TheCable

Mohammed Barkindo, former group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), emerged secretary general of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) on Thursday. 

The former special assistant to Rilwan Lukman, former minister of petroleum and energy, has a rich history in oil and gas.

Barkindo also has experience in the banking sector and international trading companies.

Below are five key facts about him:

• In 1986, when Rilwanu Lukman, was the minister of petroleum resources, Barkindo represented Nigeria at OPEC. Subsequently, he served as the national representative for OPEC from 1993 to 2008.
• At that time, he was also deputy manager director of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), a joint venture of the NNPC, Shell, Total and Eni
• In between his tenure as national representative of OPEC, he served as the organisations’ secretary general – in 2006.
• On January 12 2009, the then president Musa Yar’Adua appointed him group managing director of the NNPC. His tenure lasted for one year and three months when acting president Goodluck Jonathan removed him in April 2010.
• Barkindo has an honourary doctorate degree of science from the Federal University of Technology Yola (FUTY)