Engineer Dr. Olufemi A. Lalude attended the Ibadan Grammar School (1952-1958) before proceeding to the University of Minnesota in the United States where he obtained B.Sc. (1962) and M.Sc. (1963) Mechanical Engineering. He subsequently proceeded to the University of California where he earned a Ph. D. in Engineering in 1969.

Between 1964 and 1969, Engineer Lalude worked as junior and later as Research Engineer at the College of Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles.

He also worked as part of a team that developed medium sized factories for the manufacture of ceramics, paper and electronic radios as part of the regional development plan for North-East Brazil.

Thereafter, he joined Bechtel Corporation in September, 1969 as a Senior Engineer on a design team working on a novel sodium-cooled fast breeder nuclear power plant planned for North-East Pennsylvania, United States.

Following his decision to return to Nigeria, he joined The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria in December, 1970 where he worked in various capacities and rose to become the first Nigerian to occupy the positions of Chief Engineer for the Eastern Division (1980 to 1982) and the Engineering Manager for the entire company from 1984 to 1989.

After a stint as General Manager of  Shell’s Western Division(1989 to 1992) he was appointed as the first Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) which is now a major operating company in deep water offshore, and served until he retired in December 1996.

Since January 1997, he has co-founded with others Petrodata Management Services Ltd. (Currently serving as a Director) and Crestech (formerly Crestville) Engineering Ltd. (Serving as Chairman), served as a Director of Addax Petroleum Company and engaged in part-time engineering consultancy with Elkgrove Ventures Ltd.

Engr. Lalude is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, a past Chairman of the Mechanical Division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Honorary Member of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists, and a Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and has published several articles in learned journals.

He is a foundation Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering and was honoured with the Pathfinder Award for meritorious contributions to the development of the Nigerian Oil Industry.