The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has confirmed the deployment of more than 1,000 young professionals into its workforce after they successfully completed a one-year programme that combined internship, intensive training and performance evaluation.
The milestone was announced by the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, in a message shared on the company's official social media platforms, where he described the exercise as part of the company's ongoing efforts to build a skilled and performance-driven workforce.
According to Ojulari, the successful candidates earned their permanent deployment after undergoing months of practical assignments, structured training and continuous assessment.
"Today marked a huge milestone for us as we officially deployed over 1,000 young professionals into NNPCL after one year of internship, intensive training, and evaluation," he said.
He stated that the exercise reflected the company's commitment to rewarding competence and performance rather than personal connections or geographical background.
"Different paths, but the same door. And we opened it. That's what NNPCL stands for today, not who you know or where you're from, but what you can do," Ojulari added.
The NNPCL boss noted that while the trainees were initially admitted into the programme through offer letters, their retention and eventual deployment were determined by their performance throughout the internship period.
"Their offer letters got them in, but their work this past year kept them here. They proved themselves day after day, under real pressure, and that's the standard we're building talent, hard work and fairness," he said.
Ojulari encouraged the newly deployed employees to actively contribute to the company's growth by sharing ideas, speaking up when necessary and taking responsibility for their professional development.
He also urged them to remember the journey that brought them into the organisation and to create similar opportunities for future generations as they advance in their careers.
"To the over 1,000 newly deployed, you are not just our future. You are our present. Our energy. Our proof. Don't hesitate to lend your voice, share your opinions and challenge the status quo. Own your development," he said.
"But don't forget the wait. Don't forget the process. Because one day, when you're sitting where I am, you'll remember this moment, and you'll open that same door for someone else."
The deployment forms part of NNPCL's broader human capital development strategy as the national energy company continues to strengthen its workforce following its transition into a commercially focused enterprise under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The graduate recruitment programme was first announced in July 2024 during the tenure of former Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari, with the successful trainees now completing the programme and joining the company's operations as full-time employees.