Connect with us

General News

Buhari Sacks MDs of NNPC Subsidiaries

Published

on

NNPC.jpg
Kindly share this post

President Muhammadu Buhari has fired the managing directors of the subsidiaries of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and retired 38 top management staff of the firm, trimming down their number from 122 to 83.

The President also approved four new directorates for the national oil corporation and appointed four directors to man them.

Buhari further allowed the firm to recruit 12 private sector players into its management cadre to help it jump-start a new business outlook to enhance its operational environment as a profit-driven business and wean the firm from its present civil service orientation.

The four new directorates are Exploration and Production, Finance and Services, Refining and Technology, and Commercial and Investment.

As the restructuring at the corporation went on, our correspondent observed that a good number of staff members of the oil firm stayed back on Tuesday evening, even after closing for the day’s job.

Many of them were spotted discussing in hushed tones, while a few visibly tensed workers made it clear that there was fear of job losses in the air at the NNPC, going by the downsizing of the executive positions from eight to four and the trimming of top management staff from 122 to 83.

Saturday PUNCH had reported exclusively that the approval of directorates and managers to occupy the positions were delayed by the President.

This, however, was confirmed by Mr. Ohi Alegbe, the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

The corporation, in the statement, said, “The management of the NNPC has appointed four new group executive directors to man the four new directorates that have been approved by the Presidency.”

Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, group managing director, disclosed that the new appointments were in line with the Federal Government’s aspiration to transform the corporation into a lean, efficient, business-focused, transparent and accountable national oil company in keeping with international best practices.

The appointments which were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari include Dr. Maikanti Baru, Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production; Mr. Isiaka Abdulrazaq, Group Executive Director, Finance and Services; Mr. Dennis Nnamdi Ajulu, Group Executive Director, Refining and Technology and Dr. Babatunde Victor Adeniran, Group Executive Director, Commercial and Investment.

The statement noted that a new company secretary/legal adviser and managing directors were also appointed for the firm’s strategic business units.

It said they include “Chidi Momah, Group General Manager, Company Secretary and Legal Adviser; Mrs. Esther Nnamdi Ogbue, Managing Director, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company; Mr. Chinedu Ezeribe, Managing Director, Warri Refining and Petrochemicals Company; Mr. Babatunde Bakare, Managing Director, Nigerian Gas Company; Mr. Inuwa Ibrahim Waya, Managing Director, Hyson; Mr. Abubakar Mai-Bornu, Managing Director, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company; and Mr. Ladipo Fagbola, Managing Director, NNPC Retail.

Others are “Mr. Rowland Ewubare, Managing Director, Integrated Data Services Limited; Mr. Modupe Bammeke, Managing Director, NNPC Properties; Mr. Abdulkadir Saidu, Managing Director, Duke Oil; and Mr. Dafe Sejebor, Group General Manager, Nigerian Petroleum Investment Management Services.

The statement added that “the corporation also retired 38 top management staff reducing the number from 122 to 83. Also in line with the aspiration to reposition the corporation, 12 personnel have been recruited from the private sector into the top management cadre to jump-start a new business outlook to enhance the operational environment as a profit-driven business as against the current civil service orientation.”

The restructuring at the NNPC started last week Tuesday after Buhari fired the former GMD, Dr. Joseph Dawha, and replaced him with Kachikwu.

A day later, the President sacked the firm’s eight group executive directors but announced no replacement, although our correspondent reported that the eight departments were trimmed to four.

The restructuring continued on Friday as Kachikwu redeployed the Group General Manager, Crude Oil and Marketing Division, Mr. Gbenga Komolafe, and replaced him with Mr. Musa Usman, who was to serve in acting capacity.

About two weeks ago, President Buhari declared a strong stance to fix Nigeria’s oil sector, rid the industry of rot and probe monies stolen by operators in the sector.

The President had in late June dissolved the NNPC board.

The Federal Government, through the NNPC, regulates and participates in the country’s petroleum industry.

An Act to dissolve the former Nigerian National Oil Corporation and to establish the NNPC was promulgated in 1977.

The NNPC was established on April 1, 1977, as a merger of the Nigerian National Oil Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel.

