Union, the German Embassy

      Customs Unveils Renewable Energy Handbook, Strengthens EU-Germany-GIZ Partnership

      University of Maiduguri

      UNIMAID Mass Comm becomes Faculty of Communication and Media Studies

    • PR Nigeria Award
  • E-Paper
Home General Purported Resignation: Who are after NNPC Boss Bashir Ojulari
  • General
  • Government
  • National

Purported Resignation: Who are after NNPC Boss Bashir Ojulari

By
Prnigeria
-
August 3, 2025
Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bayo Ojulari
Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bayo Ojulari

Purported Resignation: Who are after NNPC Boss Bashir Ojulari?

A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) following conflicting reports about the status of its recently appointed Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bayo Ojulari. While some claim he has resigned, others allege he was forced out in a dramatic, politically motivated move.

Reports on Saturday suggested that Ojulari was pressured into signing a resignation letter by operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Sources described the incident, which allegedly took place on Friday night, as a “civilian coup” conducted without presidential approval. The operation was reportedly overseen by EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Ajayi.

As of Sunday morning, there has been no official statement from the government or the NNPCL, leaving room for a flurry of claims and counter-claims.

PRNigeria‘s attempts to verify the reports with contacts at the EFCC and DSS were unsuccessful.

Bashir Bayo Ojulari, a Yoruba Muslim from Kwara State in Northern Nigeria, was appointed GCEO of the NNPCL by President Bola Tinubu less than five monthss ago precisely on April 2, 2025.

Before this, he served as the executive vice-president and chief operating officer of Renaissance African Energy Company. He is also a former managing director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo). A mechanical engineer by training, he is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.

Just a few months into his tenure, Ojulari is facing a firestorm of allegations.

Accusations and Calls for Arrest

A web portal reported late Saturday that Ojulari had confirmed his resignation, stating that it was voluntary and without drama. However, this claim directly contradicts other reports suggesting a forced departure.

Some of the allegations against Ojulari were incidents before he resumed office.

The Economic Confidential recentlyreported that Ojulari firmly rejected the idea of selling the country’s refineries as stated a commitment to their high-grade rehabilitation and retention, dismissing rumors to the contrary. Ojulari believes that selling the refineries would be “ill-advised and sub-commercial” given their near completion, and would lead to “further value erosion.” He considers the sale of these critical national assets to be “highly unlikely.”

The NNPCL’s decision to retain the refineries according to him is in line with its core mandate as a strategic custodian of Nigeria’s energy infrastructure. It also reflects the Federal Government’s broader objectives for national energy security. By keeping the refineries, the company aims to ensure stability and self-sufficiency in the nation’s energy sector. This stance reinforces the government’s commitment to protecting and maximizing the value of its key assets for the benefit of the Nigerian populace.

Read Also:

  • After ₦250m Ransom Demand, Security Guard Arrested for Murder of Caregiver, Toddler in Abuja School
  • Olubaka of Oka Praises Foundation for “Best Oka Day” Festival
  • NIPR FCT Chapter Focuses on Crisis Communication and Professionalism

One major point of contention is a purported $21 million (N34.65 billion) corruption scandal. Civil society groups, including OilWatch Nigeria and the Workers’ Rights Alliance, have called for his arrest and prosecution. These groups claim that an associate, Abdullahi Bashir Haske, who is currently detained, allegedly confessed to holding the funds on Ojulari’s behalf.

During a press conference on July 31 at the EFCC premises, the coalition accused Ojulari of economic sabotage, pointing to the prolonged shutdown of Nigeria’s refineries and alleged plans to privatize NNPCL assets. In response, the groups launched a three-day protest at the National Assembly, NNPCL headquarters, and EFCC offices.

Additional allegations revolve around a $21 million kickback scheme involving oil traders and pipeline contractors. According to reports, a whistleblower alerted the EFCC, which subsequently froze the implicated account. This was allegedly uncovered after Ojulari reassigned fund collection responsibilities.

In a separate but related matter, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had previously urged the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate claims that N500 billion was not remitted by the NNPCL to the Federation Account between October and December 2024.

Defenders and a Reform Agenda

While some groups are calling for Ojulari’s ouster, others are rallying to his defense. Organizations like Change Initiatives and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) have suggested that the protests are politically motivated attempts to derail his reform agenda.

These groups have praised Ojulari’s leadership, highlighting initiatives like real-time monitoring systems, audits of opaque contracts, and efforts to stabilize fuel supply. They claim these reforms have led to a noticeable reduction in queues at petrol stations.

A coalition of civil society groups, including the Coalition of Civil Society Groups and Professionals for Good Governance (CCSGP), has also thrown its support behind Ojulari. In a press statement, the CCSGP praised President Tinubu for appointing Ojulari and described his accomplishments as “groundbreaking,” citing increased profitability, transparent remittances to the Federation Account, and plans to boost oil and gas production significantly. The group alleges that “fifth columnists and dirty politicians” are trying to distract Ojulari from his reforms, which they claim are a part of President Tinubu’s vision for the energy sector.

