By Pelemo Bamidele

In a country long plagued by systemic inefficiencies and opaque operations in the oil and gas sector, the appointment of Bayo Ojulari as Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) marked a pivotal turning point. As the energy giant navigates a historic transition into a commercially-driven enterprise under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), Ojulari’s bold, reform-oriented leadership has been nothing short of a breath of fresh air.

However, in recent weeks, faceless columnists, whispering cabals, and orchestrated smear campaigns have emerged—seeking not just to undermine his leadership, but to derail the very reforms that are setting NNPCL on a trajectory of transparency, efficiency, and profitability. It is time to call these tactics what they are: desperate attempts to reverse the gains of accountability in favor of entrenched interests.

A Technocrat with Proven Track Record

Bayo Ojulari is not a political appointee dancing to the tune of backroom power brokers. He is a globally respected petroleum engineer and strategist with decades of experience managing complex upstream and integrated energy projects. Before assuming office at NNPCL, he had already carved a legacy at Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), where he led deepwater operations and championed local content development.

His approach at NNPCL has been grounded in one core principle: reform with results. Whether it’s cost optimization, digital transformation, or improved stakeholder engagement, Ojulari has been unapologetically focused on delivering a company that can compete globally—not just serve politically connected rent seekers.

The Reforms They Don’t Want You to See

Let’s be clear: the opposition to Ojulari’s leadership is not rooted in performance failure; it is rooted in reform resistance. His sweeping initiatives have disrupted entrenched interests that have, for decades, fed off NNPCL’s inefficiencies.

Here’s what the cabals won’t say: Ojulari is tightening leakages. Under his tenure, NNPCL has ramped up financial disclosures, project due diligence, and procurement transparency, closing the loopholes that have historically enabled billions in revenue losses.

He is professionalizing the workforce. Merit-based appointments, performance audits, and executive accountability are replacing the old “godfather” structure where loyalty trumped competence.

He’s opening up new revenue streams. Ojulari’s vision to diversify investments beyond crude—into gas infrastructure, renewables, and downstream optimization—is positioning NNPCL as a future-ready energy corporation.

These changes are not merely cosmetic—they are existential. And that is precisely why the opposition has intensified.

A Familiar Playbook: Lies, Misinformation, and Anonymous Attacks

Predictably, the attacks have followed a familiar script. Anonymous op-eds, sponsored social media campaigns, and fabricated reports have tried to sow doubts about Ojulari’s leadership. None provide credible evidence. None are backed by metrics or stakeholder consensus. All are timed to create distractions from ongoing audits, investigations, and structural shakeups that threaten the old guard.

The question every patriotic Nigerian must ask is this: Who benefits if Ojulari is removed? It certainly won’t be the Nigerian people. It will be those who want to return NNPCL to the era of backdoor contracts, inflated project costs, and opaque revenue sharing.

This Is Bigger Than One Man—It’s About National Energy Sovereignty

Bayo Ojulari’s reform agenda isn’t about self-promotion. It’s about aligning NNPCL with the best practices of national oil companies like Saudi Aramco and Petrobras—corporations that have successfully modernized while driving national development. The reforms underway are foundational to Nigeria’s energy future, to investor confidence, and to our long-term fiscal stability.

Attempting to sabotage these efforts for personal or political gain is not just shortsighted—it is dangerous.

A Call to Stakeholders: Choose Progress Over Politics

To the Presidency, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the National Assembly, and all critical stakeholders, this is not the time to fold under pressure from shadowy forces. It is the time to stand firm behind a technocrat who has put national interest above sectional gain.

Leadership is not about pleasing everyone; it’s about doing what is right, especially when it is hard. Ojulari is doing the hard things—and for that, he deserves our support, not sabotage.

The Verdict: Let the Reforms Continue

Nigeria can no longer afford the luxury of regression. At a time when our economy depends more than ever on oil and gas revenue, what NNPCL needs is continuity in vision, not chaos in leadership.

Bayo Ojulari is not perfect—but he is purposeful, principled, and pragmatic. And in today’s Nigeria, that makes him exactly the kind of leader worth defending.

Let the cabals bark. Let the paid columns cry foul. But let Nigeria move forward.

. Pelemo Bamidele, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos

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