 


Kindly share this post

Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Comments

General News

Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Delta State Police Command has revealed how a 17-year-old boy allegedly hacked into celebrities’ WhatsApp accounts and sold explicit adult content to classmates.

Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

This was disclosed in a viral video shared by comedian Otaghware Onodjayeke, popularly known as I Go Save, during a security awareness programme where he spoke with Temi Agbede-Zuokumor, divisional police officer (DPO) of Ugborikoko Division, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

The DPO explained that the case came to light after a routine check of a student’s phone, which first raised suspicion.

Agbede-Zuokumor disclosed that the student’s mother had initially claimed the phone belonged to his sister, but further inspection revealed otherwise.

“The woman looked very modest, so I asked her if she was from Deeper Life. She said no. I then asked why her son took a phone to school, and she claimed it belonged to his sister,” she narrated.

The DPO expressed that the development triggered her suspicion, prompting officers to examine the phone’s contents.

“Something told me to check the phone. When we did, we discovered that everything on the device belonged to the boy,” she said.

She added that the phone contained over 80 foreign numbers, including Australian contacts, alongside numerous explicit materials.

“We saw several foreign numbers, over 80 Australian lines, and the phone was filled with pornographic content,” she said.

The police officer further disclosed that the suspect allegedly sold explicit materials to his classmates, who referred to him as “boss.”

“We also saw chats with his classmates asking if he had explicit content to sell. They were calling him ‘boss’ in school,” she added.

According to her, investigations also revealed that the teenager had hacked into WhatsApp accounts belonging to prominent individuals and used them to solicit money.

“We discovered he had access to WhatsApp accounts of some celebrities, which he used to demand money from unsuspecting victims,” she said.

Speaking during the session, comedian I Go Save recounted a similar experience, describing how he was once contacted by a suspected fraudster impersonating Elon Musk, Forbes world richest man.

“That was how someone impersonating Elon Musk messaged me, saying he was stranded and needed a recharge card,” he said.

“I was surprised and asked which network he used. The person later sent an Opay account,” he added.

The police warned parents and school authorities to be more vigilant, stressing the growing concern of cyber-related crimes among young people.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

General News

SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged N2.9Bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

Published

on

Kindly share this post

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,  as well as the management of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), to account for and explain the whereabouts of an alleged ₦2.9 billion in missing or diverted public funds.

SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged ₦2.9bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

SERAP also called on Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), attorney general of the federation and minister of justice,  and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the alleged diversion of funds, including those documented in previous Auditor-General reports.

In a letter dated April 11, 2026, and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director SERAP, said: “These allegations, involving critical public institutions, represent a grave violation of the public trust and a fundamental breach of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws and international obligations.”

The group further urged the Federal Government to direct NIGCOMSAT to disclose the shareholders and beneficial owners of a company that allegedly received ₦465 million in “unauthorised investment” from the agency.

SERAP said, “Anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing or diverted public funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

The organisation gave the government seven days to comply, warning that it may initiate legal action if its demands are not met.

It also stated that accountability in both agencies is critical, given their strategic roles, saying: “Accountability in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA is critical given their strategic roles in Nigeria’s digital economy and national safety systems. Mismanagement in these agencies not only wastes scarce public resources but also threatens national development, technological progress, and public safety.”

SERAP added: “Ensuring accountability is therefore essential to protecting both Nigeria’s present and its future.”

It warned that failure to address the allegations would continue to erode public trust, stating: “These allegations, if left unaddressed, will continue to undermine public confidence in government institutions, weaken Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, and deprive citizens of resources needed for development.”

The allegations were drawn from the Auditor-General’s report published on September 9, 2025, which examined financial activities in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA and raised concerns over possible mismanagement of public funds.

According to the report, NIGCOMSAT failed to account for over ₦465 million used for an “unauthorised investment” in Gicell Wireless Ltd, made without approvals from the Minister of Science and Technology and the Accountant-General of the Federation.

It also noted that “there was also no evidence that a competent Investment Analyst performed investment appraisal,” while the investment agreement raised concerns over valuation and exchange rate assumptions.

