Opinion/Feature
CSR in Nigeria: Shell’s intervention in community and economic development
Yemie ADEOYE
“Business has a responsibility beyond its basic responsibility to its shareholders; a responsibility to a broader constituency that includes its key stakeholders: customers, employee, NGOs, government – the people of the communities in which it operates.” – Courtney Pratt, Former CEO Toronto Hydro.
CORPORATE Social Responsibility or CSR as it’s always shortened is a phenomenon that can make or mar any operation or brand in whatever location on the globe. It is a most necessary factor for the sustainability of such operation or brand especially in the location or community that plays host to the brand and its operational service.
CSR is an essential part of most business module across the world, especially for brands that are corporately structured and very dependent on sustainability. This is so because the host countries and communities are a major factor in the survival of the brand and by extension its operations.
In Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most populous country, the story of CSR is almost the same as it is world over, but took different dimension years ago and major international brands and operations came under intense criticism and attacks. But a deeper dive into the waters of community development and CSR activities shows a totally different scenario from what was portrayed by agitators at the time.
The Anglo-Dutch giant Shell operates largely in Nigeria since 1937, when it started business as Shell D’Arcy, and has continued to build very strong bridges up to this day. Inspite of some of the negative news about lack of support through CSR, Shell has continued to empower people, communities and businesses across the West African nation with the commitment and focus of a brand that is very focused on sustainability and the future.
In 2019, Shell’s Nigerian businesses (SPDC, SNEPCo and SNG) made direct social investments of US$40 million in Nigeria, making the country the largest concentration of social investment spending in the Shell Group. These investments were recorded in Access to affordable healthcare, Supporting education, Enterprise support, Accelerating access to energy, Assistance and safety etc.
Shell and its subsidiaries in Nigeria have spent US$252 million on community driven programmes since 2006, with over 6000 university grants since 2011. This goes against the narrative that has always made the rounds about international oil companies’ lack of support for Nigeria, especially host communities.
Shell Companies in Nigeria have invested in healthcare and education initiatives in Nigeria for decades and has continued to support a range of programmes not just in the Niger-delta region where it operates, but also across Nigeria. This is achieved via a two-pronged social investment approach.
The first of such is tagged Direct social investment across Nigeria, which focuses on community and enterprise development, education, community health, access-to-energy, road safety and since 2018, biodiversity. The second is tagged Community-driven development programmes and initiatives in the Niger Delta, and this focuses on various themes as determined by benefiting communities and delivered through a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU).
There are 39 active GMoUs in Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Imo and Rivers States. In 2019,three new GMoUs were deployed and 10 GMOUs renewed. The GMoUs provide a secure five-year funding for communities to implement development projects of their choice. GMoU projects cover community health, education, enterprise development and social infrastructure, such as improved water and power supply, and sanitation. Since 2006, a total of $252 million has been disbursed to communities through these GMoUs.
TOP TEN INNOVATORS IN 2018
In 2018, Nigerian Yolo Bakumor Smith, CEO of De-Rabacon Plastics, won the first-ever Shell LiveWIRE Top Ten Innovators Awards for his business. De-Rabacon is a Nigeria-based plastic recycling and waste management solution company that recycles end-consumer plastics to viable commercial products such as pavement blocks, buckets, cans, and carpets.
“There is often a paper-thin line between success and failure in business, especially for a start-up. The training, support systems and valuable networks I have gained over the last five years courtesy of Shell LiveWIRE, have gone a long way to ensure that my business start-up, De-Rabacon Plastics is thriving,” he said.
“Shell’s approach to supporting local enterprises to grow and excel is enabling us to scale up our business and focus on designing eco-friendly, energy-efficient and affordable products. Today, my organisation employs 16 people and has recycled over 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste. We plan to achieve two million tonnes by the end of 2020.”
HEALTHCARE
The essence and importance of affordable but quality healthcare cannot be overemphasised, as it is a critical enabler to the development and sustenance any community.
