A new Manager, Public Affairs has been posted to NAPIMS. He is Mr. Kennie Obateru, a seasoned and highly experienced Public Relations practitioner with wide local and international experience in the Petroleum Industry spanning over twenty years. A member of the International Public Relations Association, a Senior member of the Africa Public Relations Association, a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations and a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Kennie Obateru is an effective communicator with an amiable mien. He has a strong ability to create enthusiasm, generate team spirit, motivate and influence others to achieve
excellence.

He started his working career as a News reporter/ Sub Editor n the Nigerian Herald Newspapers in 1979. He joined the NNPC in 1992 as an experience hire and was posted to the Protocol Unit of GPAD at the Corporate Headquarters, Kofo Abayomi, Lagos. It did not take long for the leadership of GPAD then headed by Ogbuefi (now Igwe) Alex Nwokedi to regconise his high potentials hence; he was posted to the office of the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources as Protocol Officer in 1993 when NNPC was requested to assign an Officer.

He became Deputy Chief Protocol Officer to the Honourable Minister in 1997 and worked in that capacity until 1998 when he was posted back to GPAD which had then moved to Abuja with the Corporate Headquarters. Between 1998 and 2000, Mr. Obateru worked as Editor, NNPC News during which he had the privilege (in 1999) to cast the headline: ‘Gaius-Obaseki becomes GMD of ‘the new NNPC’ which became a catchphrase during the Dr. Gaius-Obaseki years as GMD of NNPC. In 2000, he was promoted a Chief Officer and worked as Supervisor, Audiovisual and Supervisor, Budget & Planning in GPAD until 2005 when he was sent to participate in the
Project Pace SMS CP Core Process Team.

Mr. Obateru was promoted to the position of Deputy Manager, Media Relations in 2006 and covered the position of Manager, Media Relations from May, 2007 to September, 2008 when he was posted to Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited as the first Manager, Public Affairs Department. While in PHRC, he was able to strengthen the cordial relationship between PHRC and her two host communities of Eleme and Okrika. In November 2010, the Management of NNPC posted him to NAPIMS as Manager, PAD and he assumed duty on December 2, 2010. Kennie Obateru attended numerous professional courses and conferences at home and abroad which included 3 International Public Relations Association Conferences, 3 World Petroleum Congresses, 15 OPEC Ministerial Conferences among others.

An alumnus of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, University of Ilorin and University of Stirling, Scotland, UK, where he bagged his Certificate in News Reporting, a BA (Hons) Performing Arts and an MSc in Public Relations respectively, Mr. Obateru, at his leisure, plays Lawn and Table Tennis and likes reading and dancing.

He is happily married with children.