How I transitioned from being a petroleum technologist to founding my company – Ladi Soyombo

Ladipo Soyombo, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SNL Technology, known by many as “Ladi” has spoken on how he was inspired to transition from being a petroleum technologist to founding his own company.

Ladi said, “In the early days of my career, I started to notice opportunities in the contractor space of the oil and gas sector, and in one of the meetings I attended about five or six years in the rig or the oil fields, I saw some numbers and those numbers were nice and I thought to myself, maybe I am on the wrong side because I was on the client side and I should probably move to the contractor side.

“I anticipated that the Nigerian oil and gas industry will experience large indigenous participation, I had the conversation with my dad and I told him about my passion and that I could do something about it. He said, get the proposal ready. What I anticipated in the Oil and gas industry is already happening,” he stated.

Recalling his journey through the last 40 years, Ladi noted that “the celebration is not just a time for merriment, but an opportunity to inspire, reflect, and honour leaders who have contributed to his growth.

His words “I don’t think I have personally celebrated any birthdays aside from the ones celebrated for me as a child, but I decided to do this 40th from an inspirational reflection perspective – to inspire, to reflect, and to celebrate the goodness of God in my life and in others who have been part of my journey.

“When I look at my life and some of the impactful things that have happened, I remember certain inspirational stories that have shaped my values, dedication, and ambition. That inspiration and the drive was already there because I met it at home and I just believed I could do more,” he added.

Ladi marked his 40th birthday celebration with gratitude, reflection, and a commitment to inspire others through his journey in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The event which was held on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at the Delborough Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos had in attendance a seasoned entrepreneur and father of the celebrant, Kayode Soyombo, Chairman Troyka Group, Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman Renaissance Africa Energy, Layi Fatona, family, friends, business associates, well-wishers and several other distinguished guests.

At 40, Soyombo says his focus is not only on building a stronger indigenous presence in the oil and gas sector but also to inspire the next generation of professionals and entrepreneurs to pursue bold ideas with resilience and faith.

Soyombo holds a degree in Petroleum Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and a Master’s in Petroleum Engineering from Heriot Watt University, Scotland. He is also an alumnus of the London Business School, where he earned an executive management certificate.

Before establishing SNL Technology, Soyombo worked as Lead Petroleum Technologist at Afren, a London-listed exploration and production company, where his strategies significantly improved oil output.

With SNL Technology, Soyombo is blending technical expertise with digital intelligence serving as the authorised sales agent for Swagelok products for Swagelok Sub-Saharan Africa to provide fluid system solutions to upstream producers while also partnering with IFS, a global enterprise software provider, to introduce digital operations intelligence for asset management in the Nigerian upstream sector.

Under his leadership, SNL technology has continued its giant strides with offices in Lagos and Port Harcourt.