In a press release issued today, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the appointment of Mallam Mele Kyari as Nigeria’s National Representative to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
As part of his duties, Kyari will lead Nigeria’s team to the OPEC Economic Commission Board which precedes the bi-annual meetings of the OPEC Ministerial conference. The ECB reviews the global oil markets and makes input from the perspectives of the individual member countries.
He will also be required to provide any support to the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the OPEC Governor in the performance of Nigeria’s roles and participation in OPEC matters.
Prior to his appointment, he was the Group General Manager, crude oil division. A position he assumed in August 2015.
Mele Kyari began his career at the Nigerian Geological Survey Society where he worked as Field Geologist from 1988 to 1991. He joined IDSL (a subsidiary of the NNPC) in 1991 as a Seismic Data Geophysicist.
In 1998 he then moved to NAPIMS Production Sharing Contracts Exploration Department. In 2004 he was appointed Abuja Operations Manager of NAPIMS.
In 2006, he was appointed Supervisor, Production Sharing Contracts for the NNPC. From 2007-2009, he worked as Head Production Contracts Management at the NNPC. He served as Manager, Production Contracts Department, from 2008-2014 and subsequently General Manager Crude Oil Stock Management before his last appointment.
He obtained a BS in Geology from the University of Maiduguri in 1987
Follow him on Twitter at @mkkyari