Dr. Ladipo obtained his B.Sc. (Geology, 2nd Upper) from the University of Ibadan and his Ph.D. from the University College, Swansea, UK. His professional career began with the Geological Survey of Nigeria in 1975 and then he joined Gulf Oil Company, Nigeria in 1976, shortly after which he became one of the foundation staff of the Department of Geology and Mineral Sciences at the University of Ilorin.

Dr. Ladipo’s doctoral thesis was on the Upper Coal Measures, South Wales and his first publication on syn-sedimentary growth faults of the Coal Measures was published in Nature. In 1982 he returned to the University of Ilorin as a lecturer. Dr. Ladipo’s research interests focused on the depositional systems, new play concepts and hydrocarbon potential of Nigeria’s sedimentary basins and in particular the Upper Cretaceous of southeastern Nigeria.

In 1988, he joined Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria where he held several technical and management positions over the next 22 years. He was involved in several geological and prospectivity reviews of the delta, which led to the development of new exploration play concepts of the delta both onshore and deep water. He pioneered the application of sequence stratigraphic concepts to reinterpret subsurface data of the Niger Delta. In collaboration with other experts the new frontier deep play was conceived and has been successfully tested resulting in major growth of the Niger Delta portfolio and creaming curve. His assignments during his Shell career included postings to NAM, Netherlands, 1994-97, where he pioneered the application of sequence concepts to Aeolian deposits in the North Sea. The results formed the basis for simulation and forward modeling by Herriot-Watt University, UK.

In 2010 he incorporated Strat-Kol Consult to provide consultancy services to E&P companies and has successfully executed several studies across the several hydrocarbon provinces including the Niger delta, the Gulf of Guinea and offshore Namibia. Between 2015 and 2015 he was the Director, Centre of Excellence in Geosciences and Petroleum Engineering Studies, University of Benin. Dr. Ladipo has over 40 research publication and reports to his credit. He is a recipient of the DAAD Fellowship (1986), the NMGS Reyment Award (2010) and Fellow, NAPE (2005). He is currently the Senior Exploration Advisor at Lekoil, a Nigerian oil and gas company.