Retired Pioneer Managing Director – Niger Delta Exploration & Production Plc.

Dr. Layi Fatona is a retired Entrepreneur Petroleum Geologist with over Forty Eight years of oil
industry experience.
Recently, he stepped down as the Founding Managing Director – Niger Delta Group of
Companies – Nigeria’s 1st and foremost fully Integrated Energy development group after a
long and professionally fulfilling stewardship in defining and managing the growth direction
and developments of the company from inception in 1994.
He studied Geology at the University of Ibadan (Nigeria) graduating with a Bachelors degree
in 1973. Thereafter, obtaining both the Masters of Science (MSc-1976) and Doctorate (PhD-
1980) degrees respectively in Petroleum Geology and Sedimentology from the Royal School
of Mines, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London.
As the Pioneer and Founding Managing Director of the Niger Delta Exploration & Production
Plc Group, together with a small fully Nigerian Professional Management team, he was
responsible for the growth and development of the group. He was also a former President
and Chairman of Geotrex Systems Limited, a firm of Exploration and Production Consultants,
which he joined after seven years of employment with the Petroleum Engineering and
Exploration Departments of the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC).
A Past President and a Fellow of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists, he is
also a Certified Petroleum Geologist (CPG) of the American Association of Petroleum
Geologists (AAPG). He is the 6th and 2010 recipient of the prestigious, highest ranking “Aret
Adams Award” of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE).
‘Layi was awarded an Honorary (DSc.) Doctor of Science Degree – Honoris Causa, by the Osun
State University, in November 2018, in recognition of his multiple Entrepreneurial and
inspiring contributions to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry. In November 2020, he was also
awarded The Honorary Doctor of Science (DSc.) Degree by his Alma Mater – University of
Ibadan.
He is currently the Vice Chairman – Board of Directors of ND Western Ltd