Senior officials at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) have dismissed claims of bullying and internal intimidation, stressing that recent reports linking such allegations to the resignation of Engr. Seyi Omotowa are inaccurate and misleading.

Engr. Omotowa recently stepped down as Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), sparking speculation about discord within Africa’s largest energy company. However, insiders describe his departure as a routine executive transition, consistent with standard corporate practices.

“There is absolutely no culture of bullying or intimidation at NNPC Ltd,” a senior official said. “The organisation operates on clear governance structures, performance benchmarks, and accountability. Executive movements happen professionally and routinely.”

Internal checks across departments indicate that NNPC encourages robust debate and constructive engagement, with disagreements resolved through established institutional mechanisms rather than personal confrontation. “Healthy disagreement is part of decision-making in any serious organisation,” another executive explained.

Independent industry analysts also cautioned against framing leadership changes as a crisis. “Senior-level transitions occur regularly in the global energy sector and do not, on their own, indicate instability,” one analyst noted.

Further investigations found no verifiable evidence supporting claims of bullying or intimidation. Both internal and external stakeholders confirmed that NNPC’s leadership remains cohesive and aligned, focusing on energy security, production growth, infrastructure delivery, and reforms to enhance the company’s commercial orientation.

Insiders emphasized that the organisation continues to operate professionally, with a collaborative leadership team advancing NNPC’s transformation agenda despite attempts to portray normal corporate changes as turmoil.