It improves health indicators and outcomes and strengthens families, educational attainment and business opportunities.
Shell has consistently supported community health programmes in Nigeria since the 1980s with equipment and pharmaceutical donations, emergency care and screening services, hospital maintenance and focused interventions on HIV/AIDS, malaria, cancer and vision care. Today, Shell seeks to increase access to health services, introduce health insurance schemes and strengthen health systems.
The Anglo-Dutch oil company continues to work with key stakeholders to achieve universal health coverage by increasing access to health and the uptake of services in the communities. The SPDC Joint Venture and SNEPCo supports 20 healthcare centers and signature intervention projects throughout Nigeria.
Health-In-Motion community care programme
Health-in-Motion (HIM) is a mobile health outreach programme that takes free medical services to where People live and work. Funded by the SPDC JV and SNEPCo, it reaches an average of 50 communities annually. In 2019, HIM services benefited 27,490 individuals in Imo, Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Ogun States. Since its launch in 2010, more than 667,000 people have benefited from this particular programme.
Community Health Insurance Scheme
The Community Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS) is a partnership between SPDC, Rivers State Government and local communities. The programme aims to provide affordable, quality healthcare to the people of Rivers State.
CHIS was launched in 2010 at Obio Cottage Hospital, a secondary health care centre, just a short walk from the SPDC JV offices in Port Harcourt. CHIS costs individuals $30 per year and covers about 95% of people’s health care needs. Since 2010, more than 67,000 people have been enrolled. In 2019, nearly 8,500 new clients registered.
The hospital has also seen an increase in the uptake of services. For example, the average number of patients using the facility increased from about 600 at inception to about 7,700 per month in 2019, making Obio one of the most utilised health facilities in the region.
This successful pilot has now been expanded to three other locations, highlighting the possibility for extended healthcare coverage in Nigeria.
Oloibiri Health Programme (OHP)
The Oloibiri Health Programme is a Shell-sponsored local government initiative in the Ogbia area of Bayelsa State. It is designed to improve health outcomes in an innovative and holistic way. The initiative included a full refurbishment of the Kolo General Hospital, which was inaugurated in July 2019.
More broadly, the initiative focuses on improving and maintaining health, not just treating illness. It strengthens local healthcare systems by upgrading and integrating facilities, training and supporting local healthcare and community workers and ensuring a reliable supply of medicines.
The programme has seen a five-fold increase in service utilisation to 4,210 patients in 2019 from an average 833 patients in 2017.
It has also provided training for over 130 health workers at community, local and state government levels. In addition to this, it has trained 117 volunteers as facility-based extension workers in house-to-house healthcare.
To anchor the sustainability of the OHP, the initiative aims to establish the Oloibiri Health Foundation that will institute the Ogbia Health Insurance Scheme akin to the scheme in place at the Obio Cottage Hospital.
The scheme will be launched with a one-time contribution from Shell and the Bayelsa State Government. The Oloibiri Health programme included a refurbishment of the kolo General Hospital, which was inaugurated in 2019.
EDUCATION
Over 35 percent of Nigeria’s population falls within the youth demographics. Providing easy access to education for this demographic is critical to the success of the country.
Shell Companies in Nigeria have a long history of supporting education through scholarships and other initiatives. Since the 1950s, the Shell scholarship schemes have supported several thousands of students many of whom are among Nigeria’s business, political and social leaders.
In 2019, the SPDC JV and SNEPCo invested $7.8 million in scholarships. Since 2011, the schemes have awarded more than 9,400 secondary school grants and over 6,000 university grants to students.
Cradle-to-Career Scholarships
The SPDC JV and SNEPCo invest in the Cradle-to-Career scholarship programme, which pays for children from rural communities to attend some of the country’s top secondary schools. The SPDC JV has awarded a cumulative 600 Cradle-to-Career (c2c) scholarships in the Niger Delta. In 2014, SNEPCo began offering these scholarships to applicants across the country, and so far, 471 students have benefited.
