OPEC President Barkindo dies at 63

Mohammed Barkindo, secretary general of oil producers' group OPEC, has died, the boss of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced on Wednesday.

Barkindo, 63, was due to step down at the end of this month after six years in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) top job. "We have lost our beloved Dr. Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo," NNPC CEO Mele Kyari wrote on Twitter (NYSE:TWTR), adding that Barkindo died late Tuesday. Kyari added that the death is "a great loss to his immediate family, NNPC, our country Nigeria, OPEC and the global energy community." Kyari explained that Barkindo died hours after meeting with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and delivering the keynote address at an energy summit in Abuja. Barkindo said the oil and gas industry was "under siege" due to years of underinvestment and that allowing oil trade from Iran and Venezuela could help address the current supply shortage in the market. Barkindo's career in the oil sector began in Nigeria in the early 1980s. He held various positions at the NNPC and represented Nigeria on OPEC's Economic Commission Board. Barkindo became acting OPEC secretary general in 2006 and returned to the post 10 years later, leading the organization through a turbulent oil market, including steering it towards greater cooperation with non-OPEC oil producers. After leaving OPEC, Barkindo will join the US think tank Atlantic Council's Global Energy Center as a distinguished fellow, the Council recently announced.   Source: Reuters