More than 70% of eligible employees at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have indicated interest in the company’s new voluntary retirement scheme, NNPC officials said Sunday.
The initiative, comprising the Accelerated Exit Scheme and the Voluntary Exit Scheme, is described by the national oil company as a strategic, non-coercive reform to align its workforce with long-term transformation goals, boost efficiency, and create opportunities for younger professionals.
The AES covers employees with up to one year left before retirement in 2026, while the VES applies to staff due for statutory retirement in 2027, as well as SS1-grade employees with about two to five years remaining before retirement between 2028 and 2030.
NNPC officials, who spoke to The PUNCH on condition of anonymity, insisted the scheme is entirely voluntary. “Nobody is being forced to leave,” one official said. “If a worker decides to leave early, there is a package. If the person decides to stay, that is fine too.”
The clarification follows concerns over the rationale behind the programme and speculation that some staff were under pressure to exit.
In an internal communication to staff last month, Group Chief Executive Officer Bashir Ojulari said the restructuring is part of a broader organisational recalibration.
“Over the past year, we began an important recalibration of our organisation as part of our broader transformation,” Ojulari said. “As we build momentum on this journey, it is essential that our workforce continues to evolve in line with the future we are building.”
He added: “These programmes form part of our deliberate efforts to responsibly manage workforce transitions while creating the right conditions for organisational renewal and long-term sustainability.”
A senior official explained the programme serves two purposes: to give workers nearing retirement the option to exit earlier under enhanced terms, and to open space for new talent. “For the individual who decides to leave early, there is a more enhanced package instead of waiting to retire at 60,” the official said. “If somebody feels they want to move on and do something else, they can take advantage of the package and leave on better terms.”
The official stressed that eligible employees can decline without consequence. “Some who are due to retire at the end of this year or in two years can say they are not interested. People are not being forced to leave.”
NNPC linked the scheme to broader efforts to rejuvenate its workforce. The company recruited more than 1,000 employees last year, and officials said the retirement initiative would further create room for young professionals and, where necessary, experienced hires.
“As of today, among those who qualify for this scheme, more than 70 per cent have indicated interest in taking early retirement,” the official disclosed. “So, if you have 70 per cent who have indicated interest, it means many people just want to go and do something different with their lives. If we were having 15 per cent or less, you can say people do not want to leave. But the scheme is currently a success.”
The source dismissed claims the programme targets specific individuals. “It is not about individuals at all, but a scheme. It is also not the first time it is happening in NNPC. Some organisations do it every three years,” the official said. “For the organisation, it just opens up space to bring in younger people and ventilate the system in a positive manner.”
NNPC, which became a limited liability company under the Petroleum Industry Act, has pursued reforms in recent years to improve operational efficiency and compete with international counterparts. Management insists the voluntary retirement programme aligns with that transformation agenda and participation remains a matter of personal choice.
