Seplat Energy, an indigenous oil and gas firm, has appointed Heirs Holdings Chairman, Tony Elumelu, as a Non-Executive Director.
The appointment follows the resignation of Olivier Cleret De Langavant, which took effect on January 22, 2026.
In a statement signed by the Director, Legal/Company Secretary, Edith Onwuchekwa, Seplat said Langavant, who joined the Board as a Non‑Executive Director in January 2020, has offered exceptional services, technical guidance and insights that have significantly supported the Company’s growth.
The Board said the appointment of Elumelu as a Non‑Executive Director also takes effect from 22 January 2026.
The company described Elumelu as “a distinguished investor and philanthropist,” who would bring his “broad experience and visionary leadership that will strengthen our strategic direction and reinforce our commitment to sustainable growth and long‑term value creation.”
Elumelu is an economist, billionaire entrepreneur, and philanthropist with years of experience in the financial services sector. He also serves as Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, Heirs Energies and Transcorp Group.
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He led the merger of Standard Trust Bank and UBA in 2005, transforming it into a global institution that now operates in 20 African countries, the UK, France, the UAE, and the USA.
Heirs Holdings, which Elumelu founded in 2010, maintains a diverse portfolio in strategic sectors including power, oil and gas, financial services, hospitality, real estate, and healthcare.
Elumelu pioneered an economic philosophy called “Africapitalism,” which emphasises that the African private sector must play a leading role in the continent’s development.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), a philanthropic organisation he also founded in 2010, has so far empowered over 20,000 young African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries.
Chairman of Seplat Energy Board, Udoma Udo Udoma, welcomed Elumelu to the Board, adding that they look forward to leveraging his wealth of experience and leadership as they work towards achieving sustainable growth and value creation for stakeholders.
Pinnacle Daily reports that the board changes follow the recent acquisition of Etablissements Maurel & Prom S.A. (M&P) shares in Seplat by Heirs Energies Limited and Heirs Holdings Limited. The sale of the entire stake of M&P (120,400,000 ordinary shares) led to the exit of the investor from Seplat Energy and the entry of Heirs Energies Limited and Heirs Holdings Limited. The two entities now hold a combined 20.07 per cent of Seplat Energy’s issued share capital.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in mass communication.
