In a nation teetering under the weight of economic hardship, starvation, and dwindling oil revenues, one man appears to be living in a world of unimaginable luxury, far removed from the everyday reality of millions of Nigerians. Bayo Ojulari, the embattled Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has turned his tenure into what many now describe as a global odyssey of opulence.
Since assuming office just over three months ago, Ojulari has not boarded a single commercial flight. Instead, the state oil company boss has indulged in a jet-set lifestyle more befitting a billionaire playboy than the head of a struggling national energy corporation. Less than two weeks into his role, Ojulari reportedly jetted off to Paris aboard a private aircraft, accompanied by none other than his controversial business partner, Atiku Abubakar’s son-in-law, Abdullahi Heske. From Paris, the jet roared off to London where Ojulari met the President—an early glimpse into the GCEO’s taste for flamboyance.
By May, as Nigeria’s oil output plummeted and NNPCL’s operational struggles mounted, Ojulari was spotted in Bologna, Italy on yet another private visit. But the spectacle didn’t end there. Sources confirm a luxury detour to Monaco to attend the Formula 1 Grand Prix, sipping rare champagne while Nigeria’s refineries remained comatose.
Weeks later, the extravagance reached a fever pitch. To mark his 60th birthday, Ojulari and Heske reportedly chartered two private jets to Dubai, turning the desert city into a lavish playground. One of the jets, according to insiders, ferried in “his ladies”, while a fountain of Dom Pérignon, single malt whiskies, and vintage cognac flowed throughout the weekend. “It was like a royal coronation,” said a source present at the party.
“Imported chefs, luxury hotels, Rolexes exchanged as party souvenirs, this man lives like oil wells are buried in his backyard.”
Yet perhaps the most galling display came in July, when Ojulari flew to Vienna, Austria aboard another private jet to attend the International OPEC Seminar. While Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum and official head of Nigerian delegation to the OPEC event flew on British Airways, Ojulari’s journey reportedly cost NNPCL millions. Insiders say the trip had no tangible returns for the company, only an expensive reminder of how far removed its leader is from the nation’s struggles.
Even more damning, Ojulari has yet to step foot in any NNPC refinery, nor has he visited the Niger Delta,the very heart of Nigeria’s petroleum wealth. “He’s allergic to hardship,” quipped one senior NNPCL staffer. “Unless there’s a champagne lounge, women and a private runway, he’s not showing up.”
While Nigerians go to bed hungry, their oil company chief soars above the clouds, living a life more extravagant than CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. For many, the question is no longer whether Bayo Ojulari is fit for the job, but how much longer the nation can afford his extravagance.