Olusegun Okedoye: Engineering Pathways to Reliable Energy

A mission-driven journey focused on clean power, skilled people, and resilient systems!

Power interruptions strain businesses, halt production lines, and undermine public confidence in essential systems. Every delay carries a cost. Hospitals stretch backup capacity. Small enterprises lose inventory. Communities feel the impact in education, healthcare, and safety. The Nigerian energy landscape demands leaders who understand the complexity and are ready to act with clarity and purpose.

That is the environment in which Olusegun Okedoye works.

He grew up curious about how systems function. As the youngest in a large family, he treated education as an opportunity and pursued it with discipline. He earned a Higher National Diploma in Mineral Resources Engineering and later a bachelor’s degree in engineering, grounding himself in both theory and real-world practice. During those years, he witnessed firsthand how underdevelopment and unreliable power shaped daily life, which strengthened his resolve to build solutions that truly mattered.

His professional path began in Port Harcourt at Sudelletra Nigeria Ltd, where he entered the field with hands-on engineering work that demanded patience and precision. From there, he gained wider exposure in engineering design firms, took on complex projects with Total E&P Nigeria, and later stepped into leadership responsibilities at Seplat Energy.

Each phase deepened his understanding of risk, planning, and accountability. Today, he serves as Managing Director of Mountains Energy Solution Limited, where strategy, mentorship, and responsible energy practice converge in his daily work.

From that point on, his work became centred on meaningful impact, guided by careful choices and a commitment to responsible energy development.

Let us learn more about his journey:

Conviction in the Climb

At the beginning of Mountains Energy Solution, people around him wondered what kind of certainty could push someone to keep moving when the odds felt unpredictable. The company was young. The path was uncertain. Yet the vision kept calling.

The early days were filled with both challenges and rewards. What convinced him to pursue this vision was the opportunity to nurture talent and transform potential into real impact. Although there were risks of failure and the hardships typical of any start-up, his determination helped him overcome those initial obstacles and stay committed to the journey.

Integrity at the Core

In an industry where profit pressures collide with environmental responsibility, leadership often comes down to choices that are not always popular. This is where his philosophy began to sharpen.

To him, sustainable leadership means guiding with integrity and striking a balance between profit and environmental responsibility, even when it’s challenging. In this sector, he faced the challenge of making tough decisions that prioritize the environment, often requiring creative solutions and a commitment to long-term ideals.

Overcoming resistance and skepticism, he learned that true leadership is about leaving the environment better than before, despite the pressures to focus solely on short-term gains.

Crossroads and Tough Calls

There came a time when everything looked uncertain. A professional crossroads demanded clarity. The future felt like it could split in two directions overnight.

One of the most challenging moments in his career was deciding between two job offers after leaving Total Energy. While the obvious choice was the role with higher financial rewards, he took time to research both options and ultimately chose the one that offered greater long-term fulfillment, even though it meant a more modest initial reward.

Later, when he started Mountains Energy Solution, he faced harsh government policies and significant financial obstacles. Accessing funding felt like climbing Mount Everest, but he relied on personal savings and careful spending to navigate those turbulent times. These experiences taught him the value of resilience, thoughtful decision-making, and staying true to his long-term vision.

Turning People Into Partners

Inside every company, alignment either grows intentionally or not at all. He learned early that people needed to feel the mission before they could carry it.

Genuine alignment within a team begins with a clear vision and steadfast commitment to shared goals. His leadership style is rooted in mentorship. He actively supports and guides team members, helping them grow and realize their potential.

By fostering a diverse, collaborative environment and adapting to each individual’s strengths, he empowers the team to work cohesively toward long-term energy transformation.

Motivation in all forms and shades also play an important role in ensuring genuine alignment within our organisation, a motivated team will climb the mountains and not be tired of always giving their best.

Purpose Without Losing Practicality

Managing growth can create tension between efficiency and purpose. He knew that if the practical side took over completely, innovation would slowly fade.

