Rilwanu Lukman
Encyclopedia
Rilwanu Lukman is a Nigeria
n engineer who held several ministerial positions in the Nigerian Federal government before becoming Secretary General of OPEC
(Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2000. On 18 December 2008, Lukman was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources by Nigerian president Umaru Yar'Adua, holding office until March 2010.
, Kaduna State
on 26 August 1938.
He trained as a mining engineer at the College of Arts, Science, and Technology, Zaria (now Ahmadu Bello University
), and then at Imperial College, London
.
He earned a higher degree in mining engineering from the University of Mining and Metallurgy
in Leoben
, Austria
(1967–1968).
He obtained a degree in Mineral Economics from McGill University
, Montreal
in 1978, and a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bologna
in Italy
.
His first job in the mining industry was as an Assistant Mining Engineer with A B Statsgruvor of Sweden
(1962–1964).
After returning to Nigeria, Lukman was appointed an Inspector of Mines, later Senior Inspector and then Acting Assistant Chief Inspector in the Federal Ministry of Mines & Power in Jos
, Plateau State
(1964–1970). He then became General Manager of the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (1970–1974).
By 1979 Lukman had become General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Mining Corporation, Jos.
.
In 1986 he was appointed Federal Minister of Petroleum Resources, holding that position until February 1990.
In that role, he was also Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
.
He was briefly Minister of Foreign Affairs between January and September 1990.
He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Electric Power Authority (1993–1994).
From 1986 he served eight consecutive terms as OPEC president.
Lukman was elected OPEC
secretary general on 22 November 1994, succeeding Dr. Subroto of Indonesia, whose three-year term ended on 30 June 1994. Lukman was a compromise choice between two competing candidates, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili of Iran and Alirio Parra of Venezuela. He was re-elected to a second term in 1997, holding office until the end of 2000.
He was a central figure in the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to control oil prices early in 1999, followed by agreements to reduce production levels, which led to a surge in prices towards the end of the 1990s.
the President retained direct control of the Oil Ministry.
Lukman was appointed Special Adviser on Petroleum and Energy Matters to the President in June 1999, replacing Godwin Aret Adams, and Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC).
In July 1999 his office announced that 47 offshore Exploration and Production licences awarded by the government to local companies had been cancelled, including 11 highly attractive deep-water blocks given in March 1999 to companies with links to the military.
He said the blocks would be open to commercial tender from both local and foreign companies.
He was in favor of restructuring the NNPC to make it a fully commercial enterprise, but did not agree that it should divest its controlling stake in the oil producing joint ventures, and at that time was not in favor of rapid deregulation of the domestic fuels market.
Lukman resigned in November 2003.
The resignation was said to be due to a dispute over oil sector reform with the group managing director of the NNPC. Jackson Gaius Obaseki.
The friction had apparently been building up after Lukman completed his term as OPEC president in early 2002, and after Obasanjo moved control and administration of oil blocks from the Petroleum Resources ministry to the NNPC in June 2002.
Lukman was appointed Deputy Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (Nigeria)
.
He then became Managing Director and Chairman of Afren
Nigeria when it was established in May 2005.
He is also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers
(SPE) and served on the SPE board as regional Director for Africa.
In 2007, Lukman became a member of the Supervisory Board of Dietsmann NV of the Netherlands, a leading International Operation & Maintenance company in the upstream energy sector.
Lukman was appointed Honourary (unpaid) Advisor on Energy and Strategic Matters to President Umaru Yar'Adua in August 2007.
In December 2008 Lukman was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources, and resigned from his position with Afren, putting his holdings in a blind trust.
In February 2010 there were rumors that Lukman had tendered his resignation after a shakeup in the cabinet by the new acting President, Goodluck Jonathan
, but that it had not been accepted.
In March 2010, he warned that the scarcity of petroleum products in Nigeria would only get worse as long as the government held back on deregulating the industry.
He left office on 17 March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan
dissolved his cabinet.
in 1989 and Officer of the Legion d’Honneur of France in 1990, as well as being conferred with the First Class rank of the Order of the Liberator from the Republic of Venezuela
. He was the first African ever to be honored with the Fellowship of the Imperial College, University of London
.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n engineer who held several ministerial positions in the Nigerian Federal government before becoming Secretary General of OPEC
OPEC
OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
(Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2000. On 18 December 2008, Lukman was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources by Nigerian president Umaru Yar'Adua, holding office until March 2010.
Birth, education and early career
Lukman was born in ZariaZaria
Zaria may refer to:*Zaria, a city in Kaduna State, Nigeria*Zaria , or Zoria, the Slavic goddess of beauty*Countess Zaria of Orange-Nassau, Jonkvrouwe van Amsberg, a member of the Dutch royal family...
, Kaduna State
Kaduna State
-History:The state is the successor to the old Northern Region of Nigeria, which had its capital at Kaduna. In 1967 this was split up into six states, one of which was the North-Central State, whose name was changed to Kaduna State in 1976. This was further divided in 1987, losing the area now part...
on 26 August 1938.
He trained as a mining engineer at the College of Arts, Science, and Technology, Zaria (now Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University
Ahmadu Bello University is the largest university in Nigeria and second largest in Africa, second only to Cairo University, Egypt. It is situated in Zaria. It was founded on October 4, 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria....
