Mele Kyari: My journey from Almajiri pupil to NNPCL boss
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has expressed deep gratitude to Allah for the remarkable journey that led him from being an Almajiri school pupil to becoming the head of Africa’s largest energy company.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday to mark his 60th birthday, Kyari acknowledged the “exceptional” privilege of serving under former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu. He was appointed as the last Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPC and the first CEO of the NNPC Ltd, a milestone he cherishes deeply.
Reflecting on his life, Kyari emphasized that merely looking back doesn’t fully capture the depth of his journey. He mentioned the highs and lows, the challenges and triumphs, the pains and joys, and the failures and successes that only the grace of Allah can explain.
Kyari shared: “Allah, by His grace, has spared my life to reach this exceptional day, marking my 60th year since birth, even earlier in the Hijri calendar.”
He expressed profound gratitude for the opportunity to rise from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of his career. “I am profoundly grateful to my country for giving me the chance to grow from an Almajiri (Tsangaya) school pupil to become the CEO of Africa’s largest energy company,” Kyari said.
He further conveyed deep appreciation to Presidents Buhari and Tinubu for the privilege of serving as the GMD of NNPC and the pioneering CEO of NNPC Ltd. “Reflecting back alone can’t account for the profoundly eventful life I’ve lived—through good and bad times, challenges and victories, pain and happiness, failures and successes, and many moments only the sufficiency of Allah can explain.”
At this milestone, Kyari emphasized his commitment to serving with even greater dedication and with a focus on eternal rewards that are deeply fulfilling. “I am hugely indebted to my family for their patience during my years of service to the nation and the common good.”
He concluded by expressing his heartfelt appreciation to his family, friends, colleagues, teachers—both from the western education system and Almajiri background—and countless others who have supported him in various ways. Kyari also sought forgiveness from anyone he might have unintentionally hurt during his journey.
“This is a turning point, and I seek forgiveness from anyone I might have hurt unintentionally or unavoidably,” he said.
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