Seplat Energy Appoints Mohammed, Ettah As Independent Non-Executive Directors

Seplat Energy PLC has announced the appointment of  Saidu Aliyu Mohammed and Larry Ephraim Ettah as independent non-executive directors of the Company with effect from 1 January 2026.

The company said the new appointments followed the resignation of Bello Rabiu and Babs Omotowa from the Board in April 2025 due to their appointments to the Board of NNPC Limited by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Seplat Energy said it embarked on the recruitment process for their replacements in line with the Board of Directors’ Succession Plan and today announces the appointment of Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed and Larry Ephraim Ettah as independent non-executive directors of the Company effective 1 January 2026.

According to the firm, Engr Mohammed is a seasoned energy executive with over 37 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, specialising in natural gas development, commercialisation, and infrastructure. He served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Gas & Power Directorate at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), where he provided strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Master Plan, Gas Network Code, and contributed to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

He played a pivotal role in conceptualising and delivering critical gas infrastructure projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train 7. His leadership extended to international engagements, representing Nigeria at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) and the West African Gas Pipeline Authority.

Engr. Mohammed previously held top executive positions as managing director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, managing director of Nigerian Gas Company, and chaired boards of several strategic entities, including West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE) and the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (FNSCHE), and a registered engineer with COREN. He holds a B.Eng. in Chemical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

On his part, Larry Ephraim Ettah is a highly respected Nigerian business leader with nearly four decades of experience in the corporate sector. He spent 30 years at UAC of Nigeria Plc (UACN), rising from a management trainee in 1988 to Group Managing Director/CEO, a role he held from 2007 to 2018.

As CEO, he reshaped UACN’s portfolio through strategic partnerships with global firms such as Tiger Brands, Imperial Logistics, and Famous Brands. He also led key acquisitions including Livestock Feeds Plc and Portland Paints Plc, repositioning the conglomerate for sustainable growth across multiple sectors.

Following his retirement from UACN, Ettah founded Barracuda Capital Partners Ltd in 2018, where he serves as executive chairman. He holds several board roles, including founding director of Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd and non-executive director of Mixta Africa Plc, and until February 2025, he co-chaired the board of LEAP Africa. He has chaired and served on the boards of several publicly listed companies and advised major consumer goods firms. He has played influential roles in industry associations such as Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), and contributed to national economic policy through presidential and technical advisory committees.

Ettah holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry and an MBA from the University of Benin, complemented by extensive executive education from leading global institutions including Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, INSEAD, IMD, and the University of Michigan. His international exposure, strong governance expertise, and broad sector experience underpin his reputation as a strategic, principled, and effective leader in the boardroom. Overall, he is recognized for his vision, leadership, and commitment to corporate excellence and economic development.

The chairman of Seplat Energy, Udoma Udo Udoma, commented: “On behalf of Seplat Energy, I am delighted to welcome Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed and Mr. Larry Ephraim Ettah to the Board. Their experiences are complementary, combining extensive industry knowledge with extensive business success. We look forward to the significant contributions they will make in advancing the Company’s strategic growth objectives and driving our continued success”.