By Mohammed Bello Doka
Something strange is unfolding in Nigeria, and it reeks of French neocolonialism. The sudden reshuffling at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) smells like a silent takeover. The new Chairman, Ahmadu Musa Kida—formerly of Total—and the CEO, Bashir Bayo Ojulari—formerly of Elf Petroleum—are both tied to French oil giants. Insiders even whisper that they speak French more fluently than English. Mere hours after their appointments on April 2, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu flew to Paris. With France ousted from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, it now seems to be digging its claws into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. As an African, I can see the game: our sovereignty is up for grabs.
The evidence points to something deeper than coincidence. Kida, a former Deputy MD at Total Nigeria, and Ojulari, Elf’s first Nigerian process engineer, are not just technocrats—they’re seasoned alumni of French oil interests, now steering Nigeria’s state oil firm. TotalEnergies, formed from a 2000 merger with Elf, currently produces around 180,000 barrels per day—10% of Nigeria’s daily output. In 2023, TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné met with President Tinubu, pledging $6 billion for gas and offshore projects such as Bonga South-West Aparo. The Petroleum Industry Act and Tinubu’s 2024 tax incentives have flung open the gates—but it’s a one-way street. In 2022, Total made $20 billion globally, while Nigeria earned just $9.8 billion, according to NEITI—much of which was lost to subsidies and mounting debt.
France’s desperation is evident. After being pushed out of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—losing both uranium and military bases—Paris is scrambling to stay relevant. Nigeria, with 37 billion barrels of oil and over 200 trillion cubic feet of gas, is now the ultimate prize. President Tinubu’s increasing closeness with France is telling. His visit in November 2024 sealed $300 million in deals. And just a day after the NNPCL board shakeup, on April 3, 2025, he was back in Paris. Backdoor talks with Macron? Highly likely. France’s playbook is familiar: look at Gabon, where oil wealth coexists with poverty, or Côte d’Ivoire, still strangled by French influence. Extract, but never empower.
Meanwhile, Nigeria continues to bleed. Since 1957, we’ve pumped crude oil only to import refined fuel—spending $7 billion annually. Total refines our oil in Dunkirk, then sells it back to us. In the Niger Delta, oil spills and gas flaring wreak havoc, while $11 billion in illicit financial flows vanish every year, according to AfricaFactsZone. President Tinubu may envision a daily output of 2.5 million barrels by 2027, but who stands to gain? In Angola, under Total’s presence, $40 billion in oil exports coexist with a population where half survive on less than $2 a day. With Kida and Ojulari at the helm, more oil blocks could be handed to TotalEnergies—leaving Nigerians with breadcrumbs.
This is not development—it’s dependency rebranded. While the Sahel expelled France, Nigeria seems to be rolling out the red carpet. Our leaders flaunt their French fluency as our energy independence slips further away. Without control of our refineries, pipelines, and profits, we remain pawns on someone else’s chessboard. Tinubu’s recent boardroom decisions risk planting a new French oil empire on Nigerian soil.
Wake up, Nigeria—before history repeats itself, and France owns us again.
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