Since 2010, more than 1,000 students have received scholarships. The scholarships cover the full cost of tuition, travel, accommodation, uniforms, books and laptops. Students completing the c2c secondary school scheme also receive support from Shell through the University Scholarship scheme. This support is dependent on them securing admission to a Nigerian University.
Tertiary Education
Lack of world-class research institutions and limited access to technology are key challenges in enabling Nigerians to play an even greater role in the oil and gas sector. Shell invests in advancing education through university scholarships, student exchange programmes and focused research.
Since 2011, the SPDC JV and SNEPCo have awarded more than 6,000 university scholarships. As part of the drive to motivate students and reward the high performers in the University Scholarship Scheme, the highest-achieving students are then also given the opportunity to participate in the SPDC JV Students Industrial Work Experience (SIWE) programme.
The SPDC JV also established the Shell Niger Delta Post Graduate scholarship programme which has benefitted 92 students from the region over the last decade. The programme offers one-year scholarships to three UK universities for studies related to the oil and gas industry.
To promote the emergence of industry-ready graduates at university level, Shell also invests in specific initiatives at Nigerian universities.
The SPDC JV, in collaboration with the University of Benin, funds a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Geosciences and Petroleum Engineering and has more recently (in 2017), collaborated with the Rivers State University to set up a CoE, which specialises in Marine and Offshore Engineering.
The CoEs offer specialised post-graduate degrees in Geosciences, Petroleum Engineering and Marine and Offshore Engineering respectively. Each programme lasts for 18 months and culminates in a six-month internship with an oil and gas company, some within Shell. By the end of 2019, over 75 students had graduated from the programmes and over 81percent of these graduates are currently employed.
ENTERPRISE SUPPORT
Shell works to improve the chances for Nigerians to achieve their ambitions. In addition to providing access to loans, and to small and medium businesses, which could become Shell suppliers and contractors, there is also the ‘LiveWIRE’ youth enterprise development programme.
‘LiveWIRE’ was launched in Nigeria in 2003 and provides training and finance to young people between the ages of 18-35 to start or expand their own businesses.
In 2019, 140 people benefitted from the ‘Livewire’ programme, receiving training in enterprise development and management, as well as business start-up grants. More than 7,000 Nigerian youths have so far been trained under the programme and almost 4,000 young entrepreneurs were provided with business grants.
Two Nigerian enterprises were shortlisted in 2019 for the Shell Global Top Ten Innovators Awards, A global competition that highlights and rewards businesses that demonstrate excellence in innovation as well as giving entrepreneurs a chance to shine on a global platform.
The enterprises were FarmToJuice and Foods Nigeria Ltd “FarmToJuice” and Basiled Energy Ventures. FarmToJuice produces juices, processing any waste into livestock feed and using a biogas digester to provide energy. Basiled provides solar lamps, solar installation maintenance and repair and solar battery recycling services.
Shell “LiveWIRE”
Every year Shell ‘LiveWIRE’ supports thousands of individuals to access the knowledge, skills, networks and resources to turn their business ideas into successful enterprises, which provides sustainable income, create jobs and drive innovation.
The purpose of ‘LiveWIRE’ is to improve opportunities for young people to realise their potential through the creation and development of their own businesses.
Such businesses will contribute towards a more buoyant economy and communities with more fulfilled young people.
‘LiveWire’ in Ogoniland
In 2014,Shell extended the LiveWIRE initiative to Ogoniland despite the SPDC Joint Venture no longer producing oil and gas in the area.
The multinational oil company was only aimed at helping to raise the living standards and reduce crude oil theft in the area through the promotion of sustainable alternative livelihoods. This was in line with one of the recommendations of the 2011 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report for the restoration of the Ogoni environment.
In 2018, 100 Ogoni youths from communities near the Trans Niger Pipeline participated in training with 80 top performing trainees receiving business start-up funding amounting to more than $90,000.
