Bayo Ojulari has come under scrutiny over allegations linking him to the award of an oil field to a company allegedly connected to his wife. However, industry insiders have rejected the claims, saying the NNPCL boss had no statutory power to award oil blocks or petroleum licences.
The insiders said Bayo Ojulari neither conducted the bidding process nor selected beneficiaries in the alleged award. They argued that Nigeria’s petroleum laws place those responsibilities with regulatory and government authorities.
Under the Petroleum Industry Act, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) administers upstream petroleum licensing. The Minister of Petroleum Resources also holds the authority to grant a Petroleum Prospecting Licence.
As a result, the sources said Ojulari did not evaluate applicants, choose successful bidders or approve the allocation of an oil block.
“This allegation collapses under the slightest scrutiny,” one senior industry official said.
The official argued that the allegations wrongly placed responsibility for the licensing process on the NNPCL chief executive.
The controversy followed claims by a group known as the Oil and Gas Professionals Forum (OGPF). The group alleged that a company linked to Ojulari’s wife benefited from the award of a marginal oil field.
However, the industry sources said the group had not provided corporate records, beneficial ownership documents or licensing papers to support the allegation.
They also accused interests affected by reforms at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited of backing the campaign against Ojulari.
According to the sources, the reforms include tighter financial controls, reviews of commercial arrangements and efforts to reduce operating costs.
They claimed some individuals and companies that previously benefited from less transparent transactions could be resisting the changes.
For now, the allegations remain disputed. No evidence cited in the material provided establishes that Bayo Ojulari personally influenced or approved the alleged oil field award.
The controversy, therefore, raises a wider question about who legally controls oil block licensing in Nigeria and whether public accusations against senior officials are being backed by verifiable evidence.
