The Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, has resumed work, putting to rest widespread claims of his resignation over alleged fraud perpetrated through his office.
After resuming office, the NNPCL boss was said to have held meetings with key departmental heads and staff, signaling a return to normal business operations in the country’s oil firm.
Ojulari was seen arriving at the NNPCL Towers in Abuja around 9:35 a.m. on Monday amid reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested and mandated him to resign from his position.
A senior official within the company confirmed to journalists that the firm’s boss was “in high spirits” and “performing his duties as usual.”
This development comes in the wake of media reports suggesting that Ojulari had been forced to resign by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), allegedly without presidential approval. The reports, which surfaced over the weekend, claimed that Ojulari had been pressured into signing a resignation letter over alleged irregularities.
However, the Presidency swiftly dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless. In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the government reaffirmed Ojulari’s position, stating that “he remains the substantive head of NNPC Limited.”
Similarly, the EFCC distanced itself from the claims, labeling them as “mischievous and unfounded.” A spokesperson for the anti-graft agency stressed that the commission does not engage in acts of coercion and that any investigation involving public officials follows due legal processes.
Ojulari, a former Shell executive, was appointed as NNPCL boss in April 2025 by President Bola Tinubu as part of sweeping reforms aimed at repositioning the state oil firm for transparency and global competitiveness. Since assuming office, he has spearheaded several initiatives focused on accountability, contract auditing, and fuel distribution stabilisation.