In 2019, the Ogoniland programme gave way to a livelihood programme led and executed by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), an agency established by the federal government and to which the SPDC JV contributes funds. The programme will train 1,200 Ogoni women in various skills and is another initiative appreciated and fully supported and funded by Shell.
Assistance and Safety
These are two critical areas that the company has placed high emphasis. Shell Companies in Nigeria understands their responsibility when it comes to providing support for humanitarian and safety programmes, such as those providing relief to displaced persons or training for emergency workers.
Humanitarian Assistance
For many years, Shell has sustained a culture of care by supporting humanitarian programmes in Nigeria to save lives, especially during crisis and disaster.
In 2017, a contribution of more than $3 million to the Mercy Corps and Family Health International programme benefitted over 70,000 displaced persons in North-eastern Nigeria.
Then in 2018, SPDC provided relief materials worth $1 million to communities hit by floods in the Niger Delta and two other severely impacted states in the country.
Road safety and fire fighting
In 2019, SNG continued to demonstrate its 1 commitment to road safety in Nigeria by extending existing collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun State to Rivers State. The campaign has held 26 road safety awareness events and reached more than 5,000 people since its launch in 2007.
SNG also held a one-day hydrocarbon training for fire fighters from Abia and Ogun States to further strengthen their capability.
Humanitarian Relief in the North East
Since 2018, SPDC and SNEPCo have committed $6 million to the government driven strategic intervention projects for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Yobe and Borno States. The projects focus on immediate relief and critical support development related to health, water and sanitation, education and shelter.
By the end of 2019, the SPDC JV and SNEPCo completed the distribution of food, essential hygiene kits and other relief items to over 5,500 vulnerable households in IDP camps and impacted communities. SPDC also commenced project work on school reconstruction, and teacher training, upgrading of a Primary Health Care Centre and water and toilet facilities in Yobe State.
Access to Energy
Enterprise development, opportunities for education and access to affordable healthcare hinge upon being able to have reliable and cost-effective energy.
Shell aims to provide a reliable electricity supply to 100 million people, primarily in Africa and Asia by 2030. Nigeria features in that vision.
Despite its oil and gas resources, Nigeria has one of the highest levels of energy poverty in the world7. In addition to investing in Nigeria’s gas development and distribution network, Shell has established “All On” to boost off-grid supply to homes and small businesses in the Niger Delta.
All On, an impact investing company became operational in 2017 and is an independent Nigerian company that works with partners to increase access to commercial energy products and services. In December 2019, Shell made a significant additional long-term financing commitment to All On.
Off-Grid Energy
In an Interview with Dr. Wiebe Boer, a Yale alumni and CEO, All On he observed that Nigerians deserve more reliable energy, especially with its richly endowed location. “Positive change is coming. Already All On has invested in 21 off-grid energy companies and two funds, leading to 21,000 new connections for low-income households and businesses. The journey is just beginning”.
He stated further that the approach being deployed by his company is to get energy across to Nigerians. “Today, grid electricity can be unreliable and back-up generators are expensive and noisy. We help finance businesses that use emerging clean energy technologies to support the creation and growth of sustainable off-grid energy businesses for urban and rural customers.”
Affordable and available energy does change lives, and school children can do their homework, agriculture products can be processed and preserved, businesses can thrive, hospitals and schools can also function.
Inspite of these positive possibilities there still exists enormous but very surmountable challenges to the realisation of affordable and available energy.
“About 75% of Nigerian households and small businesses are either off-grid or have poor-grid connection. The scale of the energy access gap in Nigeria is a formidable and urgent problem. My challenge is how do I execute fast enough to make a significant impact without compromising on safety, quality, or anything else” he enthused.
All On invests in off-grid energy solutions spanning solar, wind, hydro, biomass and gas technologies that complements available grid power across Nigeria.
It also aims to help create a more enabling environment for start-ups and to provide them with low-cost financing. In 2019, All On executed an innovative financing instrument with Renewvia to provide affordable access-to-energy solutions.