The Auditor-General further stated that “NIGCOMSAT made ineligible, irregular and wrong payments of over ₦3 million to staff,” and that “the payment was made without due process and any documents on what the payments were meant for.”

It also flagged an irregular rent payment of over ₦4.3 million, noting that although a refund was requested, “there was no evidence that the consultant refunded the money.”

It added that NIGCOMSAT “failed to remit over ₦507 million of its internally generated revenue to the Consolidated Revenue Fund,” while also failing to account for over ₦6 million for undelivered store items.

The report further stated that “there was also no evidence of how the transferred funds were spent or utilised,” referring to an irregular ₦84.78 million transfer from a Remita account to a special project account.

On NNRA, the report alleged that ₦4.35 million was spent on training without evidence that it took place, while ₦16.7 million was paid for ICT equipment without approval.

It also stated that ₦33.4 million was spent on items that were never supplied, and that “there were no documents to support” several payments for operational activities.

The Auditor-General further noted that NNRA “failed to retire over ₦6.5 million of cash advances granted to staff,” and that ₦2.05 million paid for foreign training had no evidence of participation.

It also stated that ₦1.95 million collected through Remita was not recorded in the agency’s cashbook, leading to concerns of revenue understatement.

SERAP said the findings point to “a systemic pattern of financial mismanagement, opacity, and corruption within an agency entrusted with advancing Nigeria’s digital and communications infrastructure,” adding that NNRA’s lapses also raise serious concerns about compliance with safety and financial regulations.

 


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

General News

IHS Nigeria Renovates, Upgrade Facilities at the National Museum Lagos

Published

on

L-r Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Nigeria Limited, Dapo Otunla; Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Olugbile Holloway; during the commissioning of the newly renovated National Museum Gallery, sponsored by IHS Nigeria, on Saturday, 11th April 2026, at the National Museum Lagos, Nigeria.
Kindly share this post

IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has partnered with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to renovate and upgrade facilities at the National Museum, Lagos.

Commissioned by the Honorable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, the project is a significant step towards restoring and improving critical facilities at the museum complex, while supporting the long-term preservation of Nigeria’s cultural assets and heritage.

The project has improved the overall aesthetic appeal of the museum site and featured extensive restoration of the museum’s main gallery. The restored gallery incorporates the installation of modern display and lighting systems, air‑conditioning units, a solar inverter system to enhance energy efficiency, and surveillance cameras to aid safety, security and operational performance across the facility. These renovations and upgrades follow on from IHS Nigeria’s sponsorship of the museum’s efforts to digitize Nigeria’s cultural heritage and launch Nigeria’s first digital museum of antiquities at www.museum.ng.

Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, Having seen the rich historical and cultural heritage housed in this national museum complex, we believed it was important to go a step further after supporting the development of the digital museum, to also improve the aesthetics, security and structural integrity of the main physical complex. This aligns with our broader commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and the preservation of Nigeria’s history.

“I am proud of these renovations and that visitors, including tourists, researchers and art enthusiasts, can visit the museum to be immersed in Nigeria’s rich history in an environment that is safe, beautiful and welcoming.

“The artifacts can also now be better preserved, protected and presented in a way that celebrates the history they represent. I thank the National Commission for Museums and Monuments for this ongoing partnership which continues to exemplify the power of a collaborative effort in driving innovation, fostering national pride, and enhancing the creative economy.”

Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, commented, “On behalf of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, I wish to express our deepest gratitude to IHS Nigeria for their generous support of the restoration of the National Museum, Lagos. This landmark gesture goes far beyond bricks and mortar — it is a profound commitment to preserving the soul of our nation.

“The National Museum Lagos is home to some of Nigeria’s most treasured antiquities, from the ancient terracotta of the Nok civilization to the magnificent bronzes of the Benin Kingdom and the classical works of Ife.

“To restore this institution is to restore our collective memory. We thank IHS Nigeria for choosing to renew not just infrastructure, but the heritage, identity, and the hope of our people. Their support ensures that generations of Nigerians yet unborn will walk through these halls and encounter the full greatness of who we are and where we come from.”


Kindly share this post
Continue Reading

Trending