Oluwatoyin Ashiru

Professor Oluwatoyin Ashiru OON (born July 28, 1954) is a Nigerian engineer, businessman, founder, and academic. He is a materials and metallurgical engineer serving as the Director of Vasco Da Gama Energy and Chairman of Crestmont Group. He is also the current Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Olabisi Onabanjo University. He is also the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Tricontinental Oil Services Limited

Early life and education

Professor Toyin was born into the family of Pa Simeon Ashiru and Alhaja Moradeun Ashiru in Ijebu Ode. He began his early childhood education at Baptist Primary School, Ereko, Ijebu-Ode, and then proceeded to Ijebu-Ode Grammar School for his secondary education, where he obtained his West African School Certificate (WASSCE).

Thereafter, he proceeded to the University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom, where he obtained a B.Sc. in Materials Science and Engineering. In 1983, he completed his doctoral studies in Industrial Metallurgy at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom

Career

Professor Ashiru began his career in academia, lecturing in Mechanical Engineering at both the University of Lagos and the University of Ibadan, after which he served as a Senior Research Fellow at the International Tin Research Institute in the United Kingdom. Before moving into the oil and gas sector in 1998, Ashiru served as a professor and senior research fellow at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia. His academic work focused on materials engineering, corrosion control, and plant integrity.

After transitioning into the private sector, Ashiru applied his academic and technical experience to advisory and consulting roles in the oil and gas industry. He developed the first known instrument for in-situ detection of steel cracking in sour petroleum production operations, which has been commercialised and is used in the petroleum industry. He also created a paint and coating standards and specification system, including software for protective coating applications and preventive maintenance in industrial facilities.

Ashiru has served on international joint venture and consortium executive committees, participated in claims negotiations and settlement agreements, and been involved in the management of multiple projects. He has served on various governing boards and has provided input on strategic and operational decisions for engineering projects and research initiatives. He has also participated in governmental task forces and technical committees and is a member of several international research and industrial boards.

Currently, he holds the position of Pro-Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Non-Executive Director of FCMB, amongst numerous other managerial and executive roles in various companies.

Awards and honours

In 2022, Ashiru was conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by Former President Muhammadu Buhari. He has received a number of professional recognitions for his contributions to engineering and materials science, including:

  • Distinguished Innovator Award of the Association of Tin Producing Countries
  • Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Sussex (2009)
  • African Engineering Education Association Honoree

Ashiru has also been acknowledged in the United States as a “Professional with Extraordinary Ability” and is listed in Who’s Who in the World and the Dictionary of International Biography. In addition to these honours, he holds the chieftaincy title of Otunba Moyegeso of Ijebuland.