Abstract

This conceptual paper is an evaluation of the leadership agenda in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary companies, and presents a platform for developing a capacity for change through effective leadership. This is based on the notion that in today’s business environment, there is an increasing demand for effective leaders who understand the complex nature of businesses/organisations and their continuous changing environment as suggested by Tseng (2010). The changing business environment requires leaders who are intellectual, sensitive, and have the ability to empathise with others. D’Amato et al. (2010) suggest that effective leaders are those who can motivate their followers to strive for excellence as depicted in the 21st century management goals. The paper critically examines the leadership styles and management practices in the NNPC and the study makes several important contributions to the field of leadership and management, especially in the NNPC and its subsidiary companies. The paper begins with an introductory background on leadership styles at the NNPC. It integrates relative concepts of organisational learning and leadership from an empirical perspective. This study gives a thematic analysis of basic leadership theories which empirically proves that adopting Transformational and Transactional leadership theories in the organisation may establish a strong relationship between leaders/managers and followers. Through this research, organisations within the public sector in Nigeria can improve their learning, accelerating business growth and innovation.