… Mshelbila to assume GECF Secretary-General role January 2026
Oredola Adeola
Engr. Adeleye Falade is set to assume the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), effective April 1, 2026, succeeding Dr. Philip Mshelbila, whose five-year tenure concludes in 2026.
The appointment, according to sources, was ratified and approved by the NLNG Board of Directors last Thursday.
This was also followed by a symbolic sendoff ceremony organised by NLNG on Friday, in Abuja to mark the end of the tenure of Mshelbila.
The sendoff ceremony was graced by NLNG Directors, executives from shareholder companies, dignitaries from the public sector and energy industry in Nigeria, members of NLNG management, and representatives of various staff groups.
The outgoing NLNG CEO is expected to exit the company on December 31, 2025, ahead of his assumption of office as Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, Qatar.
Recall that Mshelbila was elected at the 27th GECF Ministerial Meeting in Doha, Qatar on 23 October 2025, with his new term expected to commence in January 2026.
Olakunle Osobu, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, in his remarks described Mshelbila as a man of distinction, an accomplished professional whose expertise spans medicine, environmental health, strategic business leadership, and global gas diplomacy.
Osobu noted that Mshelbila’s focus was clear: driving business sustainability, diversifying operations, and advancing emissions control with safety at the core.
He revealed that the outgoing MD stepped in during a period of unprecedented challenges, from the aftermath of COVID-19 and severe flooding that disrupted gas pipelines to vandalism and force majeure declarations by suppliers.
He stated that the global energy turbulence following the Russia–Ukraine war added further strain.
Despite these hurdles, Osobu emphasised that under Mshelbila’s leadership, NLNG pursued its sustainability goals with courage and innovation.
“Understanding that NLNG needed multiple supply sources, especially with current challenges, Mshelbila championed a bold and strategic pivot to expand NLNG’s feed-gas base beyond the shareholder joint-venture supply chain.
Under his leadership, NLNG negotiated and signed long-term Gas Supply Agreements (GSAs) with six third-party gas suppliers in August 2025.
These GSAs commit to delivering an estimated 1,290 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of feed-gas to NLNG, a historic step for the Company, marking a seismic shift.
Osobu stated that Mshelbila had championed innovation with a forward-looking approach, inspiring NLNG’s workforce to strengthen their commitment to emissions control and environmental stewardship.
He added that Mshelbila redefined NLNG’s business model through its transformation programme, building foundations for future sustainability and value creation.
Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, in her remark, paid glowing tribute to Mshelbila, saying, “Thank you for your selflessness, for the steadiness of your leadership, for the clarity of your vision, and for the values that guided your every step.
“You led with humility, yet you inspired greatness. You carried the weight of challenges with calm resolve. You charted a path toward sustainability long before it became fashionable,” she said.
Responding to the tributes, Mshelbila expressed profound gratitude to NLNG’s shareholders, Board of Directors, staff, and industry partners for their support throughout his tenure.
He praised the Company’s enduring culture of innovation and excellence and affirmed that he would carry these values into his new role at GECF, where he will promote natural gas as a sustainable and reliable energy source.
Advisors Reports’ check showed that Leye Falade, the incoming CEO, brings a wealth of experience in the global oil and gas sector.
He previously served as General Manager, Production at NLNG before moving on to lead Shell Namibia, where he achieved significant milestones within just five months.
He was later appointed Managing Director of Brunei LNG by Shell, a role he has held for almost 21 months.
Over the course of his career, Falade has spent nearly 27 years with the Shell Group, holding multiple international leadership positions in LNG operations.
A graduate of the University of Ibadan in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, he also holds an MBA from Henley Business School, University of Reading, UK, further underscoring his strong academic and professional credentials.
He played cricket for Nigeria’s Senior National Cricket Team, 1994–2000.
Leye Falade is the twin brother of Gbite Falade, the MD/CEO of Aradel Holdings and Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
Both began their careers with Shell and quickly rose through the ranks to hold senior leadership positions.
Engr. Leye Falade’s appointment is expected to build on the strong foundation laid by Dr. Mshelbila, ensuring continuity and further growth for NLNG in both domestic and international LNG markets.
