NNPC Set to Fill 19 Top Management Vacancies, May Reshuffle Existing Positions

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) may any time from now carry out a major exercise to fill about 19 existing vacant positions in the company, which may also see the redeployment of several top officials, following the planned shake-up.

Quoting top government sources yesterday, an online medium, The Whistler, said that some of the 19 management positions that are yet to be occupied are due to statutory retirements by some employees of the company, starting from December last year.

It stated that for instance, the position of Chief Operating Officer ( Downstream) has been vacant since December 2020 when Mrs. Lawrencia Ndupu statutorily retired from that position. Ndupu, who represented the South-east region at the top management level of the NNPC had yet to be replaced since her retirement.

The implication of this, according to the sources is that there is currently no representation from the South-east at that level of management at the NNPC, adding that the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Ventures and Business Development has been seen several times in public events acting in that position lately.

It was also gathered that replacements would be announced to fill the vacant positions left due to the retirement of the managing director of the Nigerian Gas Marketing Company(NGC) as well as the managing director of the Port Harcourt Refinery.

Similarly, the Managing Director, Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Musa Lawal and Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Dr. Kennie Obateru, are said to be due for retirement in September this year.

“There is going to be a massive shake-up at the NNPC following the 19 vacant positions that we now have in the corporation. You will recall that the COO Downstream, Mrs Lauretta retired since December 2020 and she is representing South-east in the NNPC management level.

“No one has replaced her yet and by implication, there is no representation from the South-east. Instead, Engineer Adeyemi Adetunji who is COO Ventures and Business Development has been seen severally in public events acting as COO Downstream.

“The MD PPMC, Musa Lawal and GGM Group Public Affairs Dr Kennie Obateru are also due for retirement sometime in September this year. Don’t forget that the MD of Nigerian Gas Marketing Company, and MD of PH Refineries have all retired without replacement.

“It is expected that someone from the SE will be promoted to COO to replace Mrs Ndupu. Some persons have been working in those positions in acting capacity,” the online medium quoted the NNPC source as saying.