The first Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Festus Ayodele Marinho has died.
Marinho who is the first and only MD of the defunct Nigerian National Oil Corporation (NNOC), the forerunner of NNPC, was also the only NNPC MD who served twice – 1977-1979 and 1984-1985.
President Muhammadu Buhari – when he was Military Head of State – gave Marinho his second appointment in 1984.
Reacting to his death in a condolence message to the family, NNPC MD Mele Kyari praised the pioneering roles he played in the crafting of the institutional framework, infrastructural development and international best practices being used in the Corporation till date.
While describing Marinho as “the Father of Oil & Gas Industry in Nigeria”, the NNPC MD said his role in refinery and pipeline construction and human capacity development are all testimonies of his contribution to national development.
According to Kyari, the pioneer NNPC MD’s leadership provided the foundation for what has come to be known as “Nigerian content”.
He stated that Marinho’s achievements would be a beacon and inspiration for many future generations of staff and leaders.