Elohor Aiboni has been appointed Executive Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Nigeria, becoming the first Nigerian to hold the combined leadership position in the company’s history.
Shell announced the appointment on Thursday, saying Aiboni will assume duties on August 1, 2026, succeeding Marno de Jong, who is stepping down after more than six years at the helm of the energy company’s operations in Nigeria.
Her appointment marks another milestone in a career that has seen her break barriers within the organisation.
In 2021, she became the first woman to serve as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo).
Aiboni brings more than 24 years of experience within Shell, having worked across offshore, shallow-water and onshore operations in Nigeria, as well as international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei.
During her tenure as Managing Director of SNEPCo, the Bonga deepwater field recorded a major achievement with the production of its one-billionth barrel of oil in 2023.
She later moved to Brunei in 2024, where she oversaw asset performance, production and project delivery.
Shell said Aiboni’s appointment comes at a time when the company is looking to deepen its investments in Nigeria’s energy sector following renewed confidence in the country’s operating environment.
The company also acknowledged the contributions of outgoing Country Chair, Marno de Jong, noting that Nigeria’s flagship Bonga deepwater asset maintained strong operational performance under his leadership.
He was also credited with advancing key investment projects, including the Bonga North development and the HI offshore gas project.
Aiboni’s emergence is being viewed as a significant step for women’s representation in leadership within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, one of the country’s most strategic sectors.
Shell remains one of the largest players in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, with decades of operations spanning offshore and onshore assets across the country.