As a Managing Director, he avoids micromanagement and instead fosters an atmosphere of open communication, resourcefulness, and trust. By focusing on coaching and mentoring, he empowers his team to stay innovative and connected to their shared sense of purpose, ensuring that practical demands never overshadow their drive for meaningful energy-based innovation, and of course, ensures adequate compensation for their hard work and loyalty to the company.

When Instinct Takes the Lead

There was a decisive episode that tested his instinct against business convention. On paper, the standard reaction seemed obvious. His intuition guided him somewhere else.

There was a pivotal moment in his career when a client breached their contract by removing part of the project scope and awarding it to another vendor. The standard business response would have been to invoke the breach clause and pursue damages.

However, he chose a different path, guided by instinct rather than convention. Instead of escalating the situation, he reached out to the client to seek an explanation and explore the possibility of a long-term partnership.

To his surprise, this approach led to a breakthrough. The client not only acknowledged the situation but also committed to entrusting his company with all future development within the Tomshot Bank shallow waters offshore acreage of OML 224. This experience reinforced the value of trusting his inner voice.

It taught him that true leadership sometimes means stepping away from the obvious course and listening to instincts, even when it defies standard business logic. The outcome was not just a resolution, but the foundation for a stronger, more enduring business relationship.

Holding Steady Under Pressure

Deadlines, expectations, and responsibility often converge at once. This is where discipline becomes strategy.

He maintains stamina and focus during high-pressure periods by leveraging a competent team that can respond effectively to challenges, establishing clear operational procedures, and ensuring open communication between the team and clients.

This structure allows issues to be addressed proactively and keeps everyone aligned on goals. He handles each day one at a time, delegates responsibilities, avoids distractions that could increase the pressure, maintains good personal hygiene, and takes time to rest while leading the team to success.

Fairness as a Compass

Some leaders use systems. Others rely on instinct. For him, the anchor is the principle.

His guiding principle is fairness, fairness to clients, employees, and the environment. Every decision is anchored in equitable treatment and sustainable practices. This means thorough planning, leveraging cutting-edge technology to minimize waste, and optimizing processes with health, safety, and environmental considerations at the core.

He has a popular saying that keeps reminding him of his values. “He that must come to equity must come with a clean head.”

Energy’s Next Chapter

He sees the global shift happening in real time. Demand, responsibility, and innovation are beginning to converge.

The future of energy solutions in this decade will be defined by an accelerated demand for clean, sustainable power. At Mountains Energy Solution, his vision is to lead this transformation through cutting-edge research and innovation, delivering efficient, affordable energy solutions while safeguarding the ecosystem.

The commitment is to combine technological advancement with environmental stewardship, ensuring progress that benefits both people and the planet.

Culture That Holds the Line

Markets shift. Policies change. What keeps an organization resilient is not luck but mindset.

Their resilience comes from a strong culture of hard work and diligence in everything they do. The team stays attuned to industry developments, invests consistently in training, and adheres strictly to best practices.

These disciplines have helped them navigate headwinds and remain competitive despite disruptions. They operate in a volatile environment ranging from Naira-dollar devaluation, government policy instabilities, and a hostile business landscape, and they keep pushing forward.

Always Evolving

Even at the executive level, he refuses to believe leadership is a finished skill.

His quest for excellence is rooted in a constant desire to improve and surpass who he was yesterday. Leading in a dynamic environment means embracing change, continuously updating skills, and staying adaptable.

He sees leadership as an evolving journey that requires ongoing learning and growth. The fear of becoming complacent or irrelevant motivates him to work hard, remain resilient, and consistently strive to add value to his team and organization.

Meaning Beyond Metrics

In the end, numbers never tell the full story. The legacy that stays behind matters more.

For him, true fulfilment as a leader comes from witnessing the positive impact he has on others. There is deep satisfaction in seeing people around him grow, achieve goals they once thought unattainable, and discover strengths they did not realize they had. Guiding individuals to surpass their own expectations and celebrating their milestones gives him meaning.

Beyond business outcomes, he looks at legacy, the one that lives in minds and hearts. Knowing that he has inspired and empowered others and contributed to their journeys gives him a profound sense of achievement and purpose.

What can be more satisfying?