One of Nigeria’s most accomplished petroleum industry professionals, Mrs. Elohor Aiboni, has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria (SciN), becoming the first Nigerian to occupy the combined leadership position in the energy giant’s operations in the country.

The appointment, announced by Shell, will take effect on August 1, when the incumbent Chairman, Marno de Jong, retires after a distinguished 34-year career with the company.

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Aiboni’s elevation marks a significant milestone not only for Shell’s Nigerian operations but also for the broader energy industry, coming at a time when government institutions and corporate organizations are responding to growing calls for greater gender inclusion and balanced representation in leadership positions across the sector.

Her appointment places one of Nigeria’s most influential female energy executives at the helm of one of Shell’s most strategically important upstream markets in Africa, with responsibility for overseeing operations, investments, stakeholder relations and the company’s long-term business interests in Nigeria.

Currently serving as Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum, Aiboni brings more than 24 years of experience within the Shell Group. Over the course of her career, she has held a range of operational and executive positions spanning Nigeria’s offshore, shallow-water and onshore assets, while also undertaking international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei.

Her appointment follows a successful tenure as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) from 2021 to 2024.

During the period, she oversaw operations across some of Nigeria’s most important deepwater assets, including the landmark Bonga Field, which achieved significant production milestones and maintained its status as one of the country’s flagship offshore developments.

Widely recognized within the industry for her expertise in production optimization and asset performance management, particularly in offshore operations, Aiboni has earned a reputation for delivering operational efficiency and driving performance improvements across complex energy projects. Industry observers believe those strengths will be crucial as Shell seeks to deepen its focus on production efficiency, project execution and long-term gas development strategies in Nigeria.

Her emergence as Shell’s top executive in Nigeria also represents an important moment for women in the energy industry.

Beyond her corporate achievements, Aiboni is a prominent member of the Women in Energy Network (WIEN), where she has played an active role in mentoring, sponsoring and supporting the development of younger female professionals.

WIEN has become an influential platform for building leadership capacity among women in the sector, providing members with access to extensive professional networks, technical expertise and support systems that help them thrive in demanding executive and operational roles.

Mrs Aiboni succeeds de Jong, whose leadership coincided with a period of significant strategic activity for Shell in Nigeria. Since joining Shell in 1992, de Jong served in various leadership positions across Europe, Asia and the Americas before assuming the role of Senior Vice President for Nigeria in 2020. He later took on additional responsibilities as Country Chair, overseeing the company’s broad portfolio of Nigerian operations.

During his tenure, Shell advanced several major upstream and gas projects, including investment decisions on strategic developments such as the HI gas project and expansion activities around the Bonga production hub. These initiatives formed part of the company’s broader effort to strengthen its deepwater and gas businesses while aligning with evolving global energy market realities.

Reflecting on his years in Nigeria, de Jong described the experience as professionally rewarding and expressed confidence that the company would continue to thrive under Aiboni’s leadership.

The transition comes at a pivotal period for Nigeria’s petroleum industry. As Africa’s largest crude oil producer, the country continues to grapple with the twin challenge of increasing production while attracting fresh capital into the upstream sector. Although output has improved in recent months, Nigeria has repeatedly struggled to consistently meet its production targets, underscoring the importance of new investments and efficient project execution.

At the same time, international oil companies are navigating an increasingly complex environment shaped by energy transition policies, evolving investor expectations and fluctuating global oil prices. Against that backdrop, leadership stability among major operators is viewed as critical to sustaining investor confidence and unlocking the next generation of offshore and gas projects.

As one of the largest foreign investors in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, Shell maintains extensive interests across deepwater production, gas development and integrated energy projects. The company said Aiboni’s appointment reflects its long-term succession planning strategy and reaffirms its commitment to Nigeria, where it has maintained a presence for more than six decades.

For many industry stakeholders, the appointment represents more than a routine leadership transition. It signals the growing recognition of indigenous expertise at the highest levels of the global energy industry and underscores the increasing role of women in shaping the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

As Aiboni prepares to assume office, expectations are high that her experience, industry knowledge and track record of operational excellence will help steer Shell’s Nigerian business through a period of both challenge and opportunity.