By John Paul
The confusion surrounding the alleged resignation of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, over the weekend exposed glaring gaps in the company’s public communication structure, as the absence of a clear spokesperson led to inaccurate media reports and widespread speculation.
Ojulari, who was reported in several online platforms to have resigned over the weekend, resumed at his office on Monday morning, quelling a media storm that had raged for days in the absence of any official clarification from the company. He was sighted at the NNPC Towers at about 9:35 a.m., attending to his regular duties, even as many within and outside the organisation remained in the dark over the authenticity of the resignation claims.
The controversy was worsened by the lack of an effective communication channel within the NNPCL. Since the resignation of its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, on June 21, 2025, the company has operated without a publicly designated spokesperson. With no official communication lines open to address critical matters, rumours and misinformation have filled the vacuum at NNPCL.
Efforts by journalists to verify the alleged resignation were met with silence. Messages, calls, and even WhatsApp inquiries to company executives manning key departments went unanswered throughout the weekend, while staff members declined to comment, citing lack of authorisation.
Internal sources at NNPCL admitted that the situation is compounded by the increasing difficulty journalists face in accessing the NNPC Towers. Tighter security protocols require visitors to present physical invitations and prior security clearance. Even with these, access is not guaranteed unless the inviting officer personally intervenes at the gate. The lack of a media point of contact has effectively shut the press out, leaving only unofficial sources to fill the information gap.
Ojulari, appointed on April 2, 2025, by President Bola Tinubu in a high-profile management shake-up, has remained largely distant from the press since assuming office. His inability to name a successor for the departed Soneye has left NNPCL’s Corporate Communications Department rudderless, further isolating the company from public scrutiny and exacerbating public relations mishaps.
An internal source, speaking on condition of anonymity, lamented the chaotic situation, admitting that the absence of a spokesperson has badly affected the company’s operations. “It’s unfortunate that such an important organisation is navigating critical reforms without a communication bridge to the public. This latest episode should be a wake-up call,” the source said.
He pointed out that for an organisation as pivotal as NNPCL, which sits at the heart of Nigeria’s energy and economic sectors, the failure to manage information flow during such sensitive moments exposes a critical vulnerability. “Until a structured communication strategy is restored, episodes like this may continue to undermine the company’s credibility and operational focus,” he told this newspaper.