Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited (WSPOL) has appointed two seasoned energy professionals as members of its Board of Directors in a strategic move to underscore its succession plan and capitalise on emerging opportunities in Nigeria’s evolving oil and gas landscape.
Specifically, the firm appointed as managing director, Oladapo Filani, who has served as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer since 2023, while Alex Osho has been appointed as Executive Director (Finance & Commercial), following his successful tenure as CFO of Waltersmith Petroman from December 2019 to January 2023 and as the Group Chief Operating Officer since February 2023.
The appointments, according to the firm, recognise the immense contributions of Mr Filani and Mr. Osho to the company and their proven leadership capabilities.
The Board expansion comes as WSPOL continues to pursue an ambitious growth agenda focused on production optimisation, portfolio expansion, and operational excellence. The new Board appointments combine deep technical expertise with proven financial and commercial acumen, against the backdrop of strong governance principles, which are essential elements for successfully navigating Nigeria’s dynamic energy sector.
According to a statement by Board Chairman, Abdulrazaq Isa: “I firmly believe in the leadership potential of the Company’s new leader, Mr. Filani. He has led by example and placed the Company on a robust growth path over the last few years, hinged on strong technical capabilities and a can-do spirit. He will be supported by Mr. Osho, who has also been extremely influential in charting a new course for the Company over the past few years, relying on his financial/commercial acumen, critical thinking skills, and collaborative approach.
“They have both demonstrated strong leadership, professionalism, empathy, and vision. They have also demonstrated ideation and execution
capabilities over the past few years. It is with this confidence that I hand over the reins of the Company to its new leaders. It is my hope that they will build upon our successes and take the Company to greater heights”.
In July 2025, the company also appointed Mr. Taiwo Adeniji to its Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Mr. Adeniji is a distinguished development finance and infrastructure finance expert who will bring over 30 years of experience to contribute valuable independent oversight and governance expertise to the Company.
Filani, an accomplished petroleum engineer with over 26 years of distinguished experience in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, has successfully led WSPOL’s operational excellence and strategic initiatives over the past two years. As the Managing Director and CEO, Oladapo will be responsible for the overall stewardship of WS Upstream, Midstream Gas, and Downstream businesses.
Mr. Filani holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Ibadan and an MBA in Oil & Gas Management from Aberdeen Business School, Robert Gordon University. He is an alumnus of London Business School and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), Nigerian Society of Engineers, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria.
On his part, Osho has served as Group COO at the Waltersmith Group since February 2023 and has 20 years’ experience in energy, investment banking (M&A advisory, corporate & project finance, restructuring), and consulting. Prior to joining Waltersmith Petroman as CFO in 2019, Alex served as Associate Director & Head of Advisory & Equity Capital Markets at FBNQuest Merchant Bank where he led the $1billion restructuring of a large commercial bank and advised the FGN on the privatization of key power assets. Alex also previously served as VP (Investment Banking) at Barclays Africa where he advised a Nigerian upstream oil company on a key asset acquisition. He had also held key roles at KPMG, Oando, and FBN Capital.
Alex has advised on transactions valued at over $12 billion across the energy, financial services, consumer, and infrastructure sectors. At Waltersmith, he has been responsible for several landmark transactions including debt and equity financings, restructurings and asset acquisitions.
He has worked very closely with the Group Chairman and Company CEO to provide strategic direction, ensure financial prudence, and oversee the Company’s activities.
Mr. Osho holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting (1st Class Honours) from the University of Benin, Nigeria, where he graduated as the best student in his department and faculty, and an MBA (with Distinction) from INSEAD, where he graduated on the Dean’s List. He is a CFA charter holder, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a recipient of several ICAN national merit awards.
Adeniji brings over 30 years of distinguished experience in development finance, investment banking, and infrastructure development across Africa. He retired from Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) as a Senior Director in June 2024. At AFC, he spent 17 years in executive management roles, including as Divisional Head and a member of several senior management committees.
