There has been a shakeup in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The national oil company’s management announced the promotion and redeployment of some staff to fill key vacant positions in the corporation.

The NNPC made this known in a statement by its spokesperson Kennie Obateru in Abuja on Monday.

It stated that the appointments and redeployments were to strengthen and reposition the NNPC towards attaining global excellence and profitability.

According to the statement, Garba Muhammad would take over from Mr Obateru as the “Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division.”

It added that Mr Obateru would retire from service in September.

Similarly, Billy Okoye was appointed as the new “Group Executive Director (GED), Ventures & Business Development, while the corporation promoted Aisha Ahmadu-Katagum to the Group Executive Director, Corporate Services.”

Until their new appointments, Mr Okoye and Ms Ahmadu-Katagum were group general managers, Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD) and Supply Chain Management Division, respectively, at NNPC.

Also, Adeyemi Adetunji, formerly Chief Operating Officer, Business & Ventures Development, is now the Group Executive Director, Downstream.

The NNPC also appointed Mohammed Abdulkabir Ahmed, former Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Services, as the Group Executive Director, Gas and Power.

The corporation also stated that other chief operating officer positions in the NNPC were re-designated as “Group Executive Directors” (GEDs) to align with the rules of the Company And Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

The national oil firm added that this was in preparation for the new status of the corporation as a limited liability company, post-Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The statement also noted that the repositioning saw the disengagement of Yusuf Usman, former Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power.

It also quoted the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Mele Kyari, as saying the new appointments would enable the NNPC to live up to the expectations of Nigerians and achieve its vision of becoming a world-class energy company.

(NAN)