British oil and gas company Savannah Energy has appointed two Nigerian professionals, Uyi Akpata and Kehinde Ogunwumiju, as independent directors to its board, following the retirement of Stephen O’Brien and David Clarkson.
The appointments were announced on Thursday as part of the company’s ongoing board succession plan aimed at aligning leadership with its strategic growth across Africa.
Savannah Energy, which operates primarily in Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon and is listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange, highlighted the professional backgrounds of the two appointees as enhancing the board’s capabilities in audit, finance, and legal governance.
Mr Akpata, a former country senior partner at PwC Nigeria and currently PwC’s Africa oil and gas leader, is expected to chair the audit committee upon assuming office.
“Both are internationally respected professionals in their respective fields – finance and legal – and have proven track records supporting dynamic, high-growth organisations,” Savannah Energy Chairman Joseph Pagop Noupoué said.
He added that “the changes announced this morning form part of Savannah’s ongoing and dynamic Board succession planning process, which is designed to evolve in step with the company’s strategic direction, operational priorities, and growth trajectory.”
Mr Akpata’s career spans over four decades in audit and financial management, including leadership roles at PwC Nigeria such as regional Senior Partner for West Africa and membership in both the firm’s Global Oil & Gas Leadership team and Africa Leadership team.
He has led audits of state-owned enterprises such as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (now NNPC Limited) and multinational oil companies operating in Nigeria, and has also overseen audit work in sectors including consumer goods, agriculture, and financial services.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Lagos and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
Mr Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has represented the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in over 100 legal cases and the country in numerous international disputes. He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Ibadan and a Master’s in International Commercial Law from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK and a member of multiple professional bodies, including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (CSAN).
The company noted that the appointments of Mr Akpata and Mr Ogunwumiju are intended to strengthen corporate governance and provide guidance as Savannah Energy expands its operations and navigates regulatory and commercial challenges across its African markets.
