The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has reported that Mohammed Barkindo, the outgoing Secretary-General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), has passed away.
Born on April 20, 1959, he died at the age of 63.
“We lost our beloved Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, announced on his verified Twitter account on Wednesday morning that he passed away at approximately 11 p.m. yesterday, July 5th, 2022.
His personal family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC, and the world energy community have suffered a tremendous loss.
“Arrangements for the burial will be disclosed shortly.”
The circumstances underlying Mr. Barkindo’s death were unknown at the time this article was filed.
During a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, he announced the end of his six-year career as OPEC secretary-general.
A few hours before his death, the late OPEC Secretary General Mohammed Barkindo met President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.
Mr. Buhari complimented him during the event for being a good representative of the country.
The President even instructed the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to mobilize the oil and gas industry to organize an appropriate reception for Mr. Barkindo upon his eventual return home.
During his visit, Mr. Barkindo attributed his achievement to President Buhari’s remarkable leadership, charisma, and worldwide stature; the backing of the OPEC secretariat in Vienna; and the cooperation of the organization’s members.
In addition to visiting Aso Rock, Mr. Barkindo delivered a speech at the ongoing Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mr. Barkindo, a former managing director of the NNPC, was appointed Secretary-General of OPEC in 2016.
He was the fourth Nigerian to hold the rank and the twenty-eighth individual to hold the position overall.
From 2009 to 2010, he served as general manager of the NNPC.