Nigeria’s ‘Decade of Gas’ is poised to receive a boost as Africa’s foremost gas company, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) today announced an imminent exchange of baton between global gas experts, Tony Attah and Dr Philip Mshelbila, as Chief Executive of the company come August 31, 2021.

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Analysts in the energy sector view this move as a consolidation on the company’s drive to achieve a 10 year futuristic ambition of Africa’s biggest oil producer, Nigeria, taking advantage of the global energy transition.

According to a statement signed by Nigeria LNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Eyono Fatayi-Williams, Dr Philip Mshelbila will assume the reins of leadership at the company on August 31, 2021 when Tony Attah’s tenure ends.  

The statement said the Nigeria LNG’s Board of Directors approved Dr Philip Mshelbila’s appointment as successor to Tony Attah, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at its last board meeting.

“Engr. Attah will return to his parent company, Shell, on 30th August 2021 at the expiration of his five-year tenure at the helm of affairs. Attah was appointed Chief Executive Officer by the NLNG Board in July 2016.”

“Dr. Mshelbila, who is rounding-up his tenure as Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad & Tobago, will be taking over from Attah on 31st August 2021.”

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday, March 29, 2021 announced “The Decade of Gas”, an initiative designed to ensure Africa’s biggest oil producer can take advantage of the global energy transition, stressing that the initiative was “a bold statement to demonstrate our Administration’s resolve that gas development and utilization should be a national priority. Now we’re going a step further to dedicate this decade to industrializing Nigeria using gas”.

With Nigeria ranked as one of the countries most susceptible to the global transition to cleaner fuels given that oil contributes about half of the government’s revenue and most of its foreign exchange receipts, the Decade of Gas initiative reinforces the perception that Nigeria’s largely untapped, natural gas resources has the potential to provide the means for the country to fund its way through the global energy transition.

This indication was strengthened with the announcement of Dr Philip Mshelbila as the incoming helmsman who is expected to consolidate on Tony Attah’s achievements in that direction.

Already, expectations are positive that Mshelbila, who comes with a loaded antecedent in Gas Resource Management, having served as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas Ltd; Commercial Manager and Project Development Manager in Shell Gas & Power, and currently Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad and Tobago, would give verve to the country’s gas ambition.

On the other hand, with an indepth background in Communications, Community Relations and Sustainable Development, Mshelbila’s arrival is anticipated to help close the gaps in host community relations, for which agitations have been on the rise in recent times with the company gasping for ideas on how to respond adequately.

Dr. Philip Mshelbila has served as Shell’s General Manager for Communications in West Africa; General Manager, Sustainable Development and Community Relations for Shell Companies in Nigeria; and Private Assistant to the Chief Executive of Royal Dutch Shell; Regional (Business) Adviser, Shell International, The Netherlands, and Regional Health Manager, Africa; roles that entailed managing sustainable development and social investment as well as relations with communities, local and state governments in the Niger Delta.