Nigeria's president appoints new head of state oil firm

President Muhammadu Buhari addresses members of the National Working Committee during the meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party at the headquarters of the party in Abuja, Nigeria July 3, 2015. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

LONDON (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu as the new group managing director of state oil firm Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on Tuesday, a statement from the presidency said. The new head was the executive vice chairman and general counsel of Exxon-Mobil (Africa) and is taking over from Joseph Thlama Dawha.