President Muhammadu Buhari conferred various levels of national honors on five energy industry leaders on October 11.
During his speech, Buhari said the award of titles of honor, decorations, and dignitaries is a solemn and patriotic event at which the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria honors deserving nationals and non-nationals, who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity in accordance with the National Honours Act CAP. N43 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
About 447 recipients were issued awards out of which 5 are Energy Industry giants who have experienced success in oil and gas and the power sector.
President Buhari honored 447 recipients
The energy industry awardees are as follows:
Dr. Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi – Dr. Obiejesi was awarded the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). He is a Nigerian business magnate and philanthropist.
- He is the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Nestoil and the founder of the Obijackson Foundation.
- In 1991, Dr. Obiejesi incorporated Nestoil, an engineering, procurement, construction & commissioning (EPCC) company for pipeline construction, repairs, and maintenance with associated facilities for dredging, river crossing, and shoreline protection.
- Dr. Obiejesi specializes in the exploration and development of oil and gas assets for the production and sale of petroleum products in Nigeria.
Engr. Chukwuemeka Obiora Okwuosa – Engr. Okwuosa was awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
- He is the executive chairman of Oilserv Limited, Frazimex Energy Services Limited, Frazimex Engineering Limited, Frazpower Limited, and Frazoil Limited.
- He is a seasoned engineer, administrator, entrepreneur, and visionary with over 33 years of experience in engineering in the following areas: maintenance and operations, teaching, wireline logging and interpretation, seismic acquisition, processing and interpretation, pipeline engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), project management, drilling and drilling services.
Mele Kolo Kyari – Mr. Kyari was awarded the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). He is the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited.
- He has successfully managed the Direct Sales and Direct Purchase (DSDP) arrangement of petroleum products to ensure energy security.
- Through his open government partnership principles, he promoted the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act and declared the corporation’s first profit in its 44-year history.
- He also resolved the decade-long production sharing contract (PSC) disputes to unlocking the deep-water, introducing cost discipline, rehabilitating ailing refineries and other critical downstream infrastructure, deepening domestic gas utilization, and public disclosure of NNPC accounts, the first in the corporation’s history.
Kola Adesina – Mr. Adesina was awarded the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MON). He is the group managing director of Sahara Group.
- His business experience spans academia, insurance, finance, energy, trade, and diplomacy. He leads the vision of Sahara Power Group aimed at bringing energy to life by deploying diversified power sources to light up lives, businesses, and sustainable interventions in Nigeria and across Africa.
- Sahara Power Group’s affiliates include Ikeja Electric, the largest privately owned power distribution business in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Egbin Power Plc – the largest privately run thermal power plant in SSA, and First Independent Power Limited.
Timipre Sylva – He was awarded the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). He is Nigeria’s current minister of state for petroleum resources.
- In his role as minister of state, he has mapped out strategies for curbing the theft of petroleum products across borders, and leakages, as well as working towards the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
- He has also promoted inland basin exploration activities, deep offshore exploration activities, and collaboration with the private sector to aggressively increase domestic refining capacity. He has also worked to support President Muhammadu Buhari to achieve his target of raising millions of Nigerians out of poverty, through job creation.
