Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has appointed Engr. Leye Falade as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, following approval by the company’s Board of Directors.
Industry sources confirmed that Falade’s appointment was ratified on Thursday, marking a major leadership transition at the gas major.
Falade holds a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Ibadan and an MBA from Henley Business School, University of Reading, United Kingdom. He brings extensive international and domestic industry experience to the role.
He holds a degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from the University of Ibadan and an MBA from Henley Business School, UK, and has completed executive programmes at institutions including London Business School and INSEAD. A Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Falade spent much of his career with Shell in progressively senior technical and leadership roles across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Russia, and served as General Manager of Production at Nigeria LNG Limited before being appointed Country Chair for Shell in Namibia. In 2024 he was appointed Managing Director and CEO of Brunei LNG, making him the first African to lead the company, where he oversees substantial liquefied natural gas operations and strategic growth initiatives.
NLNG operates as an incorporated joint venture owned by four shareholders: the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); Shell Gas B.V.; Total Gaz Électricité Holdings France; and Eni International N.A. N.V.
Falade’s appointment is expected to strengthen NLNG’s operational leadership as the company continues to play a central role in Nigeria’s gas value chain and export earnings.
Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) –Leadership History
Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) is a flagship Nigerian energy company incorporated in May 1989 as a joint-venture to harness the country’s vast natural gas resources by producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) and natural gas liquids (NGLs) for export from its Bonny Island facility. It was established to monetise associated gas that would otherwise be flared, boosting Nigeria’s export earnings and positioning the country as a key global LNG supplier; its shareholders are the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (49%), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6%), TotalEnergies (15%), and Eni (10.4%) . The Bonny plant has expanded over time to multiple production trains and remains central to Nigeria’s gas commercialisation strategy and contributions to domestic economic development.
Since inception, NLNG’s chief executive leadership has included a succession of managing directors/CEOs who have steered its growth and strategic expansion:
-
Babs Omotowa served as Managing Director/CEO from around December 2011 to July 2016, leading operations prior to his return to Shell International.
-
Tony (Anthony) Attah was appointed Managing Director/CEO in July 2016 and led the company through key decisions including the Train 7 expansion FID until August 2021.
-
Philip Mshelbila succeeded Attah, taking over as Managing Director/CEO in August 2021 and remains in the role as of the latest available information.
NLNG’s leadership continuity and strategic direction have been fundamental to its role as one of Africa’s most successful LNG enterprises, with ongoing investments in capacity expansion and domestic energy initiatives.
