By Adedapo Adesanya

Seplat Energy Plc has announced a major leadership transition, appointing Mr Tony Elumelu as Chairman-designate and Mr Effiong Okon as incoming chief executive, as it pursues its long-term growth ambitions and 2030 strategic roadmap

The company disclosed that its current Chairman, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma, will retire from the board on December 31, 2026, after overseeing a significant period of strategic expansion, including the integration of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) and the development of Seplat Energy’s 2030 strategic plan.

Mr Elumelu will take over on January 1, 2027, having joined the board at the beginning of the year after buying a 20.07 per cent stake in the local energy producer.

In a parallel leadership transition, the current chief executive, Mr Roger Brown, will retire on July 31, 2026, ending a 13-year tenure with the company, including six years as CEO.

Mr Brown played a pivotal role in Seplat Energy’s transformation, leading major acquisitions, including Eland Oil & Gas in 2019 and the landmark acquisition of MPNU in 2024.

In his place, Mr Okon, who currently serves as Managing Director of the ANOH Gas Processing Company, will take over on August 1.

The veteran brings more than 35 years of industry experience and has held several leadership positions within Seplat Energy and Royal Dutch Shell.

Speaking on his exit, Mr Brown said, “It has been the greatest pleasure to be part of Seplat Energy’s growth since joining in 2013 as CFO and having led the company as CEO since August 2020. I am immensely proud that we have built a company that has now become synonymous with financial resilience, balanced capital allocation, strong corporate governance and shareholder reward.”

Mr Udoma also said, “[Mr] Roger has been ever-present in Seplat Energy’s journey, and under his leadership, the company has materially outperformed the sector and delivered exceptional returns to shareholders. He leaves us well-placed to continue delivering for all our stakeholders.

“I would also like to welcome Mr Okon as our incoming CEO. He has extensive operational experience that will support our ambitious growth aspirations.”

On his part, the incoming CEO said: “I am delighted to be taking on this appointment at an important juncture. My immediate focus will be on ensuring the Company executes the 2030 Roadmap, alongside development of the long-term plan to ensure we deliver on the immense potential inherent in our portfolio.”

Mr Elumelu said, “I am honoured to succeed Senator Udoma as Chairman in January 2027 and to lead the Board through Seplat Energy’s next phase of growth. I firmly believe in the critical role indigenous resources play in the economic transformation of Nigeria and Africa, and Seplat Energy’s culture of execution and governance aligns strongly with my own values.”

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, swore in Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the new Minister of Power and Mr Sola Enikanolaiye as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

A statement from the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, last night disclosed that the exercise took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in the presence of the ministers’ spouses and senior government officials.

The new Ministers took the oaths of office yesterday after they were cleared by the Senate for the appointments on May 6, 2026.

Mr Tegbe was chosen to replace Mr Adebayo Adelabu, who resigned from the position to pursue a governorship ambition in Oyo State, while Mr Enikanolaiye was drafted to the current post after the elevation of Mrs Bianca Ojukwu to the position of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the resignation of Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who tried to clinch the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State.

Mr Tegbe, born in Ibadan, Oyo State, is a renowned fiscal, economic and institutional reform strategist and stakeholder engagement expert with over 35 years of professional experience across the public and private sectors.

He holds a First Class Degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Switzerland) and a Master’s degree in Public Administration (Birmingham).

He worked as a Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG in Africa, where he led transformational initiatives, including the design and implementation of major presidential reforms, the articulation and implementation of a strategy for subnational governments.

The Power Minister was also involved in fiscal policy restructuring at all levels of Government. He has worked with organisations such as the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Revenue Service, Shell, Huawei, General Electric, MTN, and Odu’a Group, among others.

On his part, Mr Enikanolaiye from Igbagun, Kogi State, holds a First Class Degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and won the Dean’s Prize as the best student in his faculty. He also obtained a Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos with Distinction.

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 1982 and rose to the position of Director. He was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in 2016, from which he retired on August 4, 2017, after 35 years in service.

As a career diplomat, Mr Enikanolaiye served in many of Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, notably Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Belgrade (Serbia), Ottawa (Canada) and London (UK). His last foreign service posting was as Nigeria’s Head of Mission in New Delhi (India).

He is a recipient of several merit awards, including the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, the Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award, and a Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College, among others.

Mr Enikanolaiye was, until his appointment, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) powerhouse, UAC Foods Limited, has promoted its Chief Financial Officer, Mrs Temitope Omodele, to the position of chief executive.

The company, a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria Plc (UACN), officially made the announcement on its official LinkedIn page.

The ex-KPMG executive has a big task ahead of her, particularly with UAC Foods now a N340 billion revenue company buoyed by its recent acquisition of CHI Limited. With the new appointment, the company positions the seasoned finance executive as the driving force to further increase the value of brands like Gala Sausage Roll, Supreme Ice Cream, Swan Natural Spring Water, and Funtime Chips.

In its announcement, UAC Foods described the appointment as “an exciting new chapter,” affirming that Mrs Omodele will continue to “drive operational excellence, innovation, sustainable growth and long-term

Mrs Omodele began her career at KPMG Professional Services, where she rose through the ranks, from Senior Associate to Senior Manager, providing audit and assurance services across Nigeria’s financial services, FMCG, power and utilities, and energy and natural resources sectors.

Her time at KPMG was marked by an unusual distinction where she was seconded to the Department of Professional Practice at KPMG Inc. South Africa, gaining cross-border exposure to international standards and methodologies.

Following her return to Nigeria, she helped found the Department of Professional Practice for KPMG Professional Services Nigeria.

She joined the UAC of Nigeria Plc group in September 2020, initially as Technical Accounting and Reporting Lead and quickly advanced to Senior Vice President of Finance, with oversight of group-wide finance operations and reporting for the holding company. In this role, she served as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Livestock Feeds Plc, a fellow UACN subsidiary.

She was then promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer at UAC Foods Limited, expanding her operating-company exposure particularly around brand strategy, supply chain economics, and P&L accountability.

Mrs Omodele holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Lagos, supplemented by an Executive MBA from Lagos Business School at Pan-Atlantic University. She further completed Executive Education in data analytics and emerging technologies at the W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

Originally established as the United African Company in 1879, the company has evolved into one of Nigeria’s oldest and firmest companies. The UAC Foods unit was formally constituted in 2010 through a joint venture with Tiger Brands, the South African packaged food giant. In 2021, UACN acquired Tiger Brands’ minority stake, assuming full ownership and with it, full strategic responsibility for the subsidiary’s future.

The company is best known for its flagship Gala Sausage Roll, which has led Nigeria’s sausage roll market for over 60 years, alongside other popular brands including Supreme Ice Cream, Swan Natural Spring Water, and Funtime Chips.

In 2025, UACN’s consolidated revenue surged further to N340.47 billion, bolstered by the landmark acquisition of CHI Limited (the maker of Chivita juice and Hollandia dairy products), though profitability came under pressure from elevated financing costs tied to that acquisition.