Axxela has appointed Moshood Olajide as its new Group Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Timothy Ononiwu, in a move that brings together deep experience across energy, finance, regulation, taxation, governance, and corporate law.
Olajide assumes leadership of the company at a significant moment for Nigeria’s gas sector, as policymakers and investors increasingly position natural gas as the central transition fuel for industrialisation, power generation, and energy security. His appointment signals Axxela’s intention to strengthen its commercial and institutional capabilities as competition and investment activity intensify across the domestic gas value chain.
Before joining Axxela, Olajide served as Managing Director of Ardova Plc, where he oversaw the company during a period of transition in Nigeria’s downstream energy market. His tenure coincided with the industry’s shift toward a more deregulated and competitive operating environment, shaped by subsidy reforms, pricing volatility, and the emergence of new refining capacity. Under his leadership, Ardova focused on operational consolidation, expansion across gas and lubricants, and the strengthening of its distribution and logistics infrastructure.
Prior to becoming Managing Director in September 2023, Olajide had served as Executive Director for Finance and Business Support at Ardova, where he supervised finance, corporate strategy, governance, and operational support functions. That role placed him at the centre of the company’s capital management and strategic positioning efforts during a transformative period for the business.
His professional background extends well beyond the energy sector. Earlier in his career, he spent several years at PwC, rising to the position of Partner within the firm’s Tax and Regulatory Services practice. At PwC, he advised major corporations on taxation, regulatory compliance, restructuring, and business strategy across multiple sectors. He also served as General Counsel for PwC’s West Africa Market Area, combining legal expertise with commercial advisory responsibilities at a senior level.
Olajide began his legal career at Aluko & Oyebode, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms, where he worked as an Associate between 2008 and 2012. The experience provided him with an early grounding in corporate law, transactions, and regulatory advisory work that would later become central to his executive and boardroom roles.
In addition to his executive responsibilities, he also served as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Tangerine Africa between 2020 and 2025, contributing to governance oversight and strategic direction.
Academically, Olajide holds a Master of Laws degree from Columbia Law School in the United States and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
His appointment comes as Axxela continues to deepen its role in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure landscape, including investments in gas distribution networks, industrial energy solutions, and cleaner fuel infrastructure. With Nigeria seeking to monetise its large gas reserves while reducing dependence on more carbon-intensive fuels, companies such as Axxela are increasingly central to the country’s industrial and energy transition strategy.
For Axxela, the choice of Olajide reflects a preference for leadership that combines technical understanding of the energy sector with sophisticated expertise in finance, regulation, governance, and institutional strategy—capabilities that are likely to become even more important as the Nigerian energy market evolves.
