The verdict, however, is still unfolding. Energy security is a process, not a destination. Whether current gains endure will depend on institutional depth, policy consistency and the willingness to confront entrenched inefficiencies. For now, Ojulari’s tenure represents a cautious but deliberate attempt to anchor Nigeria’s energy sector more firmly to economic stability — an effort whose ultimate success will be measured not by rhetoric, but by results.
In Nigeria, energy security has never been a narrow technical concern. It sits squarely at the crossroads of fiscal stability, foreign exchange earnings and the broader political economy. Under President Bola Tinubu, whose reform agenda has exposed both the resilience and the fragility of the national economy, this linkage has become even more pronounced. Eight months into the tenure of Bayo Ojulari as Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, the national conversation is shifting — from how much oil Nigeria produces to how securely that value is protected and converted into public benefit.
Ojulari has increasingly framed energy security as revenue security, advancing the idea that barrels lost to theft, inefficiency or weak accounting systems are as damaging as pipelines shut down by vandalism. Supporters see this framing as a necessary evolution in thinking for an economy still heavily dependent on hydrocarbon revenues. Critics, however, caution that Nigeria has heard similar reformist language before, and that the true test lies not in intent but in institutional outcomes.
For decades, Nigeria’s energy discourse was dominated by production volumes. Yet, recent history has shown that high oil prices and respectable output figures do not automatically translate into fiscal relief. Theft, operational disruptions and weak remittance mechanisms often ensured that boom periods left little trace in public finances. Ojulari’s approach builds on reforms already in motion but places sharper emphasis on linking operational performance to financial outcomes. The focus on pipeline availability, reporting discipline and internal controls, reflects an attempt to move the conversation from volume obsession to revenue integrity.
One of the more tangible developments under the current leadership has been the restoration of near-full availability on major crude pipelines, reducing physical losses and improving export reliability. The continuation of monthly financial disclosures has also enhanced transparency and offered clearer insight into NNPC’s operations. Proponents argue that these measures mark genuine progress. Skeptics counter that transparency alone is insufficient, unless it is matched by consequences for inefficiency and underperformance, and that deeper institutional reforms are still required.
Energy security is also inseparable from investor confidence. Under Ojulari, NNPC has sought to reassure Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract partners through operational stability and more consistent engagement. This has coincided with renewed interest in some upstream and midstream projects. While this is widely welcomed, analysts note that investor confidence ultimately rests not only on NNPC’s conduct but also on regulatory consistency, security conditions in host communities and the broader credibility of government policy.
Diversification has emerged as another pillar of Ojulari’s strategy. The expansion into gas infrastructure, downstream services and regional energy projects is presented as a hedge against oil price volatility. Gas offers longer-term contracts and domestic utilisation opportunities, while downstream and infrastructure services promise steadier, fee-based income. Still, diversification brings its own risks.
Managing multiple portfolios demands capital, technical capacity and strong governance — areas where past experience urges caution.
There is little dispute that improved remittances from NNPC have supported fiscal planning and foreign exchange inflows. Trillions of naira reportedly remitted in early 2025 provided some breathing space for a government navigating difficult reforms. Yet, energy revenues remain exposed to global shocks, reinforcing the argument that while revenue protection is essential, it cannot substitute for broader economic diversification.
NNPC’s dual identity — as a commercial entity wholly owned by the state — has always generated tension between profit motives and national obligations. Ojulari’s framing of revenue protection as a shared interest seeks to ease this tension, aligning corporate performance with public finance needs. Whether this balance can be sustained in the face of political pressure remains an open question.
Overall, Ojulari’s first eight months suggest a leadership style inclined toward consolidation rather than dramatic reinvention. In a sector long unsettled by abrupt policy shifts, that restraint may prove to be an asset. By embedding revenue protection into the concept of energy security, the current leadership is responding pragmatically to Nigeria’s economic realities.
The verdict, however, is still unfolding. Energy security is a process, not a destination. Whether current gains endure will depend on institutional depth, policy consistency and the willingness to confront entrenched inefficiencies. For now, Ojulari’s tenure represents a cautious but deliberate attempt to anchor Nigeria’s energy sector more firmly to economic stability — an effort whose ultimate success will be measured not by rhetoric, but by results.
Richard Ezi-obodo wrote from Lagos.
