In a hall filled with anticipation and applause, Dr. Babs Omotowa delivered a reflective and deeply personal address on leadership, purpose, and life beyond a career. A globally respected Nigerian business leader and former CEO and Managing Director of Nigeria LNG, one of Africa’s most successful energy companies, he brings over 25 years of international experience spanning Royal Dutch Shell across Europe, Africa, and North America, including his role as Global Vice President for Shell Upstream. His career also includes board positions across SPDC, Seplat Energy, WAGP Oil, NESG, NNPC Limited, and Stanbic IBTC Holdings.
His message, however, was not centered on corporate achievement but on reinvention and intentional living. Speaking on the theme “Unlocking the Second Half Advantage,” he framed life as a football match, where the first half represents a professional career and the second half represents life after retirement. Using Nigeria’s famous 1996 Olympic comeback against Brazil as an illustration, he emphasized that no matter the first half outcome, the second half offers the chance to change everything.
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He stressed that the second half does not reward chance but preparation. In a personal revelation, he shared that he began preparing for retirement 15 years in advance, gradually redefining his path long before leaving corporate leadership. This preparation included returning to academia to complete a PhD and writing his memoir From Storeroom to Boardroom, both part of a broader commitment to mentorship and impact.
That preparation ultimately led him to education, which he described as his greatest source of fulfilment. He noted that true fulfilment comes not from what we do for ourselves but from what we do for others.
This belief shaped the creation of the Nigerian University of Technology and Management (NUTM), a pioneering institution designed to develop Africa’s next generation of innovators and leaders. He explained that traditional education systems often rely heavily on memorization, while the modern world demands critical thinking, problem solving, and innovation. NUTM was built to close that gap and provide world-class education within Nigeria.
He shared a powerful example of impact through a former student who struggled with mathematics but later became a systems engineer in a global IT firm, crediting his teaching for her transformation. He also recounted the story of Mary, one of the Chibok girls, who joined NUTM on scholarship. Initially withdrawn, she transformed through exposure to global faculty and now works as a commodities analyst while running a social enterprise that empowers women in Northern Nigeria through e-commerce.
These stories, he said, represent the true meaning of legacy. Institutions and impact, not titles, are what endure beyond a lifetime. He compared this to global universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford, which have shaped generations for centuries.
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As he concluded, he returned to his central message that the second half of life must be intentional. It cannot be left to fate. It must be designed around purpose, meaning, and impact.
He reminded the audience that waking up at 25 is different from waking up at 65, and at that stage, motivation must come from meaningful work rather than routine. Ultimately, he urged everyone to begin preparing early for their second half, building lives that outlast personal ambition and contribute to something far greater.
