Ex-NNPC GMD, Baru dies at 60

The death has occurred last night (29th May, 2020), of Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, the immediate past Group Managing Director of the NNPC. He died in an Abuja hospital after a brief illness. As at the time of filing this report, arrangements for the burial of the late Maikanti Baru was ongoing.

Baru was described in a statement by the incumbent GMD, Mallam Mele Kyari as “a man of exemplary character and disposition”.

Dr. Baru who was born in Misau, Bauchi State in July, 1959, attended Federal Government College, Jos for his secondary education where he graduated in 1978. He obtained his bachelor of engineering degree from Ahmadu Bello University in 1982. Baru obtained a doctorate in Computer-Aided Engineering from the University of Sussex.  

Baru worked with the Jos Steel Rolling Company for three years from 1988 before he left to join the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 1991 as an Engineering Manager. He held various positions within the organization including General Manager, Gas Development Division from 1997 to 1999 and briefly as Executive Director, Operations Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) in 1999.

From 1999 to 2004, he served as the Chief Technical Negotiator on the West African Gas Pipeline project.

A Nigerian engineer, oil marketer Baru rose to become the 18th Group Managing Director of Nigeria’s state oil firm, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). 

He served in the position from July 2016 to July 2019 when he was succeeded by Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari. Baru had previously served as the Group General Manager (GGM) of National Petroleum Investment Management Services.

Baru was a fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers and Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers.