Buhari Appoints Former Exxon-Mobil Chief, Kachikwu As New NNPC Boss, Approves New NCC Boss

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu as the new Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), according to a statement by Presidential Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

President Buhari has also approved the appointment of Prof. Umaru Garba Danbatta as the new Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

Dr. Kachikwu who was the Executive Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Exxon Mobil (Africa) is to take over from Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha.

Dr. Kachikwu from Onicha-Ugbo in Delta State. He is a First Class Graduate of Law from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the Nigerian Law School.

The new NNPC Chief Executive also has Masters and Doctorate Degrees in Law from the Harvard Law School.

He started his working career with the Nigerian/American Merchant Bank before moving on to Texaco Nigeria Limited from where he joined Exxon-Mobil.


Prof. Danbatta, who holds a Doctorate Degree in Electronic Engineering, takes over from Dr. Eugene Juwah whose tenure expired on July 29, 2015.

The new NCC Chief Executive’s other academic qualifications include a Bachelors Degree in Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications as well as a Masters Degree in the same field.

He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and has had a meritorious career in which he rose to become Professor of Electrical Engineering and Electronics at Bayero University, Kano, specializing in Telecommunications Engineering and Information and Communications Technology.

Before his new appointment, Prof. Danbatta held top management and leadership positions at different times including Head of Department, Dean Of Faculty, Director, Centre for Information Technology, Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (Kano Branch), Deputy Vice Chancellor and Acting Vice Chancellor.