Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo: All you should know about the late OPEC secretary-general

Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo served as the Secretary-General of OPEC until his death. He was born on the 20th of April 1959 in Adamawa State and died on 5 July 2022.

His death was announced by Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited via his Twitter handle on Wednesday morning.

According to Kyari, Barkindo died at about 11p.m on Tuesday at age 63.

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Education

In 1981, Barkindo completed his BSc in Political Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria, and further attained a Post Graduate Diploma in Petroleum Economics, Oxford, the United Kingdom in 1988. In 1991, he gained his MBA in Finance and Banking, Washington University, United States.

He became a fellow of the George Mason University, Fairfax VA, the United States of America between 2013 and 2016 and got his Hon Doctorate Degree in Science (Honoris Causa), at the Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, Plateau State.

Work-life

The late secretary-general amassed a significant amount of experience working in different portfolios across several capacities. Here are highlights of some of the key positions he held during his lifetime.

Between 1982 to 1985, he worked with Nigerian Mining Corporation, Jos, up to the Level of Principal Administrative Officer, Liaison Office, Lagos.
From 1984 to 1986, he served as the Special Assistant to the Minister of Mines, Power and Steel, Lagos.
From 1986 to 1989, he was the Special Assistant to the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Head, Office of the Chairman of the NNPC Board, Lagos.
In 1990, he became Special Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lagos.
In 1992, he became the Head, International Investments, Investment Division, NNPC Headquarters.
From 1993 to 1994, he was Chairman NAPOIL.
Between 1993 and 1997, he led as the General Manager, NNPC London Office.
From 1998 to 2003, he was Managing Director/Chief Executive, HYSON/CALSON — an international trading arm of the NNPC.
In 2003/2004, he was Group General Manager Investments, NNPC Headquarters
In 2005, he became the Deputy Managing Director/Chief Executive, NLNG.
In 2007, he was elevated to the office of Coordinator Special Projects, NNPC.
Between 2007 and 2009, he oversaw all Federal Government projects vested in the NNPC as Coordinator.
Between January 2009 and April 2010, he served as Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC

Positions held at OPEC

Between 1986 and 2010, he was a Nigerian Delegate to OPEC Ministerial Conferences
1993–2008 Served as Nigeria’s National Representative on OPEC’s Economic Commission Board (ECB)
Jan–Dec 2006 Served as Acting for the OPEC Secretary-General, Chaired ECB 2009–10 Nigeria’s Governor for OPEC Served as Adhoc OPEC Governor at various times.

Other endeavours

Barkindo was a key player who headed Nigeria’s technical delegation to UN climate negotiations in 1991. He was the only Nigerian delegate to attend all 15 Conferences of the Parties to the UNFCCC from COP1 in Berlin in 1995 to COP15 in Copenhagen in 2010.

In 2002, he served as Coordinator, Group of 77 and China at UNFCCC.
He was elected Vice-President of the Conference of the Parties at COP13 of the UNFCCC in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2007.
He was re-elected Vice-President at COP14 in Poznan, Poland, in December 2008.
He has again re-elected Vice-President at COP15 in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009.
He participated in the UNFCCC COP 22 (Marrakesh 2016), COP 23 (Bonn 2017), and COP 24 (Katowice2018)