Seplat Energy Plc has announced a sweeping leadership overhaul, with Effiong Okon set to take over as Chief Executive Officer from Roger Brown on August 1, 2026, while Tony Elumelu will assume the chairmanship of the board effective January 1, 2027.
Roger Brown will retire as CEO and board director on July 31, 2026, after a 13-year tenure with the company first as CFO, overseeing its landmark dual listing in 2014, and then as CEO since August 2020.
During his tenure, Seplat Energy grew significantly through financial discipline, asset development and successful acquisitions, including Eland Oil and Gas in 2019 and the transformational acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) in 2024, establishing the company as one of Africa’s leading independent energy companies.
Okon brings over 35 years of global industry expertise to the role.
He joined Seplat in 2018 as operations director, later served as new energy director, and most recently as managing director of ANOH Gas Processing Company, where he drove the project to first gas in January 2026.
Before joining Seplat, he had a distinguished career at Royal Dutch Shell spanning Africa, the USA, Europe, and the Middle East.
On the chairmanship, current chairman Senator Udoma Udo Udoma has given notice of his intention to retire at the end of the year on December 31, 2026, having joined the board in December 2023 and become independent chairman in April 2024.
To replace him, the board elected Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, as the next Chairman of Seplat Energy, effective January 1, 2027.
Elumelu, who joined the board in January 2026, is the founder and chairman of Heirs Holdings, which holds a 20.07 percent shareholding in Seplat Energy.
Reacting to his retirement, Brown said: “It has been the greatest pleasure to be part of Seplat Energy’s growth since joining in 2013 as CFO.
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.”
Udoma said: “Roger has been ever-present in Seplat Energy’s journey, and under his leadership,
Seplat Energy has materially outperformed the sector and delivered exceptional returns to shareholders.”
Okon said his immediate focus would be on ensuring the company executes the 2030 roadmap alongside the development of a long-term plan to deliver on the potential in its portfolio.
Elumelu said he was “honoured” to succeed Udoma and that Seplat Energy’s culture of execution and governance aligned strongly with his own values.
Administrator and Writer