), and then at Imperial College, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
He earned a higher degree in mining engineering from the University of Mining and Metallurgy
University of Leoben
The University of Leoben, in the town of Leoben, Austria, is the country's university for mining, metallurgy, and materials.It was founded on 4 November 1840, as the Steiermärkisch-Ständische Montanlehranstalt in Styria, Austria's mining region. In 1848 Peter Tunner relocated the university to the...
in Leoben
Leoben
Leoben is a Styrian city in central Austria, located by the Mur river. With a population of about 25,000 it is a local industrial center and hosts the University of Leoben which specialises in mining...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
(1967–1968).
He obtained a degree in Mineral Economics from McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in 1978, and a doctorate in Chemical Engineering from the University of Bologna
University of Bologna
The Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
His first job in the mining industry was as an Assistant Mining Engineer with A B Statsgruvor of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(1962–1964).
After returning to Nigeria, Lukman was appointed an Inspector of Mines, later Senior Inspector and then Acting Assistant Chief Inspector in the Federal Ministry of Mines & Power in Jos
Jos
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....
, Plateau State
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
(1964–1970). He then became General Manager of the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (1970–1974).
By 1979 Lukman had become General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Mining Corporation, Jos.
Senior government and OPEC positions
Lukman was appointed Minister of Mines, Power and Steel from 1984 to 1985 in the government of General Muhammadu BuhariMuhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari was a military ruler of Nigeria and an unsuccessful candidate for president in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections...
.
In 1986 he was appointed Federal Minister of Petroleum Resources, holding that position until February 1990.
In that role, he was also Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is the state oil corporation through which the federal government of Nigeria regulates and participates in the country's petroleum industry.-History:...
.
He was briefly Minister of Foreign Affairs between January and September 1990.
He was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Electric Power Authority (1993–1994).
From 1986 he served eight consecutive terms as OPEC president.
Lukman was elected OPEC
OPEC
OPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
secretary general on 22 November 1994, succeeding Dr. Subroto of Indonesia, whose three-year term ended on 30 June 1994. Lukman was a compromise choice between two competing candidates, Hossein Kazempour Ardebili of Iran and Alirio Parra of Venezuela. He was re-elected to a second term in 1997, holding office until the end of 2000.
He was a central figure in the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to control oil prices early in 1999, followed by agreements to reduce production levels, which led to a surge in prices towards the end of the 1990s.
Fourth republic career
When Olusegun Obasanjo came into office at the start of the Nigerian Fourth RepublicNigerian Fourth Republic
The Fourth Republic is the republican government of Nigeria. Since 1999 it has governed the country according to the fourth republican constitution. It was in many ways a revival of the Second Republic, which was in place between 1979 and 1983 and suffers many of the same problems, such as multiple...
the President retained direct control of the Oil Ministry.
Lukman was appointed Special Adviser on Petroleum and Energy Matters to the President in June 1999, replacing Godwin Aret Adams, and Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is the state oil corporation through which the federal government of Nigeria regulates and participates in the country's petroleum industry.-History:...
(NNPC).
In July 1999 his office announced that 47 offshore Exploration and Production licences awarded by the government to local companies had been cancelled, including 11 highly attractive deep-water blocks given in March 1999 to companies with links to the military.
He said the blocks would be open to commercial tender from both local and foreign companies.
He was in favor of restructuring the NNPC to make it a fully commercial enterprise, but did not agree that it should divest its controlling stake in the oil producing joint ventures, and at that time was not in favor of rapid deregulation of the domestic fuels market.
Lukman resigned in November 2003.
The resignation was said to be due to a dispute over oil sector reform with the group managing director of the NNPC. Jackson Gaius Obaseki.
The friction had apparently been building up after Lukman completed his term as OPEC president in early 2002, and after Obasanjo moved control and administration of oil blocks from the Petroleum Resources ministry to the NNPC in June 2002.
Lukman was appointed Deputy Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company (Nigeria)
Shell Nigeria
Shell Nigeria is the colloquial name for Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian operations carried out through four subsidiaries—primarily through Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited...
.
He then became Managing Director and Chairman of Afren
Afren
Afren plc is a London-based oil and natural gas exploration and production corporation.-History:The Company was founded in 2004 with the vision to become the premier pan-African independent exploration and production company....
Nigeria when it was established in May 2005.
He is also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers
Society of Petroleum Engineers
The Society of Petroleum Engineers is a not-for-profit professional organization whose mission is to collect, disseminate, and exchange technical knowledge concerning the exploration, development and production of oil and gas resources and related technologies for the public benefit and to provide...
(SPE) and served on the SPE board as regional Director for Africa.
In 2007, Lukman became a member of the Supervisory Board of Dietsmann NV of the Netherlands, a leading International Operation & Maintenance company in the upstream energy sector.
Lukman was appointed Honourary (unpaid) Advisor on Energy and Strategic Matters to President Umaru Yar'Adua in August 2007.
In December 2008 Lukman was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources, and resigned from his position with Afren, putting his holdings in a blind trust.
In February 2010 there were rumors that Lukman had tendered his resignation after a shakeup in the cabinet by the new acting President, Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
, but that it had not been accepted.
In March 2010, he warned that the scarcity of petroleum products in Nigeria would only get worse as long as the government held back on deregulating the industry.
He left office on 17 March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
dissolved his cabinet.
Honours
Lukman was made a Knight of the British Empire (KBE)Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1989 and Officer of the Legion d’Honneur of France in 1990, as well as being conferred with the First Class rank of the Order of the Liberator from the Republic of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. He was the first African ever to be honored with the Fellowship of the Imperial College, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
.