In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bashir Bayo Ojulari, reaffirmed the company’s unwavering commitment to the continued exploration and drilling of oil in northern Nigeria. He also emphasized the urgency of completing the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project, describing both initiatives as critical to national development and the economic transformation of the North.
Ojulari, who hails from Kwara State, noted that his life journey has deep roots in the northern region, having studied in Zaria and spent most of his early years in the North. Though not a native of Kaduna, as widely assumed, he reiterated his strong cultural and emotional ties to the region. “I am a Northern boy,” he said during the interview, highlighting his multiethnic background by revealing he only began learning Yoruba at the age of 15. He appealed to the northern people to support him in his task, acknowledging that the job of leading NNPCL is not something one can accomplish alone. He asked for prayers and collective support, stressing that national progress demands unity and cooperation across all divides.
Currently, NNPCL is actively drilling in several locations in the North. In Bauchi and Gombe States, the Kolmani Oil Field has become a flagship project, representing the first major oil discovery in northern Nigeria with reserves estimated at over one billion barrels of crude oil and 500 billion cubic feet of gas. Further east, in Borno State, drilling resumed in the Chad Basin with the Wadi-2 Appraisal/Exploratory Well in Oil Prospecting License 732, where post-drilling testing is ongoing. Similarly, in the North Central region, the Ebenyi-1 well in Nasarawa State is being drilled under challenging geological conditions, pushing towards a depth of over 14,000 feet. These developments reflect a strategic shift aimed at diversifying Nigeria’s hydrocarbon base and ensuring energy accessibility across all regions.
However, Ojulari's promises are being met with cautious optimism. There remains a prevailing sentiment among many northern citizens that their region has historically been sidelined in the country’s oil and gas development agenda. Decades of underinvestment, weak infrastructure, and limited federal attention have left many skeptical of new pledges—especially those made during politically sensitive periods. Some observers fear that NNPCL’s northern push may partly be influenced by political strategy, particularly with the 2025 general elections looming. Still, Ojulari appears focused on transcending these suspicions by delivering tangible outcomes that will benefit not only the North but the entire nation.
Perhaps most notably, Ojulari addressed concerns about corporate rivalry and market monopoly by stating that the public will no longer witness clashes between NNPCL and the Dangote Group in the media. This comment suggests a move toward cooperation and synergy within Nigeria’s strategic energy sector, a development that could help stabilize fuel availability, pricing, and industrial productivity.
Ojulari’s tenure, though still young, is shaping into one defined by ambition, inclusion, and transformation. His efforts to strengthen oil and gas operations in the North, complete the AKK pipeline, and engage all Nigerians in the mission of national development are commendable. While doubts remain, particularly regarding the motives and sustainability of the current momentum, his message carries a note of genuine optimism. If followed through with integrity and urgency, these promises could significantly alter the economic trajectory of the northern region and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s broader development goals.
In the end, Ojulari is offering a new path—one rooted in unity, transparency, and a shared vision of progress. And for a region that has waited decades for this kind of attention, that message alone is worth holding onto.