The Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) is set for a major leadership transition as Engr. Adeleye Falade is appointed to succeed Dr. Philip Mshelbila as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
The announcement, made by NLNG’s Corporate Communications Manager Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, follows a symbolic farewell event held in Abuja over the weekend to honor Mshelbila’s contributions during his four-year tenure.
Mshelbila will officially leave the company on December 31, 2025, to assume the role of Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, Qatar. Falade, currently leading Brunei LNG as Managing Director/CEO, is expected to take over at NLNG in April 2026, pending formal handover.
During the farewell ceremony, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, Olakunle Osobu, praised Mshelbila for steering the company through challenging times, including the post-COVID-19 recovery, pipeline disruptions from flooding, and global energy volatility following the Russia–Ukraine conflict. Osobu highlighted Mshelbila’s efforts to diversify NLNG’s operations, strengthen sustainability initiatives, and implement robust safety and environmental practices.
Under Mshelbila, NLNG signed landmark long-term Gas Supply Agreements with six independent suppliers in August 2025, securing nearly 1,290 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of feed-gas, a significant expansion beyond the company’s traditional shareholder joint-venture supply chain.
Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, also lauded Mshelbila for his visionary leadership, emphasizing his ability to inspire excellence, innovation, and environmental stewardship throughout the organization.
Mshelbila expressed gratitude to NLNG’s shareholders, Board of Directors, staff, and industry partners for their support, noting that the company’s culture of innovation and professionalism would guide his work at GECF. As Secretary-General, he will focus on fostering dialogue between gas-producing and gas-consuming nations to enhance global energy stability.
