Nigeria Mohammed Barkindo appointed as OPEC secretary-general

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries has appointed a former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Mohammed Barkindo, as its Secretary-General.

Barkindo’s appointment was confirmed on Thursday by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu.

Kachikwu, who tweeted the appointment and photographs of himself and the new OPEC scribe, said, “Congratulations Dr. Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo on your appointment as OPEC Secretary-General.”

He was recently nominated by the Federal Government for the position having led the NNPC from 2009 to 2010.

He served as acting secretary-general of OPEC in 2006, as well as representing Nigeria at the group.

OPEC has been looking for a replacement for Libya’s Abdalla El-Badri, who was elected as acting secretary-general in December until the end of July after serving full terms.

A former Director of Research at OPEC, Chief Mike Olorunfemi, said in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, “Barkindo is competent; he has enough experience. He has been there before. At that time, he acted as secretary-general. But I am not too sure now what role he can play in fostering cohesion among the members, because when the market is slack as it is today, agreement is very difficult to reach.”

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