NIGERIA - Jackson Gaius-Obaseki.

Promoted in early June 1999 from crude oil marketing director to Group Managing Director of NNPC, Obaseki is an experienced oilman. He succeeded Alhaji Dalhatu Bayero, who had the top NNPC post from mid-1995. As soon as he took over as company CEO, Obaseki changed NNPC's external oil marketing strategy and, acting on President Obasanjo's order, he announced the cancellation of all annual sales contracts for crude oils and fuel oil. He gave the companies concerned a 90-day notice period stipulated in the agreements.

Obaseki's aim was to cut out the middlemen and limit term contracts to bona fide end-users and large volume traders. However, Obaseki has faced complex corruption charges. He has denied the charges in a deposition to a National Assembly probe committee which on Oct. 30, 2000, opened hearings. His testimony has added to the confusion and thrown the legitimacy of the whole investigation into doubt.

Obaseki had placed himself in a cross-fire between the executive arm of the state and the legislature, with the committee's vice-chairman Nduka Irabor saying at the time that Obaseki "will soon fall" and warning: "We have facts that will expose him. His days are numbered". But the committee's chairman Ganyam Ibrahim publicly repudiated Irabor's comments. The charges against him have not stuck.