By Adedapo Adesanya

The Board of Directors of the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has appointed Mr Adeleye Falade as its new chief executive. He is to assume office in April 2026.

Mr Falade joins NLNG from Brunei LNG, where he has been serving in a similar position.

His appointment follows the exit of Mr Philip Mshelbila after more than four years of leadership to assume the position of Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) in Doha, Qatar. He will officially leave the company on December 31, 2025.

Last weekend, a send-off ceremony was held in Abuja at the weekend to mark the end of the tenure of Mr Mshelbila and 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.

Speaking about the outgoing NLNG helmsman, Mr Olakunle Osobu, NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, in his remarks described Mr Mshelbila as a man of distinction, an accomplished professional whose expertise spans medicine, environmental health, strategic business leadership, and global gas diplomacy.

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.

Mr Osobu stated that the global energy turbulence following the Russia–Ukraine war added further strain, but noted that despite these hurdles, 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.

It was also revealed that 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,”.

Mr Osobu stated that Mr Mshelbila had championed innovation with a forward-looking approach, inspiring NLNG’s workforce to strengthen their commitment to emissions control and environmental stewardship, adding that Mr Mshelbila redefined NLNG’s business model through its transformation programme, building foundations for future sustainability and value creation.

In her remarks, Mrs Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, said, “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.”

On his part, Mr 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.

As Secretary-General of GECF, Mr Mshelbila will strengthen dialogue between gas-producing and gas-consuming nations, advancing stability in the international gas market.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Dangote Group has appointed renowned economist and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Director, Mr Mahmud Hassan, as its Chief Economist, strengthening its economic advisory capacity at a time of heightened global and domestic market volatility.

In his new role, Mr Hassan, a PhD holder, will serve as the organisation’s top adviser on economic strategy, market trends, and policy implications, reporting directly to the President of Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, according to a statement by the company.

He brings more than 30 years of experience in economic policy formulation, financial sector regulation, and central banking.

During his long career at the CBN, he held several senior positions, including Director of the Trade and Exchange Department and Director of the Monetary Policy Department.

He also served as Secretary to the Monetary Policy Committee and as Special Assistant on Economic Policy and Research to the CBN Governor.

Beyond Nigeria, Mr Hassan has played a key role in advancing regional economic integration, working as a lead consultant to the African Union Commission on trade integration initiatives and the establishment of the African Monetary Fund.

Academically, he holds a PhD in Economics and an MSc in Energy Economics and Policy from the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom, as well as a BSc in Economics from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He is an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School and holds professional certifications as a Bank Examiner and AML CFT Analyst.

Mr Hassan is a Fellow of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Statistical Association, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, and the Compliance Institute of Nigeria.

He is also a prolific researcher with extensive publications in macroeconomics, monetary policy, energy economics, and financial engineering.

In addition to his corporate role, he continues to serve as a visiting professor at several Nigerian universities and is currently the President of the Nigerian Association for Energy Economics.

According to the statement, his appointment underscores Dangote Industries Limited’s focus on deep economic insight and policy intelligence as it navigates evolving market dynamics across Nigeria, Africa, and the global economy.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest digital asset exchange by trading volume and users, Binance, has appointed its co-founder, Ms Yi He, as its co-CEO.

“Yi has been an integral part of the executive leadership team since the launch of Binance. Her innovative and user-focused approach has been instrumental in shaping the company’s vision, culture, and bottom-up business strategy,” said Binance CEO, Mr Richard Teng. “This appointment is a natural progression and she will continue to guide the organization from strength to strength.”

“We remain dedicated to being the most trusted and regulated exchange in the world, always putting our users first. Yi plays a critical role in growing our community and driving product innovation as we work to reach one billion users. Together, we are focused on building the Web3 infrastructure and promoting financial freedom, empowering people to participate in a more open and fair financial system,” added Mr Teng.

“I am honored to build alongside Richard, who brings decades of experience in regulated financial markets and was among the first to regulate crypto in its early days,” said Ms He. “Together, we bring diverse perspectives and are confident in leading the future of the industry during this pivotal time, as we responsibly expand our global presence and drive sustainable innovation with our users always at the center.”

Binance remains one of the world’s largest players in crypto trading, and leadership changes within the company continue to draw attention due to its scale and influence.

The appointment of a co-CEO adds structure during a period when global exchanges emphasize compliance, operational clarity and more formal management frameworks.

The company did not announce changes to its product lineup or platform priorities alongside the leadership update, and no financial terms were disclosed. The addition of a co-CEO role reflects an internal effort to distribute responsibilities as the firm works with regulators and seeks stability in a competitive and closely watched industry.