NNPCL insiders say the company’s Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, never awards oil blocks or marginal fields and does not take part in licensing decisions. They also contend that Ojulari and NNPCL lack the statutory authority to allocate oil blocks or issue petroleum licences.
Premium Times reports that opponents of reforms have been making or amplifying claims that seek to link Ojulari to licensing activities, framing those assertions as part of efforts to undermine transparency, cost-cutting, and operational changes. The Daily Post Nigeria article similarly focuses on the denial, citing industry insiders who argue there is no factual basis for the claim that Ojulari played any role in awarding blocks or the licensing process. Both accounts present the same core position—that Ojulari is not responsible for oil block or licence allocations—while Premium Times adds context about reform-related controversy.
Public details on the legal basis for petroleum licensing decisions and NNPCL’s specific mandate are not provided in the two reports, and neither outlet cites a direct official statement from Ojulari or regulators.
