Former Petroleum Minister, Rilwanu Lukman is dead

Lukman passed on in the early hours of Monday, July 21, at his residence in Vienna, Austria after a brief illness.

The late Lukman was appointed Minister of Mines, Power and Steel between 1984-85 and later, Minister of Petroleum Resources from 1986-1989. As Petroleum Minister, he served as President of the Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Conference for several consecutive terms from 1985-1989.

Until his demise, he also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) from 1993-94. Furthermore, Dr. Lukman was elected as Secretary General of OPEC from 1995–2000.

He attended the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria from 1956-58 and later proceeded to the prestigious Imperial College, London, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mining Engineering in 1962.