Adeleye Falade assumes office as NLNG CEO, Train-7 nears completion

Mkpoikana Udoma

Port Harcourt — Adeleye Falade on Wednesday officially assumed office as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria LNG Limited, taking charge at a critical phase of expansion for Nigeria’s liquefied natural gas industry.

Falade, who took over at the company’s Port Harcourt headquarters, succeeds Philip Mshelbila, recently appointed Secretary-General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.

Bringing nearly three decades of global oil and gas experience, Falade has held strategic roles across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Russia, and Africa within the Shell Group, spanning upstream and midstream operations.

Prior to his appointment, he served as Managing Director of Brunei LNG, where he “led one of the world’s established LNG producers and oversaw strategic operational delivery,” according to Sophia Horsfall, NLNG General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development.

Horsfall in a statement disclosed that he also previously held the role of Country Chair for Shell Namibia, providing leadership on operations and stakeholder engagement.

The state reads, “Falade is no stranger to NLNG’s operations. Between 2019 and 2023, he served as General Manager, Production, where he was responsible for ensuring production reliability, plant performance, and operational safety across the company’s Bonny Island facilities.

“Earlier, as Operations Manager, he oversaw plant performance and efficiency.

“His appointment comes at a pivotal time for NLNG, with the company advancing its Train 7 expansion project, expected to significantly boost production capacity and strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global LNG market” the statement said

The company also recently secured long-term gas supply agreements with six third-party suppliers to improve feedgas availability, a key constraint in Nigeria’s gas sector.

Falade’s emergence reinforces NLNG’s commitment to indigenous leadership, as he joins a fully Nigerian management team tasked with driving the company’s next phase of growth and competitiveness in the global LNG market.