Ojulari says performance not connections earned new employees permanent roles as company reinforces merit-based recruitment……
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has formally deployed more than 1,000 young professionals into its workforce after they successfully completed a year-long internship, intensive training and performance evaluation programme.
The announcement was made by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, in a statement shared on the company’s official social media platforms, where he described the exercise as a significant step in strengthening the organisation’s workforce.
According to Ojulari, the newly deployed employees secured their permanent positions after undergoing a rigorous programme designed to test their skills, competence and readiness for full-time roles within the company.
“Today marked a huge milestone for us as we officially deployed over 1,000 young professionals into NNPC Ltd after one year of internship, intensive training, and evaluation,” he said.
Highlighting the company’s approach to recruitment, Ojulari stressed that career opportunities at NNPC are increasingly determined by ability and performance rather than personal connections or regional background.
“Different paths, but the same door. And we opened it. That’s what NNPC Limited stands for today: not who you know or where you’re from, but what you can do,” he stated.
He explained that while the successful candidates initially entered the organisation with offer letters, it was their dedication and performance throughout the internship period that ultimately earned them permanent deployment.
“Their offer letters got them in, but their work this past year kept them here. They proved themselves day after day, under real pressure, and that’s the standard we’re building. Talent. Hard work. Fairness,” Ojulari added.
The NNPC boss encouraged the new employees to embrace innovation, contribute ideas and take ownership of their professional development as they begin the next phase of their careers.
He also urged them to remember the journey that brought them into the organisation and to create opportunities for others when they are in positions to do so.
“To the over 1,000 newly deployed: you are not just our future. You are our present. Our energy. Our proof. So don’t hesitate to lend your voice, share your opinions, and challenge the status quo. Own your development.
“But don’t forget the wait. Don’t forget the process. Because one day, when you’re sitting where I am, you’ll remember this moment, and you’ll open that same door for someone else.”
The latest deployment forms part of NNPC’s broader efforts to deepen its talent pool and build institutional capacity as it continues its transformation into a commercially driven national energy company under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The recruitment process that produced the newly deployed professionals was launched in July 2024 during the tenure of former Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari.
