By Jonathan Eze

In just four months at the helm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari has delivered what many would have thought impossible — bold, surgical reforms that have begun transforming the company from a bloated, opaque bureaucracy into a performance-driven, globally competitive national oil company.

From day one, Ojulari brought with him a reformist’s resolve, a technocrat’s precision, and a patriot’s courage. Today, his tenure is marked by measurable progress, institutional clean-up, and a strategic redirection of NNPCL’s role in Nigeria’s economy.

Reforms in Action: Achievements That Speak Louder Than Words

Ojulari’s early wins are both broad and deep. Most significantly, he has revamped NNPCL’s governance and procurement architecture, instituting a transparent, digital-first system that prioritizes accountability and value-for-money. This singular reform has closed long-standing financial leakages, saving the corporation billions of naira in projected contract inflation and shady deal-making.

He has also led a robust push for upstream asset optimization, renegotiating stale joint venture frameworks and creating a more investor-friendly climate. These steps have rekindled investor confidence and driven up production volumes in some of Nigeria’s key fields.

In parallel, his administration is accelerating Nigeria’s gas monetization strategy, tapping into global demand for cleaner energy and positioning the country as a significant player in the energy transition era. This forward-looking strategy aligns with global best practices and could reestablish Nigeria’s relevance in the shifting energy landscape.

But what truly sets Ojulari apart is his methodology. Known for his eagle-eyed attention to detail, he is not the type to simply occupy a corner office and issue directives from afar. Colleagues and industry watchers say he personally scrutinizes project briefs, audits spending lines, and interfaces directly with technical teams, creating a culture of diligence, clarity, and excellence.

He is, without question, a technocrat in action — one whose rare blend of leadership, integrity, and subject-matter expertise is challenging the deep-seated norms of mediocrity and manipulation that have long defined the oil and gas sector.

The Inevitable Pushback: Resistance from the Old Guard

Yet, as history has taught us, reform never comes without resistance. Ojulari’s uncompromising stand against waste, opacity, and corruption has ruffled feathers — and rightly so.

A calculated and malicious campaign of disinformation has been launched by shadowy elements desperate to reclaim lost influence. These include faceless lobbyists, syndicated media attacks, and weaponized memos — all designed to discredit the GMD and frustrate his momentum.

But Nigerians must ask themselves a difficult question: who benefits from halting the reform train? The answer is clear — not the ordinary Nigerian citizen, not the economy, and certainly not the next generation. The only ones who stand to gain from Ojulari’s derailment are the agents of corruption, whose grip on the industry is finally being broken.

Legacy in the Making: A Call for National Backing

Bayo Ojulari’s leadership at NNPCL is already shaping up to be a watershed moment. His reforms are not cosmetic; they are systemic. His approach is not performative; it is deeply professional. And his motives are not self-serving; they are firmly rooted in national interest.

This is why it is imperative — morally, economically, and politically — for the Presidency, the National Assembly, stakeholders in the oil and gas ecosystem, and indeed all right-thinking Nigerians, to rally behind Ojulari.

We must refuse to allow noise drown out results. We must protect those who are bold enough to confront entrenched systems. Nigeria can no longer afford to squander leadership like this — not in a sector as strategic as oil and gas.

A Poetic Salute to a Reformer-in-Chief

Forge on, Ojulari — steady hand in rising flame,
Challenger of shadows, untarnished by name.
In halls once hushed by compromise and fear,
You plant the seeds of a vision clear.
Let saboteurs plot, let liars conspire —
History will remember who walked through fire.
May your strides resound where silence reigned,
With honor reclaimed, and dignity regained.

*Eze is a media consultant based in Abuja

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