Midwestern Oil Appoints First Female CEO

Midwestern Oil & Gas has announced the appointment of Mrs Elozino Olaniyan as its new managing director/chief executive officer, effective December 1, 2025.

According to the firm, the appointment marks a historic milestone for the company as its first female chief executive, signalling a new phase of inclusive leadership and reinforcing its commitment to responsible growth and national energy development.

With over three decades of experience spanning upstream operations, corporate strategy, and stakeholder management, Olaniyan is widely regarded as one of the industry’s most accomplished technical and safety leaders. Before joining Midwestern, she served as general manager, Safety & Environment, at Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, where she championed operational efficiency reforms and led key initiatives in environmental sustainability.

The appointment comes at a time when Midwestern is accelerating organisational reforms aimed at strengthening governance and enhancing leadership stability.

In recent months, the company has reconstituted its Board of Directors with a strong cohort of independent non-executive directors to deepen oversight and ensure transparency in corporate decision-making. It has also strengthened its Executive Leadership Team and expanded talent development programmes to align with national priorities on local content and energy transformation.

Speaking on her appointment, Olaniyan said the company was entering a decisive chapter. “I am honoured to lead Midwestern at this pivotal stage. Our focus will be on operational discipline, transparency and sustainable growth that benefits all stakeholders. Together with our strengthened leadership team, we are poised to deliver long-term value and play an even stronger role in Nigeria’s energy future,” she stated.

Commenting, chairman of the Board, Engr. Emeka Okwuosa described the new CEO as a defining figure for the organisation’s next phase. “Elozino’s leadership marks a defining moment in Midwestern’s evolution. She represents the new face of Nigerian energy leadership—technically grounded, strategically minded and deeply committed to sustainability and people. The Board has full confidence in her ability to lead Midwestern through its next phase of growth, guided by our strengthened governance framework and a strong core of Independent non-executive directors,” Okwuosa said.

Consequently, the company expressed optimism that the combination of renewed governance structures, strengthened leadership capacity, and deliberate investment in people will position Midwestern for sustained value creation in Nigeria’s dynamic energy landscape.