- Oando Energy Resources Managing Director Ainojie Irune joins the governing board of the World Energy Council’s Nigerian Member Committee.
- Nigeria’s renewed participation reconnects the country with a global network focused on energy security, access and sustainability.
Oando Energy Resources Managing Director and Oando Plc Executive Director, Dr Ainojie Irune, has joined the governing board of the World Energy Council’s Nigerian Member Committee as Nigeria renews participation in the global energy organisation.
The committee inaugurated its governing board in Abuja on August 7, with Abdulrazaq Isa, co-founder of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, serving as chairman. Former NNPC Limited Chief HSE Officer Bala Wunti serves as chief executive. Other members include Prof. Wumi Iledare, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, Mrs Aisha Katagum, Dr Emmanuel Okon, Dr Victor Ekpenyong and Dr Imamuddeen Talba.
The committee brings together professionals from energy, policy, academia and private enterprise. It will represent Nigeria in the World Energy Council’s international energy discussions. Meanwhile, Irune brings upstream, corporate and strategic experience to the committee. At 45, he leads Oando’s energy resources business after progressing through strategic, corporate and upstream roles.
Irune trained as a computer scientist and earned a doctorate from the University of Nottingham. He began his career in technology and automotive research in the United Kingdom, working with Nissan, Honda and Jaguar Land Rover.
He later joined Oando and held positions across corporate communications, strategy and upstream operations. His tenure coincided with two major transactions that expanded Oando’s upstream portfolio. In 2014, Oando completed the $1.5 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips’ Nigerian upstream business. The transaction significantly expanded the indigenous company’s position in Nigeria’s upstream sector.
A decade later, Oando completed its $783 million acquisition of Nigerian Agip Oil Company from Eni in 2024. The deal increased Oando’s participating interests in OMLs 60 to 63 from 20% to 40%. Irune, as Managing Director of Oando Energy Resources, helped lead the completion of the acquisition. The transaction also substantially expanded the company’s upstream operations.
Additionally, his appointment comes as Nigerian indigenous companies assume greater ownership and operational responsibility for assets previously controlled by international oil companies.
Beyond corporate operations, Irune has participated in discussions on Africa’s energy transition. He has advocated approaches that consider the continent’s energy access and industrialisation requirements. He has also highlighted gas as an important resource for Africa’s economic development and called for African energy companies to retain more value from the continent’s natural resources.
Through the Nigerian Member Committee, Nigeria will reconnect with the World Energy Council’s global network, which brings together more than 100 countries to discuss energy security, access, sustainability and the sector’s future.
Irune will serve a two-year tenure on the committee, contributing to discussions around energy access, gas development, industrialisation and the growing role of indigenous companies in Africa’s energy industry.