Oando PLC informs its shareholders and stakeholders that the Company’s Board of Directors has appointed Cosmas Iwueze, Ken Igbokwe and Bashir Bello as Independent Non-Executive Directors, effective 25 November 2024, in accordance with Article 88 of the Company’s articles of association.

Iwueze's appointment commenced on December 16, 2024, while the other two appointments took effect on November 25, 2024, as stipulated in Article 88 of the Company's Articles of Association.
In a recent announcement, Oando characterized Iwueze as an accomplished petroleum engineer and business executive with over thirty years of expertise in the oil and gas sector.

Cosmas Iwueze began his career with Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) in 1990, where he advanced through various roles of increasing responsibility in areas such as Reservoir and Asset Management, Commercial Development, Operations, Project Management, and Business Strategy. His career also included international assignments with Chevron in California and Angola.

The statement highlighted his previous leadership positions, including Business Services Director for Chevron’s Nigeria/Mid-Africa unit, General Manager of Operations, and General Manager of Asset Development and Exploration.

His significant contributions include securing third-party financing for joint venture projects and playing a key role in the development of national petroleum policies during a secondment to the Nigerian government.

Before his retirement in November 2024, Cosmas served as the Director of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture (JV), where he was responsible for overseeing asset development, major projects, and oil and gas production, with accountability for profit and loss. In this capacity, he led strategic initiatives, managed several general managers, and stepped in as Managing Director when necessary.

Ken Igbokwe brings over 35 years of extensive management and consulting experience across various sectors, including oil and gas, financial services, and the public sector. Throughout his notable career at PwC Nigeria, he held significant leadership positions in Assurance, Tax, and Consulting.

His expertise encompasses a broad spectrum of areas, including statutory and financial audits, business valuations, dispute resolution, risk management for financial and information systems, corporate strategy development, performance management, and tax planning.

As the Country Leader of PwC Nigeria, Ken was instrumental in shaping the strategic vision that fueled the firm’s growth over a decade, during which PwC Nigeria emerged as a leading brand among the “Big 4” firms.

He played a pivotal role in the PwC West Africa business during the Africa-wide merger in 2012. Ken actively engages in public discussions regarding public sector transformation in Nigeria, focusing on corporate governance and enhancing the investment climate.

He earned a B.Sc. (Eng) degree in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London University, as a Shell Scholar, graduating in 1978. Ken is a member of the Institutes of Chartered Accountants in both England & Wales and Nigeria, as well as the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.

Bashir Bello is a seasoned Oil & Gas Professional, bringing over 32 years of experience in both Technical and Executive Management roles within the industry. His comprehensive expertise encompasses all segments, including Downstream (Refining), Midstream (LNG), and Upstream (Exploration and Production), with particular emphasis on Operations, Engineering, Project Management, and Corporate Governance.

He has held positions as a Board Member for Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, Bonny Gas Transport Company, NLNG Ship Manning Company Limited, and various committees associated with Nigeria LNG.

Bashir demonstrates a strong capability in Interface and Stakeholder Management, adept at creating business value in Joint Ventures characterized by varied shareholder interests. He effectively manages projects that involve intricate interfaces and stakeholder expectations while overseeing operations that require diverse functional inputs and operate under resource constraints.

Bashir earned his Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.) in Mechanical Engineering from Bayero University Kano, Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and is registered with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN).