World Energy Council (WEC) has appointed Bala Maijama’a Wunti, a former senior executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of its Nigerian member committee.
Gatekeepers News reports that the appointment follows the admission of a new Nigerian member committee into the global energy organisation, with WEC saying Nigeria’s renewed participation will strengthen the country’s contribution to international discussions on energy and climate security.
According to the council, Nigeria has been a member of the World Energy Council since April 6, 1960, when its national committee was established. The creation of the new member committee and the appointment of a dedicated CEO are expected to provide a stronger institutional platform for Nigeria’s engagement with the global energy community.
WEC secretary-general and CEO Mike Howard Wilkinson said Nigeria has an important role to play in global energy conversations and expressed optimism that the country’s expertise would be brought to the international stage.
“Nigeria has a significant leadership role, and the Member Committee will help bring that expertise and voice onto the world stage at the Riyadh World Energy Congress in April 2027 and beyond,” Wilkinson said.
Omar Farouk Ibrahim, WEC chair for Africa and former secretary-general of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO), also welcomed Nigeria’s return to the centre of the council’s activities, saying the development would bring the vibrant, innovative leadership of Africa’s biggest population to our global critical conversation.
The Nigerian committee will be overseen by a board comprising figures from the public and private sectors, academia and international energy institutions. Abdulrazaq Isa, co-founder and chairman of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, has been appointed chairman of the board.
Other members include Ainojie ‘Alex’ Irune, Mustapha Abdullahi, Emmanuel Okon, Aisha Farida Katagum, Wumi Iledare, Victor Ekpenyong and Imamuddeen Talba.
Commenting on his appointment, Isa said the committee would focus on expanding Nigeria’s contribution to international energy discussions and leveraging the expertise available within the country’s energy industry.
“I am honoured to serve as Chairman of the World Energy Council Nigeria,” he said.
“As we begin this new chapter, I look forward to working with the Board, Secretariat and our members to strengthen Nigeria’s contribution to the global energy dialogue and build a Member Committee that reflects the depth of expertise and leadership within our energy sector.”
Wunti brings more than three decades of experience in Nigeria’s petroleum industry to the new role. He began his career in the industry in the early 1990s and held several positions at NNPC, spanning corporate planning, strategy, downstream operations and upstream investment.
He previously served as Chief Upstream Investment Officer at NNPC Upstream Investment Services (NUIMS), where he was involved in managing the company’s joint-venture and production-sharing-contract portfolios and negotiations with international and indigenous oil companies.
Wunti formally exited NNPC in 2025 after a career spanning more than three decades. At his farewell ceremony, he said he had given his best to the national oil company and reflected on the experience he gained from various assignments within the petroleum sector.
His new appointment comes at a time when Nigeria is seeking to attract greater investment into its energy industry while balancing energy security, affordability and the global transition towards cleaner energy sources.
World Energy Council Nigeria is expected to use its membership of the global network to promote dialogue among government, industry, academia and other stakeholders while helping position Nigerian expertise and investment opportunities within the international energy community. The council is also preparing for the World Energy Congress scheduled to hold in Riyadh in April 2027.
