The Nigerian nominee, a seasoned energy executive with decades of experience in the gas and petroleum sector, was selected to lead the organization amid growing global demands for sustainable energy transitions and natural gas as a bridge fuel.

 Early life and education

Born on January 2, 1967, in Garikda, Nigeria, Mshelbila holds Nigerian nationality with a second nationality from Grenada. He pursued a diverse educational path that blends medical expertise with business acumen. From 1984 to 1990, he earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB, BS) from Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria. Building on this foundation, he obtained a Post-Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom, between 1996 and 1998. Further advancing his leadership skills, he completed an Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA) from the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra, Spain, in 2000.

Mshelbila has continued to invest in his professional development through numerous executive courses. Notably, from 2023 to 2025, he participated in the Global CEO Program, spanning institutions such as the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, IESE Business School in Madrid, the National University of Singapore, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), INSEAD in France, and Cambridge University. Other key trainings include AVIRA (Awareness, Vision, Imagination, Role, Action) in 2024 and various technical and leadership courses in LNG and business from 2004 to 2018, including programs at Wharton and IHRDC in Boston.

His language proficiency includes fluency in English (reading, writing, speaking, and understanding), full speaking and understanding in Hausa with working knowledge in reading and writing, and limited skills in French. His mother tongue is Pabir.

 Professional Career: A Journey in Energy and Health

Mshelbila's career spans over three decades, evolving from medical roles to high-level executive positions in the global energy industry. His early professional experience was rooted in healthcare, where he served as a Medical Officer and Senior Medical Officer from 1991 to 1997 at organizations like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and National Oil & Chemical Marketing Plc (a JV of Shell). In these roles, he provided clinical care, oversaw medical facilities, and ensured quality assurance for staff and families, including developing medical administration systems and leading networks of hospitals and laboratories across Nigeria.

 Key Achievements and Contributions

Throughout his career, Mshelbila has driven significant advancements in the energy sector:

- Led the turnaround of Nigeria LNG into a profitable venture, doubling profits in upstream supply contracts and negotiating key agreements amid challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions.

- Pioneered natural gas initiatives, including CNG distribution hubs in Nigeria and sustainable development programs that addressed militancy in the Niger Delta through employment and infrastructure projects.

- Enhanced corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, such as water irrigation programs in Ethiopia and health initiatives across Africa, reducing incidents and improving community relations.

- As a crisis leader, he managed responses to Ebola, oil spills, and community protests, while advocating for gender diversity—raising female leadership representation to 46% in some roles.

- Contributed to policy development, including influencing Nigeria's Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) through engagements with lawmakers.

His work has consistently focused on balancing commercial success with social and environmental responsibility, such as reducing carbon emissions, digitalizing operations, and fostering energy transitions.

 Since its establishment, the GECF has had four secretaries-general. The first was Leonid Bokhanovsky of Russia, who served two terms from 2010 to 2014. He was succeeded by Seyed Mohammad Hossein Adeli of Iran, who led the forum for two consecutive terms from 2014 to 2018. Yuri Sentyurin of Russia became the third secretary-general, holding office from 2018 to 2022. The current secretary-general, Mohamed Hamel of Algeria, has served in the position since 2022.