Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum will perhaps go down in history as one of the most powerful oil minister we have ever had. In fact, she was so powerful and polarising it was rumoured that the former President, Goodluck Jonathan dear not rebuke her for all the allegations that were thrown at her.
She also rode her powers all the way to the pinnacle of OPEC to become the first ever female President, a feat that buttresses are acclaimed powers. But that exactly is where that power ends. Only one man holds the title of the most powerful oil minister in the world.
Ali Al-Naimi from Saudi Arabia remains the world’s most powerful oilman. As Saudi oil minister and chairman of Saudi Aramco, the biggest oil company and oil exporter, he is known to wield enormous powers across the world of oil and is also listed as the 50th most powerful person in the world according to Forbes. He has been Minister since August 1995 and is about 79 years of age.
Al Naimi, is revered in international circles especially when it comes to opining on where the price of oil should be or how much volumes OPEC members should be selling. Recently, the was quoted as saying that he expects OPEC countries to maintain their stock piles thus ensuring oil prices continue to trend upwards whilst pushing back shale producers in the US.
So, ‘smaller’ OPEC countries like Nigeria should take this guy seriously when he talks as his opinion perhaps decide how the government spends money and to a larger extent how you and I get paid.
