Conoil Announces Appointment of Bolaji Owolabi as Acting Company Secretary
Conoil Plc has formally announced the appointment of Mr. Bolaji Owolabi as its Acting Company Secretary, effective from November 12, 2025. The disclosure was filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited and signed by the company’s Finance Director, Mr. Ismail Salam. This leadership transition follows the resignation of the former Company Secretary, Mr. David Lanre-Leke, whose tenure concluded on September 8, 2025.
The Board and Management of Conoil expressed their appreciation for Mr. Lanre-Leke’s service and confirmed that Mr. Owolabi will serve in an acting capacity pending a substantive appointment. This move underscores the company’s commitment to robust corporate governance during a period of significant economic scrutiny, not unlike the fiscal challenges prompting initiatives such as the Presidential committee pushes back on certain economic policies or the operational adjustments seen when FAAN raises cargo handling standards.
Mr. Owolabi brings over two decades of corporate experience, predominantly within the telecommunications sector. An alumnus of Lagos State University (LL.B) and the University of Lagos (LL.M), he lectured in business law before being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1999. His legal career began at Dapo Abudu & Co., followed by a role at the chambers of Prof. I. O. Smith (SAN). From 2005 to 2008, he served as a Specialist in Legal and Regulatory Affairs at Airtel, managing contracts and corporate processes. He later joined Globacom in 2023, rising to the position of Senior Manager, Legal Services, prior to his departure.
Conoil’s Board is chaired by Dr. Mike Adenuga (Jnr), GCON, with Mr. Hardeep Singh Kheterpal as Managing Director. The board includes non-executive directors Dr. Moses Ebietsuwa Omatsola, Mr. Mike Jituboh, Mr. Ike Oraekwuotu, Engr. Babatunde Okuyemi, Mr. Joshua Ariyo, and Mr. Ademola Idowu. Executive directors are Miss Abimbola Michael-Adenuga and Mr. Ismail Ajani Salam. The appointment comes at a time when the company reported a profit before tax of N2.53 billion for 2025, a decrease from N11.00 billion the previous year.
As corporations nationwide seek innovative stability, from the Anambra Introduces Solar energy projects to the integration of a Coinspaid crypto payment gateway by fintech firms, Conoil’s strategic appointment aims to leverage deep legal expertise. The focus on seasoned governance is critical in a complex market, where strategic decisions are as pivotal as those in a high-stakes Anambra Guber: cash-based political economy.
