President Buhari Sacks Joseph Dawha as GMD of NNPC, Appoints Emmanuel Kachikwu

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Kachikwu, who was until his appointment, the Executive Vice Chairman/General Counsel of ExxonMobil (Africa) replaces Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawha as the NNPC chief.

According to a statement by Mr. Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Kachikwu hails from Onicha-Ugbo in Delta State.

The statement reads:
“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 ExxonMobil.”

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).

Mr. Adesina said in the statement:
“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, specialising 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.
“His appointment as Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC is for five years, in the first instance.”