The new Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC Ltd., Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, has pledged to build an NNPCL that will be the pride of all Nigerians.

“We recognize that our greatest asset is our people. Our success will be powered by empowered employees. As such, we are fully committed to creating a workplace where everyone is valued, motivated, and inspired to thrive. Together, we will build a high-performing, globally competitive NNPC Ltd that is proudly Nigerian and proudly world-class,” Ojulari said during a meeting with the staff of the Company, with a vow to pursue the company’s bold ambitions and build an NNPC that will be the pride of all Nigerians.

In a Town Hall meeting held at the NNPC Towers in Abuja, on Thursday, Ojulari said it was a huge honour and responsibility to lead the NNPC Ltd.

He describes the Company as an entity that means a lot to Nigeria and its future.

“We stand at the gateway of a new era—one that demands courage, professionalism, and a relentless drive for excellence.

The task before us is great, yet the opportunity to redefine Nigeria’s energy future is even greater. Now is the time to turn our transformation promise into performance,” Ojulari told thousands of the Company’s staff.

Ojulari said that the NNPC Ltd. under his stewardship aims to attract sectoral investments worth $30 billion by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030; raise crude oil production to over 2 million barrels per day, sustained through 2027, and attain 3 million by 2030; expand refining output to 200kbpd by 2027, and 500kbpd by 2030; grow gas production to 10bcf per day by 2027, and 12bcf by 2030 and deepen energy access and affordability for all Nigerians.

To achieve these targets, the company will be focusing on reconfiguring its business structure for agility and value creation, conducting independent value assessments to inform data-driven decisions, enforcing a robust performance management framework, building transparent, value-aligned partnerships with all stakeholders, and, most critically, taking control of its narrative.

While explaining the criticality of pursuing the Company’s bold ambitions, the Group CEO said the targets are not just metrics, but indicators of hope, jobs, industrial growth, and energy security for millions of Nigerians.

Describing NNPC Ltd. as a renewed, forward-facing, and future-ready organisation that is proudly leading Nigeria’s energy transformation, Ojulari said “it’s time we tell our story—one of innovation, reform, and national pride.”

He charged staff to be proud of NNPC Ltd.’s recent transformation, stressing that the next journey to becoming a fully-fledged limited liability company will require the collective drive towards making NNPC more transparent, profitable, and accountable.

The Group CEO pledged to give all employees the space to be able to outperform competitors.

“We will provide the best combination where the experienced and the young will both thrive towards achieving our set targets,” he assured.

He said his Management will deepen collaboration with the Company’s in-house and national unions to build a stronger, trust-based relationship that reflects shared purpose and mutual respect.

He also called on all staff to lead with integrity and act with urgency while bringing their very best to the table.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the Federal Government to provide policy support and incentives to boost local paper manufacturing in Nigeria.

The Chairman, LCCI, Printing Publishing and Allied Group (PPA), Gabriel Okonkwo, stressed the urgent need for government intervention in the paper manufacturing sector to revive local production and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports.

During a meeting with stakeholders at NIXIN Paper Mill, Okonkwo highlighted policy inconsistencies that have continued to undermine local manufacturers.

He condemned the current tariff regime, which imposes duties on plain paper imports but allows for the importation of printed materials duty-free.

“This unfair policy has created a lopsided competitive environment that favours foreign manufacturers over local producers.

“This has led to a situation where it’s cheaper to print books and other materials abroad and import them, rather than produce them locally,” he added.

As a result, a significant number of printing jobs are being outsourced to other countries, depriving our local industry of business opportunities.

If local manufacturers can provide high-quality paper at competitive prices, it would reduce our reliance on imports, conserve foreign exchange, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the economy,” Okonkwo said.

He pointed out that Nigeria’s large population, especially its student demographic, offers a massive market for paper products, calling on support for local paper manufacturers to produce at scale and competitive prices.

Reinforcing his call for increased confidence in local capacity, Okonkwo pointed to recent developments with the electoral body as a case in point. “INEC didn’t even believe we could produce ballot papers locally until recently.

It’s time we began to believe in and invest in our own,” Okonkwo stressed.

As part of NIXIN Paper Mill’s commitment to the nation’s self-sustenance, the paper mill is concentrated on increasing production capacity, improving product quality, and expanding its product line to meet the growing demands of the Nigerian market, thereby reducing the country’s dependence on foreign paper products and contributing to the growth of the local economy.

The Managing Director of NIXIN Paper Mill, Eric Wang, highlighted the potential of Nigeria’s paper industry, comparing it with his hometown in China, with a population of just 300,000, supporting a paper factory that consumes over 20,000 tons monthly.

In contrast, Nigeria, with a population exceeding 200 million, recorded only 70,000 to 75,000 tonnes per month, a figure he believes should be much higher given the country’s educational and commercial demands.

“We see that over 80 percent of Nigeria’s educational and printing materials are imported from Asia,” Wang stated.

Business Manager, NIXIN, Williams Sun, echoed that Nigeria significantly underutilized its local paper production capacity, with many orders still going to countries like India and China.

He emphasized the significant investment NIXIN has made of over $60 million and expressed frustration over the lack of returns, noting that one year into operations, the expected market response has yet to materialize.

Sun urged the government to support investors and take steps that will attract more players into the publishing and paper production space, which is critical for building a self-sufficient industry.

• A data center stores and processes data, the foundation on which AI systems learn, improve, and make decisions. © Shutterstock/Goodenough |

UN Trade and Development’s (UNCTAD) Technology and Innovation Report 2025  has projected that Artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to reach $4.8 trillion in market value by 2033.

Accordingly, the UN trade body urged: ” Countries should act now – by investing in digital infrastructure, building capabilities and strengthening AI governance – to harness the AI potential for sustainable development.”

In the report, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan underlined the importance of ensuring people are at the centre of AI development, calling for stronger international cooperation to “shift the focus from technology to people, enabling countries to co-create a global artificial intelligence framework”.

She said;” AI’s economic benefit is massive but must be shared, becoming a prominent force in digital transformation; noting that. however, access to AI infrastructure and expertise remains concentrated in a few economies.”

Just 100 firms, mainly in the US and China, account for 40% of global corporate research and development (R&D) spending. Leading tech giants, such as Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft, each have a market value of around $3 trillion, rivalling the gross domestic product of the whole African continent.

Market dominance, at both national and corporate levels, may widen technological divides, leaving many developing nations at risk of missing out on the benefits of AI.”

She emphasized that AI is reshaping jobs , and therefore, investment in skills is crucial”AI could impact 40% of jobs worldwide, offering productivity gains but also raising concerns about automation and job displacement.

The benefits of AI-driven automation often favour capital over labour, which could widen inequality and reduce the competitive advantage of low-cost labour in developing economies.

However, AI is not just about replacing jobs – it can also create new industries and empower workers.

Investing in reskilling, upskilling and workforce adaptation is essential to ensure AI enhances employment opportunities rather than eliminating them,” said Grynspan.