News

5 Things To Know About Bayo Ojulari, Former Shell Chief Now NNPC GCEO

Published

1 year ago

April 2, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday appointed Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited.

This followed the sack of the board including its GCEO Mele Kyari and board chairperson Pius Akinyelure.

Below are five things to know about Ojulari:

1. Ojulari is an indigene of Kwara State and is a seasoned Nigerian engineer with expertise in petroleum, process and production engineering.

2. He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria after studying Mechanical Engineering between 1985 and 1989.

3. Ojulari worked at Elf as a fresh graduate from September 1989 to October 1991.

4. He joined Shell in November 1991 as an Associate Production Technologist at Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), after he left Elf Petroleum Nigeria as a Fields and Process Engineer.

5. He worked at Shell for over 24 years, rising to become the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) in November 2015, a position he held until July 2021.

Other things to know about Ojulari are:

After joining Shell in 1991, he rose to become a member of the Integrated Studies Team at Shell headquarters in the Netherlands in June 1994, a position he held till October 1995.

Between April 1997 and November 1999, he was the Head Planning Economics and Budgeting at SPDC Nigeria, from where he rose to become the Asset Leader and Head Production Technologist at Shell in Oman from December 1999 to September 2003.

He became the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Planner at Shell headquarters in October 2003 and held the position till December 2004.

From January 2005 to October 2008, he was the Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at SPDC Nigeria during which time he also briefly held the position of Asset Production Technologist from November 2006 to March 2007.

At Shell, he remained in Nigeria from then on, becoming the Manager, Asset Development (Onshore and Shallow Water) SPDC Nigeria from October 2008 to October 2010.

From January 2010 to October 2015, he was the Development Director at SPDC Nigeria, after which he rose to become the Managing Director of SNEPCo from November 2015 to July 2021 when he left the company.

He established the BAT Advisory and Energy Company Nigeria Ltd in September 2021 and served as its board chairman. One of the main tasks of the company was to provide consultancy services to firms in the oil and gas/energy sector.

He was appointed the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company in January 2024, a position he held until his new appointment as NNPC chief.

He joined Renaissance at a time when the company was concluding its purchase of a Shell asset in Nigeria.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

3 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.