Through this financing, at least eight mini-grids with a target capacity of 900kW will be installed in various communities. Working with Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Norfund and ElectriFi, All On also participated in the $9 million equity-financing round in Arnergy, which has enabled Arnergy to scale operations and provide solar energy systems for 1,500 small and medium-sized enterprises.
Conclusion
It is obvious from the above that while there continues to exist a massive infrastructural deficiency in the Niger-Delta and across Nigeria, Shell as an operational brand in Nigeria since 1937, and like any other responsible organisation, has been very involved in nation building through its consistent and far reaching Corporate Social Responsibilities, CSR, not just in the Niger-delta where it operates, but as far as the North-eastern region of the country, where it has zero operations.
For organisations and brands still considering and weighing the importance and place of CSR in their modus operandi, it is instructive that they take a cue from Shell by reading up on the CSR story of the Anglo-Dutch oil giant in Nigeria.
By Adeyemi Ilori
I have followed Nigeria’s gas story for the better part of two decades. I have sat through presentations that promised the world and delivered little. I have seen feasibility studies gather dust while flares continued to burn across the Niger Delta.
So, when I say that something feels different this time, I want you to understand the weight of that admission.
For years, the conventional wisdom among energy analysts was that NNPC was a black box – opaque, slow, and better at consuming budgets than delivering pipelines. But the evidence accumulating over the past eighteen months, particularly under the current Ojulari leadership at NNPC, suggests that the corporation is finally translating its gas into tangible infrastructure. The AKK pipeline, the OB3 interconnector, and the relaunched Gas Master Plan 2026 are not just slide-deck fantasies. They are, against considerable odds, becoming physical realities.
Let me be clear: this is not an uncritical endorsement. There are still legitimate questions about cost overruns, contracting transparency, and the long-term commercial viability of some projects. But the direction of travel is unmistakable. Nigeria is moving from a flare-heavy crude economy to a gas-industrialised powerhouse. And NNPC, for all its historical baggage, is the engine of that transition.
Any credible analysis of NNPC’s gas ambitions must start with the Nigeria LNG story. Not because it is new, but because it remains the single most successful energy partnership in sub-Saharan Africa. The experiment began in 1995 with a final investment decision. Four years later, the first cargo left Bonny Island for France. That is a turnaround time that would impress any international project manager.
As the majority shareholder with 49 per cent equity, NNPC’s role, among others, was to secure gas supply through its joint venture partners, most of whom were also shareholders. The structure was complex, but it worked. NLNG has since generated over $114bn in revenue for Nigeria and dramatically reduced gas flaring. Train 7, approved in 2019, will increase capacity by another third.
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But here is the critical observation that many inside Nigeria miss: NLNG succeeded partly because it was insulated from day-to-day political interference. It had a dedicated special-purpose vehicle, world-class partners (Shell, Total, Eni), and a clear export mandate. The question has always been whether NNPC could replicate that discipline for domestic gas infrastructure, where profit margins are thinner and political pressures are heavier. That question is now being answered.
Let me give credit where it is due. The Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System, commissioned in the same year as NLNG’s incorporation, does not get the attention it deserves. It moves gas from the Niger Delta to the industrial corridors of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo. Most of the power plants in that zone run on ELPS gas. If you have ever wondered why Lagos State’s economy dwarfs that of other Nigerian states, a reliable gas supply is a significant part of the answer.
But a critical observer would also note that ELPS is now decades old and operating below optimal capacity due to maintenance backlogs and third-party vandalism. The lesson is that building pipelines is only half the battle. Operating and protecting them is the long game. NNPC has made progress on security architecture – surveillance contracts, community engagement – but the threat landscape remains challenging. Rather than cower, NNPC’s scope has grown by leaps and bounds.
The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline is the most ambitious inland gas project in Africa. Flagged off in 2020 under President Buhari, it spans 614 kilometres and costs roughly $2.8bn. When fully operational, it will transport 2.2 billion scf per day, support three new independent power plants in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano, and serve as the first leg of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline toward Europe.
