Secretary General of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo, is dead. He died at about 11pm on Tuesday. He was aged 63.

His death was announced in the early hours of Wednesday by NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari, who described his departure as a great loss to his immediate family, NNPC Nigeria, OPEC and global energy community.

In a statement on his verified twitter handlle, @MKKyari, at 4.32am Wednesday, the NNPC GMD wrote:”We lost our esteemed Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11pm yesterday 5th July 2022. Certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly,”

Though the cause of his death was not disclosed in the tweet, Barkindo was received at the State House Tuesday by President Muhammadu Buhari, who lauded the outgoing OPEC secretary general’s six-year tenure and described him as a worthy ambassador of Nigeria.

We lost our esteemed Dr Muhammad Sanusi Barkindo. He died at about 11pm yesterday 5th July 2022. Certainly a great loss to his immediate family, the NNPC, our country Nigeria, the OPEC and the global energy community. Burial arrangements will be announced shortly.