Dr. Maikanti
Kacalla Baru
A first-class honours graduate from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Dr. Mikanti Kacalla Baru holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering.
He has worked in various capacities in both the Upstream and Downstream Sectors within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The positions he held include: Group General Manager of Greenfield Refinery Projects; Managing Director of Hyson; Executive Director of Nigerian Gas Company (NGC); General Manager – Gas Division of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS; Manager – Operations, Procurement Management Services and Manager; Engineering for National Engineering and Technical Company Limited (NETCO).
He made his marks at h NAPIMS between July 1993 and July 1999, where he implemented several gas projects which are utilising billions of standard cubic feet of gas per day.
Besides, he was the NNPC’s Chief Technical Negotiator on the West African Gas Pipeline project from July 1999 to April 2004.
He is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE) and a recipient of the Presidential Merit Award of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers.
Dr. Baru, who has been the Chairman of NNPC’s Anti – Corruption Committee since September since 2004 has relentlessly sensitised workers on obligations and laws that govern corruption and corrupt practices.
He takes over as the Group Managing Director (GMD) from Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, who has been named as the NNPC Board chair by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Pius Akinyelure
The Idanre, Ondo State-born Pius Akinyelure, is an industrialist and a frontline businessman with interests in various fields like shipping, insurance, banking, oil and gas and bitumen, among others.
He rose to the position of an Executive Director in Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc before his retirement. Dr. Akinyelure sits as chairman and director of many blue chip companies.
A chief in his community, Akinyelure is a highly accomplished and respected leader, who has brought his wealth of experience as an astute administrator in the corporate world to bear in politics. He is the National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southwest.
Emmanuel
Ibe Kachikwu
Born on December 18, 1956, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu is the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the immediate-past Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. Until Monday, Kachikwu doubled as the NNPC GMD and Petroleum Resources Minister.
His appointment in August, last year by President Buhari drew public acclaim. In November 2015, Kachikwu was given the Minister of State Petroleum Resources’ portfolio by the President. His tenure as President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Conference expired in January. As the immediate-past President of the OPEC body, he chaired the 168th Meeting of the OPEC Conference in Vienna, Austria, on December 4, 2015.
Dr. Kachikwu has a distinction in Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Nigerian Law School. He was the best graduating student and multiple-awards winner from both institutions. He thereafter obtained a Masters and Doctorate degrees in Law from Harvard University, with distinctions.
In 1989, Kachikwu veered into journalism, becoming a pioneer of that genre of journalism in Nigeria when he unveiled Hints magazine, a weekly publication by his media enterprise, True Tales Publications Limited.
Kachikwu was to develop a large following through his weekly column, ‘Fatherhood with Ibe,’ where he shared with his readers his experiences as a father. In 2013, Kachikwu’s True Tales Publications Limited launched ‘Hello Nigeria,’ a lifestyle magazine that offered an exclusive peak at life, love and triumphs of admired celebrities, business leaders and politicians.