Olufemi Soneye’s short-lived 20-month spell as Chief Corporate Communications Officer at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) ended abruptly last week, but the true reasons behind his departure remain shrouded in silence.
On the surface, Soneye’s farewell message painted a picture of a man stepping down to focus on personal and family matters. “I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support and professionalism,” he wrote in a polished note to colleagues and media professionals. He described his resignation as a noble decision motivated by the desire to spend more time with loved ones and attend to pressing personal responsibilities.
Yet behind closed doors, sources close to the NNPC paint a very different narrative.
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TheLeadng has gathered authoritative information revealing that Soneye’s resignation was far from voluntary. Rather, it followed his sudden redeployment to the Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) unit — widely perceived as a demotion, and a clear signal he was no longer the preferred voice of the corporation.
“The new Group Managing Director (GMD) wanted his own spokesperson,” a senior insider explained. “Since Mele Kyari’s departure in April, it was obvious the GMD would overhaul the communications team. Soneye was an outsider, brought in under Kyari’s watch, and that counted against him.”
In April, President Bola Tinubu, invoking powers under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, dismissed Kyari and appointed Mr Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Managing Director (GMD). According to the presidency, this restructuring aims to restore investor confidence, boost local content, and accelerate Nigeria’s energy ambitions.
The government outlined ambitious plans for the new management, including raising oil production to two million barrels per day by 2027, and three million barrels per day by 2030, alongside a significant increase in gas output. The new board was given an immediate mandate to conduct a strategic portfolio review of NNPC-operated and joint venture assets to ensure alignment with these bold objectives.
The departure of Soneye comes amid a backdrop of ongoing investigations and swirling allegations involving Kyari’s tenure. “Given Soneye’s close association with Kyari, it would be difficult for him to represent the corporation credibly now,” a second source revealed. “His reassignment to HSSE was a way to quietly edge him out — a face-saving manoeuvre.”
Kyari’s tenure was marred by allegations of corruption.
On Monday, 12 May 2025, hundreds of Nigerians took their frustrations overseas, protesting outside the Nigerian High Commission and the UK Home Office in London. Demonstrating under the banner of Rescue Nigeria Now (RNN), they called for the deportation of Kyari to face corruption investigations at home.
Carrying placards with slogans such as “Withdraw Mele Kyari’s residency now!” and “Mele Kyari, go home and face the EFCC now!”, the crowd submitted formal petitions to both institutions, demanding accountability.
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The protesters alleged that Kyari fled Nigeria to avoid scrutiny over alleged financial misconduct during his six-year leadership from 2019 to 2025. Their petition to the Nigerian High Commissioner condemned Kyari’s presence in London “with impunity,” highlighting multiple complaints lodged with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria.
“We see this as an affront to the people of Nigeria and an insult to the esteemed anti-corruption crusade of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the letter declared.
Among the allegations detailed were claims of misappropriation of billions of dollars intended for refinery rehabilitation projects in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt — funds which supposedly “unaccountably vanished into a bureaucratic abyss” during Kyari’s tenure.
RNN also appealed to the UK Home Office over the international consequences of harbouring individuals accused of corruption, alleging Kyari had moved illicit funds into UK bank accounts.
“We have cause to believe that for Mr. Kyari to have fled to the United Kingdom, he has transferred parts of the proceeds of his crimes to bank accounts in London,” the petition asserted.
The coalition urged British authorities to honour international anti-corruption agreements and take appropriate action.
