By Peter Omopo
President Bola Tinubu has urged the newly inaugurated board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to explore all viable options to secure economic growth and consolidate the progress achieved through ongoing reforms.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday, President Tinubu said the board’s formation was the result of a deliberate and careful search for exceptional leadership within the oil and gas sector.
Details of the event were released in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, titled “President Tinubu to NNPC Limited Board: I Count on Your Experience to Turn the Economy Around.”
“When I started searching, it took a while to come up with the kind of character that you represent. You represent the best in the industry,” Tinubu told the board members. “You have the reputation, resourcefulness and experience to help the country. This is a call to duty.”
The President highlighted the positive impact of his administration’s reforms, noting that Nigeria’s economy is now more resilient and globally competitive. He expressed confidence that with the board’s support, the nation would continue its upward trajectory.
“Nigeria has come of age. It is now more competitive and turning the corner. With your highly respected team, I can relax and attend to other matters,” he added.
President Tinubu emphasized the need to seek innovative, homegrown solutions in the face of global economic volatility and stressed the importance of repositioning the NNPCL as a driver of national growth.
“Explore all options for a win-win situation for Nigeria. I am so proud of you and believe you will succeed,” he charged the board.
Also speaking at the event, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, praised the President’s choice of board members, calling them the “best in Africa.”
“I got calls from the whole of Africa, my colleagues in OPEC, saying that if this team does not deliver, Nigeria will have to import men from another planet to come and deliver the oil and gas sector,” he said.