Now, for the critical part: I have watched enough infrastructure projects in emerging markets to know that ribbon-cutting ceremonies are cheap. What matters is crossing the River Niger, physically and metaphorically. True to type, in July 2025, the Ojulari administration celebrated exactly that engineering feat. The project team managed to lay pipe across one of Africa’s most challenging waterways. That is not a small feat.
Since then, momentum has increased. First gas is expected to reach Abuja in a matter of months. If that happens on schedule, it will be a watershed moment. But I would caution that the AKK has already faced delays and cost escalations. The original completion timeline was optimistic. The current management seems to have learned from that – they are now under-promising and over-delivering, which is refreshing.
The real test will be whether the industrial revival in Kano and Kaduna follows the pipeline. Textile mills and manufacturing hubs will not spring back to life automatically. They need complementary policies – tariff reform, export incentives, and reliable electricity distribution. NNPC can bring gas to the gate. It cannot force factory owners to turn on their machines. Yet, NNPC seems undeterred.
If there is a case study in Nigerian project perseverance, it will be the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) pipeline. Construction began in 2013. It was not meant to take this long to complete. I have written reports predicting its completion every two years since 2016. I was wrong every time, but the horizon is promising now.
The terrain was unforgiving. Swamps, rivers, community disputes, and funding gaps.
But NNPC, under the current leadership, finally deployed specialised micro-tunnelling equipment to breach the last major obstacle. As of February 2026, the OB3 is flowing approximately 300 million scf per day. That is real gas, moving from the stranded Eastern fields to the industrial West.
I want to highlight something that warms an analyst’s heart: the project is being handled by a local contractor, Oilserv. That is a testament to deepening local content. But it also raises a legitimate question about oversight. Local contractors bring lower costs and faster mobilisation, but they also require rigorous quality assurance. So far, Oilserv appears to have delivered. I would like to see independent audits published – transparency breeds confidence. And if the thoughtfulness in aggregating gas supply and delivery is any indication, the omens are very encouraging.
The crown jewel, in my view, is the NNPC Gas Master Plan 2026, relaunched with additional partners under the Ojulari management. That is not another glossy brochure; it is a coherent framework connecting AKK, OB3, ELPS, and future projects into a single national grid. Think of it as the operating system for Nigeria’s gas economy.
Previous master plans failed because they were aspirational but not sequenced. This one prioritises: it focuses on power generation first (the largest demand centre), then industrial feedstock (fertiliser, methanol, petrochemicals), then compressed natural gas for transportation and liquefied petroleum gas for cooking. That is logical.
But here is my main reservation: the master plan relies heavily on continued international partnership and financing. The Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline to Europe is a multi-billion-dollar project that requires alignment with Algeria and Niger, both of whom have their own priorities. And European gas demand, post-2022, is less predictable than it once was, although the recent Middle East crisis appears to herald a silver lining for Africa-leaning investments. Despite that, Nigeria should not bet the house on exports only. Domestic industrialisation is the safer, more transformative bet.
So where does that leave an analyst like yours truly? I am overwhelmingly supportive of the direction, but I am not naive about the distance still to travel.
The positives: AKK is crossing rivers. OB3 is flowing. The Master Plan is coherent. NLNG’s success proves the model. ELPS shows what is possible. Ojulari’s first year has delivered more on-the-ground progress than recent years. Gas flaring is declining. Local content is deepening.
The critiques: Costs need to be more transparent. Project timelines have historically been fiction. Security of pipelines is an ongoing vulnerability. And gas alone cannot fix Nigeria’s broken electricity distribution network – that requires state-level reforms and private sector participation that lie outside NNPC’s mandate.
Let me end where I began. I have watched Nigeria’s energy sector for a long time. I have seen grand plans evaporate. The current moment feels different. Not because the challenges have disappeared: they haven’t. But because the leadership is finally treating gas infrastructure as a war, not a workshop. Pipelines are being laid. Rivers are being crossed. Molecules are moving.
