Omar Farouk Ibrahim holds a Doctorate degree in Political Science from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA, 1988, a Masters degree from Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, 1983, and a Bachelors degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, 1980.
Dr. Ibrahim assumed the position of APPO Secretary General on 4th January 2020. Until then he was Adviser on International Energy Relations to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In that position he represented Nigeria on the boards of several inter-governmental energy organizations. He was Nigeria’s Governor to the Vienna-based Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, 2015-2020 and Executive Board Member at the Doha-based Gas
Exporting Countries’ Forum, GECF, 2015-2020. At the same time he coordinated Nigeria’s affairs at the International Energy Forum, IEF, and later the African petroleum Producers’ Association, APPA.
Dr. Ibrahim was, between 2010 and 2014, General Manager and later Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
Before joining the NNPC, Dr. Ibrahim spent seven years February 2003 – December 2009 as Head of the PR and Information Department and member of senior management at the OPEC Secretariat, in Vienna. He was the Executive Editor of the OPEC Energy review and Editor-in-Chief of the OPEC Bulletin.
Before venturing into the oil sector in 2003, Dr. Ibrahim was in the media where he was at various times the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Federal Government-owned media house the New Nigerian Newspapers between 1999 and 2003. He was also the chairman of the Board of Directors of Newpack Printing and Packaging Company Limited. Before coming to the New Nigerian, Dr. Farouk had spent nine years in various positions at the Daily Times of Nigeria, ranging from Member of the Editorial board to a columnist and Op-Ed editor, General Manager Nigerpack Press, Group Controller of Administration.
Dr. Farouk joined Bayero University as a Graduate Assistant in the Department of Political Science in 1981 after his national service and rose to the rank of Lecturer by the time he left academia for journalism in 1990.
He has a number of publications.