Elohor Aiboni has been appointed Executive Vice President and Country Chair of Shell plc Nigeria, becoming the first Nigerian to hold the combined leadership position in the company’s history.
The appointment, which takes effect on August 1, 2026, marks a significant milestone for both Shell and Nigeria’s energy sector. Aiboni will succeed Marno de Jong, who is set to retire after an accomplished 34-year career with the global energy giant.
In her new role, Aiboni will oversee Shell’s strategic interests in Nigeria, including stakeholder engagement, government relations, business development, investment planning, and operational performance across the company’s various businesses.
More Than Two Decades of Leadership Experience
A trained chemical engineer, Aiboni brings more than 20 years of international experience within Shell. Since joining the company, she has built an impressive career through a series of technical and leadership positions across Nigeria, Kazakhstan, and Brunei.
She began her career with Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), serving in several operational roles including Production Operations Supervisor, Production Operations Support Engineer, and Team Leader for the Obigbo oil and gas field.
Her expertise later took her to Kazakhstan, where she worked between 2011 and 2014 with Agip KCO on the Kashagan Project, one of the world’s most technically challenging oil developments. During this period, she supported critical development and startup verification activities.
Earlier in her career, she also served as Business Analyst to Shell’s Executive Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa, contributing to strategic initiatives across Nigeria, Cameroon, and Gabon.
Leadership at Nigeria’s Deepwater Operations
Aiboni’s rise within the company accelerated in January 2018 when she was appointed Asset Manager for Bonga, Shell’s flagship deepwater oil development offshore Nigeria.
The Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility remains one of Nigeria’s most important oil assets, historically contributing over 10 percent of the country’s daily crude oil production.
As Asset Manager, she led efforts to strengthen operational excellence, production efficiency, safety performance, environmental stewardship, and long-term asset value creation. Her leadership placed her at the helm of one of the largest offshore energy operations in the Gulf of Guinea.
In August 2021, she was promoted to Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), the subsidiary responsible for Shell’s deepwater business in Nigeria.
Since October 2024, Aiboni has served as Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP), where she has been one of four Executive Directors responsible for overseeing asset governance, engineering, production delivery, project execution, and operational performance.
Her tenure in Brunei further strengthened her international leadership credentials while contributing to the development of long-term business strategies for one of the country’s leading energy companies.
Academic Qualifications
Aiboni holds a Master of Science degree in Integrated Environmental Management (Environmental Engineering) from the University of Bath, which she earned in 2014.
She also obtained a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Benin, where she studied between 1992 and 1999.
Aiboni’s appointment represents a major achievement for Nigerian professionals in the global energy industry. Her journey from operational engineering roles to one of Shell’s highest leadership positions highlights decades of technical expertise, strategic leadership, and international experience.
As she prepares to assume office in August 2026, industry observers view her appointment as a significant moment for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and a reflection of the growing influence of Nigerian talent in global energy leadership.
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