AKK is coming. And for about the first time in years, I believe it.
Ilori is an energy analyst
In today’s high-stakes corporate and public sector leadership, performance is no longer judged by promises but by proof. Results must be tracked, decisions interrogated, and progress clearly demonstrated.
One year after Bayo Ojulari assumed office as Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, the moment calls for a clear-eyed assessment of his leadership, what has changed, what has worked and what lies ahead.
Ojulari did not arrive at a moment of calm. His appointment on April 2, 2025, came against the backdrop of mounting public skepticism and internal contradictions. The state of Nigeria’s refineries, particularly those in Port Harcourt and Warri, had become a lightning rod for debate.
Officially, they had been recommissioned after years of costly rehabilitation. Unofficially, many doubted whether those facilities were genuinely functional.
The gap between declaration and reality had become too wide to ignore, feeding a broader crisis of credibility around the national oil company. It was into this uncertainty that Ojulari stepped, confronted with a choice that often defines leadership: preserve appearances or pursue the truth.
He chose the latter, and in doing so, reset the tone of governance at NNPC. Rather than defend inherited claims, he immersed himself in the mechanics of the system, reviewing technical reports, engaging operational teams, and interrogating data. What followed was a decision as simple as it was profound: shut down the refineries. It was not the kind of move that courts applause in the short term. It disrupted narratives, unsettled expectations, and exposed uncomfortable realities. But it also sent a clear message that the era of managed optics was over. If the refineries were to work, they would work properly; if they were not, they would not be dressed up to appear otherwise. In that moment, Ojulari signaled that under his watch, transparency would not be a slogan but a practice.
That signal quickly found expression in institutional behaviour. One of his earliest moves was to restore the publication of NNPC’s monthly financial and operations reports, a transparency mechanism that had fallen into inconsistency. With their return came a renewed ability for stakeholders to track the company’s performance, production volumes, revenues, operational efficiencies, without relying on speculation. The culture of disclosure deepened further in November 2025, when NNPC Limited held its first-ever earnings call following the release of its audited 2024 financial statements. The announcement of a N5.4 trillion profit after tax captured headlines, but beyond the numbers lay a more consequential shift: the company was beginning to speak the language of accountability expected of global energy players.
Still, leadership is not measured by transparency alone. It must be weighed against clearly defined objectives, and in Ojulari’s case, those objectives were set by Bola Ahmed Tinubu with unmistakable clarity. The mandate was ambitious, raise crude oil production to two million barrels per day by 2027, scale gas output to eight billion cubic feet per day within the same timeframe, expand refining capacity, and attract tens of billions of dollars in fresh investment. It was a tall order by any standard, particularly in a sector long burdened by structural inefficiencies and external pressures.
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One year on, the evidence suggests that while the journey is far from complete, the direction has shifted. In upstream operations, Ojulari has overseen a notable increase in production through NNPC Exploration & Production Ltd. Output climbed from a daily average of 203,000 barrels in 2023 to 312,000 barrels by December 2025, with peaks reaching 355,000 barrels, the highest level recorded in decades. National production has also edged upward, moving from roughly 1.5 million barrels per day to about 1.62 million. To the uninitiated, the increment may appear modest, but within the context of Nigeria’s oil sector, where theft, vandalism, and operational disruptions have long suppressed output, it represents meaningful progress. Each additional barrel reflects not just production capacity but improved system integrity.
If oil production tells a story of recovery, gas tells one of momentum. Developments within the NNPC/Renaissance joint venture have positioned gas as a central pillar of growth, with output already hitting 2.2 billion cubic feet per day. The optimism surrounding this trajectory is not speculative. As Tony Attah of Renaissance Africa Energy Company noted, the venture has surpassed its immediate targets and is already recalibrating towards higher benchmarks. This growth is being reinforced by critical infrastructure projects.
