Midwestern Oil and Gas, an independent Nigerian oil and gas exploration and production company, has announced the appointment of Elozino Olaniyan as its first female Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 December 2025.
In a statement, it was noted that her appointment marks a historic milestone, signalling a new era of inclusive leadership and reaffirming Midwestern’s commitment to responsible growth, strong governance, and national energy development.
It stated, “Olaniyan, a seasoned energy executive with over 30 years of experience, brings a wealth of expertise across upstream operations, corporate strategy, and stakeholder engagement. Prior to joining Midwestern, she served as GM, Safety & Environment at Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, where she led significant reforms in operational efficiency and environmental stewardship.
“This transition comes as Midwestern deepens its focus on governance reform, leadership stability, and long-term value creation. The company has undertaken significant steps to reinforce its governance framework and leadership capacity, including reconstituting the Board of Directors with a strong core of Independent Non-Executive Directors, ensuring enhanced oversight and accountability.
“Strengthening the Executive Leadership Team, which she will lead, bringing together a new generation of energy professionals to drive operational excellence and innovation; and expanding local content impact through renewed partnerships, talent development, and energy growth initiatives aligned with national priorities.”
Reacting to the appointment, Olaniyan said, “I am honoured to lead Midwestern at this pivotal stage. Our focus will be on operational discipline, transparency, and sustainable growth that benefits all stakeholders. Together with our strengthened leadership team, we are poised to deliver long-term value and play an even stronger role in Nigeria’s energy future.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Board, Emeka Okwuosa, said Olaniyan’s leadership marks a defining moment in Midwestern’s evolution.
He said, “She represents the new face of Nigerian energy leadership: technically grounded, strategically minded, and deeply committed to sustainability and people. The Board has full confidence in her ability to lead Midwestern through its next phase of growth, guided by our strengthened governance framework and a strong core of Independent Non-Executive Directors.”
