If you met them in a hallway, chances are, you’d look twice. Hussaini and Hassan Malami are identical twins. One wears glasses. The other is slightly taller. But looking closer, I noticed something else. Hussaini is the quieter one. Hassan happily does most of the talking.
Members of the NNPC Tigers Class of 2026, their story challenges a persistent misconception about NNPC’s recruitment process.
Joining NNPC had always been Hussaini’s dream. When applications opened, he applied immediately and urged his twin to do the same.
Hassan wasn’t interested. He held back, wrongly assuming that NNPC only hired one person per family and did not want to ruin his brother’s lifelong dream.
His dream was the Nigerian Air Force and service to Nigeria. He already had a job in banking and didn’t see himself in corporate life. Besides, three older siblings, including a lawyer, an engineer and a business administrator, had all applied unsuccessfully to NNPC over the years. Their father is a retiree, but if there had ever been an “in”, their siblings’ experience proved otherwise. Hassan wasn’t expecting a different outcome and only applied after his brother’s persistent encouragement, nearing the deadline.
They took a computer-based test on the same day in different cities. Hussaini in Sokoto and Hassan in Kaduna. Like every other successful candidate, after a rigorous process that included interviews, they received employment letters on the same day.
“I opened the email after midnight and wanted to wake everybody up to tell them,” Hussaini laughed.
Hassan first saw the news on the family WhatsApp group when he woke up. That’s when the pressure hit him.
“I was now nervous about the possibility of not being successful once Hussaini shared his news.” They both got in.
Hussaini is currently with NNPC Exploration & Production Limited (NNPC E&P Limited), while Hassan works at NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), where he has discovered an entirely new side of Nigeria’s energy industry.
“I didn’t know there was a whole business dedicated to transporting gas,” Hassan said. “Now I’ve seen how gas powers plants and manufacturing companies…Hearing that gas is the future is one thing. Seeing how it is happening is another.”
Ironically, the brother who never wanted a corporate career now sees his job at NNPC as a form of national service. He still hopes to explore military service before he reaches the age limit in 2030, but today he is exactly where he wants to be.
For Hussaini, the experience has strengthened a lifelong dream. He also hopes to give back to his university as a guest lecturer.
“When I was in university, I only had one lecturer with field experience,” he said. “I want to share practical experience with students someday.”
Asked which NNPC culture transformation pillar best reflects their mindset, Hussaini says Enterprise First, because “giving your best to the company is giving your best to the country.”
Hassan tilts towards Execution Excellence. “I’m a civil engineer…I like seeing things come to life from concept to completion.”
Any advice to young Nigerians trying to get into NNPC? They echoed the same message:
“Ignore the rumours. You don’t need to know anybody at NNPC. Apply. Take the test and earn your place.”
At first, one notices what makes them identical. Dig a little deeper and discover what makes them different. Likewise, sometimes the stories we assume we know deserve a second look.
© By Adaobi Oniwinde, Senior Communications Advisor, NNPC Limited.
