By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu on Monday approved the reconstitution of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP).

This was disclosed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, in a statement announcing the development.

The Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal, will serve as chairman of the reconstituted Governing Council. Other members include Mr Loanyie Barituka Victor, representing environmental non-governmental organisations; Mr Bright Onyebuchi Jacob and Mr Henry Obiabure, representing Niger Delta communities; Prof. Barinedum Nwibere and Mrs Baride Gwezia, representing the Ogoni community; and Mr Gideon Onyebuwa and Dr Ibikunle Omotehinse, representing the nine oil-producing states.

The President appointed four alternate members, including Dr Abraham Olungwe and Mr Maeba Ekpobari for Ogoniland, and Mr Joseph Akedesuo and Mrs Beauty Warejuowei for the Niger Delta.

The President also reconstituted the HYPREP Board of Trustees, with Mr Emmanuel Deeyah reappointed as chairman. Other members include Mr Fred Igwe and Dr Fred Kpakol for Ogoni communities and stakeholders; Mrs Dorcas Amos for other Niger Delta communities; and Mr Jide Damazio, who was reappointed to represent environmental NGOs.

The development comes after President Tinubu, in January, held a closed-door meeting with key stakeholders from Rivers State, including now suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, former Governor Nyesom Wike, and representatives of Ogoni leaders, to address pressing issues surrounding the Niger Delta cleanup project and escalating political tensions in the state.

The meeting was attended by key government figures, including Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila; National Security Adviser, Mr Nuhu Ribadu; former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Mele Kyari; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris; and other senior officials.

Many quarters have advanced the need to ensure the Ogoni cleanup as well as tackling environmental and socio-economic challenges in the region.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Mr Luis Felipe Avellar has been appointed to head the operations of Coca-Cola in Africa, which has its headquarters in South Africa, succeeding Ms Luisa Ortega, who is taking a new role as president of the company’s Europe operating unit.

A statement from the manufacturer of several notable beverages disclosed that Mr Avellar will report to Coca-Cola Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Henrique Braun.

However, he will resume his new role from September 1, 2025, as he currently serves as president of the company’s Mexico operations, which are part of the Latin America operating unit.

“Luis has had an outstanding career that has included extensive leadership roles in our Latin America operations,” Braun said. “Luis also has experience working for our company in Africa, and I’m excited to see him return to Johannesburg to build on the system’s ongoing work to serve the growing African market.”

Mr Avellar, 49, started his career at Coca-Cola in 2002 as a finance specialist in Brazil. He went on to serve in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility in Brazil before being named general manager of the Brazil South Region in 2016.

In 2019, he took a new role as vice president and general manager for Southern Africa, based in Johannesburg. Two years later, he returned to Latin America to serve as president of Brazil and South Cone operations. He was named to his current role in Mexico in 2023.

Mr Avellar began his career in 1998 in the finance function with SC Johnson in Brazil. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. He later earned an executive MBA in finance from the same university. Most recently, he completed the Advanced Management Program at IESE Business School in Spain.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The board of Oando Plc has appointed a new company secretary and she is Mrs Folasade Ibidapo-Obe, replacing the former occupier of the position, Ms Ayotola Jagun.

The appointee will also serve as the Chief Compliance Officer of the indigenous energy company from today, Friday, August 8, 2025, according to a statement signed by the chief executive of the organisation, Mr Wale Tinubu.

Mr Tinubu said the appointment of Mrs Ibidapo-Obe underscores Oando’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance and ensuring full compliance with global best practices.

“Her extensive experience and deep understanding of corporate governance will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our governance framework and uphold our commitment to ethical business practices.

“This appointment reflects our ongoing efforts to foster a culture of integrity, accountability and transparency, align with global best practices, and maintain the trust of our stakeholders.

“It is a testament to Oando’s proactive approach to governance and its dedication to maintaining the highest standards of corporate conduct,” parts of the notice stated.

The new scribe of the firm is a seasoned legal and governance professional with about two decades of experience in different sectors.

She brings a wealth of experience and deep expertise in corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and company secretarial practice.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB Hons.) from the University of Lagos, Nigeria; a Master of Laws (LLM) (with distinction) in International Corporate Governance and Financial Regulations from the University of Warwick, U.K., and several professional credentials, including Fellowship as a Chartered Governance Professional and Chartered Secretary of the Chartered Governance Institute of Canada; Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist; Certified Fraud Examiner; Certified Ethics Officer; and memberships in the Nigerian Bar Association, Law Society of Ontario, Toronto Lawyers Association and Ontario Bar Association.

A dual-qualified lawyer, she is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and has been called to the Bar of the Province of Ontario, Canada.

These affiliations reflect her unwavering commitment to ethical business practices, sound corporate governance and stakeholder engagement.

Mrs Ibidapo-Obe began her career at Strachan Partners and subsequently held progressive positions at Ocean and Oil Holdings Nigeria, Oando Energy Resources Inc. Toronto, Canada and Enghouse Systems.

Most recently, she served as the Assistant Corporate Secretary at Magna International Inc. in Aurora, Canada, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers.