By Stanley Onyeka, Lagos
The Board of Seplat Energy, yesterday, announced the appointment of Tony Elumelu, as a Non-Executive Director on the Board effective January 22, 2026.
This follows the Company’s prior announcement regarding the sale of Etablissements Maurel et Prom SA (M&P) 20.07% shareholding in Seplat to a combination of Heirs Holdings Limited and Heirs Energies Limited.
Elumelu’s appointment is sequel to the resignation of Olivier Cleret De Langavant as a Non-Executive Director effective January 22, 2026, according to a statement signed by the Director, Legal/Company Secretary, Seplat Energy, Edith Onwuchekwa.
Langavant, who joined the Board on January 28, 2020 as a nominee of M&P, has rendered exceptional service throughout his tenure, providing strategic technical counsel and invaluable insights that have materially supported the Company’s progress,
Elumelu on his part is a distinguished African investor and philanthropist, globally recognized as one of the most prominent voices on Africa’s transformation agenda.
He is the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, a diversified investment company with interests across strategic sectors of the African economy, including energy, power, banking, insurance, technology, real estate, hospitality, and healthcare.
He also serves as Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, Heirs Energies, Transcorp Group, whose subsidiaries include Transcorp Power, and Transcorp Hotels Plc, Nigeria’s foremost hospitality brand.
We are confident that Elumelu’s extensive experience and visionary leadership will significantly advance Seplat Energy’s strategic objectives and reinforce the Company’s commitment to sustainable growth and long-term success.
In 2010, he established The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy dedicated to empowering African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries. His global influence has been widely acknowledged, including recognition as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World (2020) and the conferment of the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (2022).
He also serves on several global boards, including UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited Global Leadership Council and the International Monetary Fund’s Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth.
“We are confident that Elumelu’s extensive experience and visionary leadership will significantly advance Seplat Energy’s strategic objectives and reinforce the Company’s commitment to sustainable growth and long-term success,” the statement said.
Commenting on the appointment, the Chairman, Seplat Energy, Udoma Udo Udoma, said: “On behalf of the Board and Management, I wish to express our profound appreciation to Mr. Langavant for his outstanding contribution to Seplat Energy over the past six years. His expertise and commitment have been instrumental in driving our strategic initiatives.
“We warmly welcome Mr. Elumelu to the Board and look forward to leveraging his wealth of experience and leadership as we continue to pursue sustainable growth and value creation for all stakeholders.”
