NNPC’s Ojulari Exposes Sabotage Attempts by Internal, External Actors

• NNPC Limited, under Bayo Ojulari, has expressed concerns about sabotage efforts aimed at undermining the company’s ongoing reforms
• A statement revealed that both internal and external actors are spreading false information to derail the transition to a corruption-free, performance-driven energy corporation
• Despite these efforts, NNPC Ltd. remains resolute in its commitment to reform, urging staff and stakeholders to stay focused on the mission

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited's new leadership, under the leadership of Bayo Ojulari, has expressed concern that efforts to rid the company of corruption are being thwarted by certain saboteurs both inside and outside the organization.

Recall that on April 2, President Bola Tinubu dismissed Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, and Bayo Ojulari succeeded him.

The new leadership, in a statement issued by management, revealed that it had uncovered a coordinated sabotage campaign being carried out by a syndicate of known and anonymous individuals operating at various levels both inside and outside the organisation.

The Punch in a statement, said that the individuals were deliberately spreading false information to undermine the new leadership and hinder the organisation's ongoing transition into a performance-driven, corruption-free energy corporation.

“The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC Ltd.) has uncovered a coordinated sabotage campaign being waged by a syndicate of known and faceless actors, both outside and within various levels of the organization. This group is actively spreading lies and misinformation simply to discredit NNPC Ltd.’s leadership and derail the organization’s ongoing transformation into a corruption-free, performance-driven energy company, in line with the mandate of His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the statement read in part.

It was revealed that the aforementioned individuals' strategies include fabricating and spreading scandalous allegations to divert the attention of the leadership and deceive the public.

According to the statement, the actions were deliberate attempts by people who felt threatened by accountability, transparency, reform, and change.

“Their tactics include planting scandalous and fabricated reports, curated to distract leadership, mislead the public, and undermine the commitment of our dedicated workforce and reform-minded Nigerians. These are calculated efforts by those who feel threatened by reform, transparency, accountability, and change—clear evidence of the lengths to which they will go to obstruct the transformation of Nigeria’s foremost energy institution,” the NNPC leadership stated.

The new NNPC board, however, stated that while it anticipated an increase in defamatory content in the near future, no amount of sabotage will stop the company's ongoing reforms.

“We expect a surge of defamatory content in the days and weeks ahead. NNPC Ltd remains undeterred. The transformation is underway, and no amount of sabotage will stop it. We urge our dedicated staff, stakeholders, and all patriotic Nigerians to stay focused, ignore the noise, and not be discouraged. We remain steadfast in our mission,” the statement concluded.

Olufemi Soneye resigned on Saturday, and as of yet, NNPC has not appointed a replacement spokesperson.

Experts call for caution

Legit.ng reported that Critics warn that newly appointed professionals leading the company are being unfairly targeted for issues dating back to previous administrations.

Bamidele Atoyebi, Convener of the BAT Ideological Group and public affairs analyst, in a strongly worded piece, cautioned against what he described as “public hysteria founded on misinformation and political undertones.”

The new board of NNPC was inaugurated in April 2025, with Bayo Ojulari, a veteran energy engineer, appointed as Group Chief Executive Officer.

Source: Legit.ng