The River Niger crossing of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline has brought long-awaited clarity to a project that had lingered in uncertainty, while the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben pipeline is nearing completion. Together, they represent more than engineering milestones, they are the arteries through which Nigeria’s gas ambitions can flow into industrial reality.
Yet, it is in refining that Ojulari’s leadership has been most paradoxical. On paper, little progress has been made toward expanding capacity. In practice, however, his decision to shut down the refineries may prove to be one of the most consequential moves of his tenure. By refusing to perpetuate underperformance, he has created space for a more credible and sustainable approach to refining. It is a strategy that sacrifices immediacy for integrity, choosing to rebuild rather than patch.
Investment, meanwhile, has emerged as a strong pillar of his first year. The groundwork laid for the Bonga Southwest Aparo deepwater project stands out as a defining achievement. By securing presidential approval for fiscal incentives, Ojulari has effectively unlocked the pathway for a potential $20 billion investment. In a global energy landscape where capital is increasingly selective, such positioning matters. It signals to investors that Nigeria is willing to align policy with opportunity, reducing uncertainty and enhancing competitiveness.
Internally, the financial pulse of the company has also strengthened. Within a year, NNPC Limited has reportedly remitted N14.706 trillion in statutory contributions to the federal government and related agencies. This figure is not merely a reflection of earnings; it speaks to improved discipline in revenue management and a renewed commitment to fulfilling the company’s fiscal responsibilities.
Early in his tenure, Ojulari acknowledged the weight of expectations placed upon him. The targets, he admitted, were tough. One year later, that admission reads less like caution and more like context. Out of the core mandates before him, he has made substantial progress on most, while deliberately slowing down on refining to reset the foundation. It is a record that suggests not perfection, but purpose.
As he steps into his second year, the questions will grow sharper. Progress must be sustained, gains must be scaled, and early decisions must translate into lasting transformation. But if the first year has established anything, it is that Ojulari is not inclined toward easy narratives. His approach has been to confront reality, however inconvenient, and to build from there.
In that sense, his first year has not merely been about “walking the talk.” It has been about redefining what the talk should be, and backing it with action.
Ben Ekori, an energy sector expert and public affairs analyst wrote this piece from Lagos.
NEWS
Edo Govt To Raise N160bn For Climate Project While Kidnapping Ravages The State… Is That What The People Need?
As kidnapping and violent crime continue to escalate across Edo State, the government has announced plans to raise N160 billion to tackle ecological challenges, raising serious questions about priorities in the state.
The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Ecological Fund and Management Commission, Blessing Agbomhere, revealed during a press briefing on Wednesday that the funds would be raised through the Ecological/Climate Trust.
According to him, the Okpebholo Green Revolution for Edo is scheduled to launch next week.
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Agbomhere stated that Edo’s three-year budget would not be enough to remediate gully erosion sites across the state.
The over 60 gully erosion sites identified would be addressed in phases, with some remediation projects costing between N5 billion and N20 billion each.
The government also plans to plant one million trees in four years.
He further raised concerns over illegal sand mining, particularly in Edo South Senatorial District, revealing that many operators have no plans to restore the land after their operations, which continues to exacerbate erosion problems.
“A lot of companies are operating in Edo State. After their operation, they will leave the state without remediating the environment. We are calling on them to tell us their plans for remediation when they leave,” Agbomhere said.
While ecological initiatives are undeniably important, the timing and focus of the government are being questioned.
Kidnapping and insecurity are surging across the state, yet attention and resources are being directed toward environmental projects instead of immediate security measures.
At a time when fear dominates daily life for Edo citizens, raising millions for ecological projects while kidnappers roam freely sends a troubling message: are citizens’ lives being sidelined in pursuit of long-term environmental goals?
Biz Tellers raises the concern: shouldn’t security take precedence over climate projects when residents’ lives are under threat? The government insists that addressing ecological challenges is crucial for long-term development, but for many, this does not answer the urgent question of public safety.
As Edo faces both ecological and security challenges, the debate over government priorities intensifies.
The pressing question remains: is this really what the people need right now?
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