By Uche Amunike
The new Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), appointed by President Bola Tinubu, Monday, Dr Abdullahi Mustapha has hit the ground running, by resuming duties almost immediately.
Speaking through a statement signed by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale and titled ‘President Tinubu Appoints New ECN Chief Executive Officer, he confirmed the appointment of the new ECN boss.
President Tinubu explained that the expectation he had of the ECN boss was to impact positively on his administration’s intensive push to move the nation’s energy sources into different directions in a synergized manner across the government, towards the ultimate objective of having every part of the country industrialized with every citizen emancipated from the shackles of energy poverty.
Recently, the new appointee, Abdullahi Mustapha, obtained a Doctorate degree in Mechanical Engineering, with the focus on Renewable Energy. This was followed by a Post-Doctoral Fellowship as a Research Associate in the School of Engineering, at the prestigious University of Manchester, England.
He has also served in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for over 10 years, with significant experience in the energy and space technology sectors.
The new DG/CEO was received by the Energy Commission of Nigeria with a vision for a Transformative Energy Landscape.
Barely 12 hours after he was appointed, Dr Mustapha hit the ground running and officially assumed office as the new DG-CEO. While presenting his inaugural address, he expressed his deep appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for trusting him enough to appoint him as the Energy boss. He stated that it was an honor and privilege to serve as the Director-General of the ECN, having recognized the critical role the Commission plays in the development of the country.
Speaking, while being received by the top management of the ECN, he explained that the Commission’s role has always been underrated, in spite of how significant it was. According to him, the importance of energy is in every aspect of national economic development. This borders on generation to sustainability, integrity, environmental impact and regulation. He further explained that the global energy landscape has evolved, just as energy availability, environmental concerns and sustainability have become central to worldwide discussions.
Dr Abdullahi Mustafa did not leave out the challenges faced, so far, by the ECN through the years, especially as it concerned operational and budgetary constraints. It is, however, believed that with his professional background and well vested experience in the energy sector, Dr Mustapha is the right person with the capacity to lead the ECN in unlocking the potentials vested in the energy sector in Nigeria, so that it would be able to aid economic development.
He also called for cooperation from all present, noting that the success of his office is a collective responsibility. He further gave his assurances that the ECN was fully committed to spearheading a new dawn in Nigeria’s energy landscape that matches the corporate, individual and national needs and aspirations of the country.
