The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Olufemi Soneye, has stepped down from his role after serving for 20 months.
Soneye, a seasoned journalist and media strategist, was appointed during the tenure of former NNPCL Group CEO, Mele Kyari. He was recruited from the United States to oversee and restructure the communication strategy of the national oil firm. His resignation, according to him, is to enable him focus on family and personal matters that now need his attention.
Throughout his time in office, Soneye led the NNPCL’s communications team and played a role in reshaping the public image of the company. Before his appointment, many Nigerians viewed the NNPCL as a closed and unaccountable institution. But under Soneye’s leadership, the company began to engage more openly with the public, aiming for better transparency and media relations.
Soneye brought with him decades of journalism experience gained in Nigeria, Australia, and the U.S. He is affiliated with several professional bodies including the Nigerian Union of Journalists and the Society of Professional Journalists. He also once led the Nigerian Media Practitioners in Washington, D.C.
Apart from his corporate work, Soneye has been involved in initiatives focused on supporting media professionals and Africans in the diaspora. His efforts at NNPCL were described as forward-looking, with a focus on improving stakeholder engagement and corporate branding.
His departure marks the end of a period of changes in the company’s media approach, one that tried to present NNPCL as a transparent and professional energy organisation.