Other Criticisms and Contradictions

Despite the praise, critics have raised concerns about Ojulari’s alleged lavish spending, including a high-cost retreat in Kigali involving private jets. There are also claims of a difficult work environment that has led to staff resignations.

The Niger Delta Environmental Justice Coalition (NDEJC) also described the reported EFCC-DSS operation as politically driven, although the group acknowledged Ojulari’s contributions to boosting oil production and remittances.

The myriad of claims and counter-claims paints a picture of intense political and professional struggle at the heart of Nigeria’s national oil company, leaving many to wonder about the true reason behind the alleged pressure on Bashir Bayo Ojulari.

By PRNigeria

VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES
PRNigeria.com EconomicConfidential.com PRNigeria.com/Hausa/
EmergencyDigest.com PoliticsDigest.ng TechDigest.ng
HealthDigest.ng SpokesPersonsdigest.com TeensDigest.ng
ArewaAgenda.com Hausa.ArewaAgenda.com YAShuaib.com
  • TAGS
  • Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Bayo Ojulari
  • Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited
  • Purported Resignation
Previous articleWill Presidential Gifts Follow as Nigerian Female Basketballers D’Tigress Reach 5th Consecutive AfroBasket Final?
Prnigeria
Prnigeria

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Will Presidential Gifts Follow as Nigerian Female Basketballers D’Tigress Reach 5th Consecutive AfroBasket Final?

The Paramount Ruler of Oka-Akoko, His Imperial Majesty Oba (Dr) Yusuf Adebori Adeleye, OON, the Olubaka of Oka

Olubaka of Oka Praises Foundation for “Best Oka Day” Festival

Dr. Emmanuel Ojukwu and representatives at NIPR FCT the meeting

NIPR FCT Chapter Focuses on Crisis Communication and Professionalism

Mohammed Idris Malagi, Honorable Minister of Information and National Orientation

FG Reacts to Niger Governor’s Closure of Badegi FM

Ministry of Information and National Orientation has inaugurated an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU)

Information Ministry Inaugurates Anti-Corruption Unit to Deepen Transparency

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun

IG Boosts Police Intelligence Capacity with New Tech, Training for Technical Intelligence Unit

Army Commander keeps 100 students in school

Army Commander’s Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in Zamfara

Sam Obi Sponsors 500 students

Sam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ’s Education Program

CG Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

NIPR Hails customs Boss’ Tenure Extension as Evidence of Transformational Leadership

Comptroller General Customs Bashir Adewale and his staffs with the representatives of the European Union, the German Embassy

Customs Unveils Renewable Energy Handbook, Strengthens EU-Germany-GIZ Partnership

University of Maiduguri

UNIMAID Mass Comm becomes Faculty of Communication and Media Studies

CG Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

Tinubu’s Extension of Customs CG Bashir Adeniyi’s Tenure Draws Widespread Praise and Reactions

Recent Posts

  • Purported Resignation: Who are after NNPC Boss Bashir Ojulari
  • Will Presidential Gifts Follow as Nigerian Female Basketballers D’Tigress Reach 5th Consecutive AfroBasket Final?
  • After ₦250m Ransom Demand, Security Guard Arrested for Murder of Caregiver, Toddler in Abuja School
  • Olubaka of Oka Praises Foundation for “Best Oka Day” Festival
  • NIPR FCT Chapter Focuses on Crisis Communication and Professionalism
  • Home
  • About
  • Adverts
  • Contact
© 2020 PRNigeria. All Rights Reserved.
Latest News
Will Presidential Gifts Follow as Nigerian Female Basketballers D’Tigress Reach 5th Consecutive AfroBasket Final?After ₦250m Ransom Demand, Security Guard Arrested for Murder of Caregiver, Toddler in Abuja SchoolOlubaka of Oka Praises Foundation for "Best Oka Day" FestivalNIPR FCT Chapter Focuses on Crisis Communication and ProfessionalismTroops Eliminate Dozens of Terrorists, Arrest 578 Suspects in July OperationsFG Reacts to Niger Governor’s Closure of Badegi FMInformation Ministry Inaugurates Anti-Corruption Unit to Deepen TransparencyIG Boosts Police Intelligence Capacity with New Tech, Training for Technical Intelligence UnitAnambra Police Nab Wanted Kidnap Suspect in KadunaCustoms Just Wrote Nigeria's Energy RulebookLawyer Sues Housing Ministry, FHA Over Alleged Property RedesignNavy to Establish  Base in Kebbi to Tackle Inland Waterway CrimesArmy Commander's Compassion Keeps 100 Students in School in ZamfaraSam Obi Sponsors 500 Students in Evergreen, SimplifiedIQ's Education ProgramNIPR Hails customs Boss' Tenure Extension as Evidence of Transformational Leadership
X whatsapp