Shell Names Elohor Aiboni new Executive VP, Country Chair Nigeria

Shell has appointed Elohor Aiboni as Executive Vice President and Country Chair Nigeria, making her the first Nigerian to hold the combined leadership position overseeing the energy company’s operations in the country. The appointment takes effect on August 1, 2026.

Aiboni succeeds Marno de Jong, who is leaving Shell after a 34-year career with the company to pursue another opportunity. De Jong has served as Senior Vice President Nigeria since 2020 and later assumed the additional responsibilities of Executive Vice President and Country Chair, overseeing Shell’s operations across the country.

The company said Aiboni, currently serving as Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum, was selected based on her extensive leadership experience across Shell’s Nigerian and international operations. She previously served as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), becoming the first woman to lead the company’s deepwater business in Nigeria in 2021.

With more than 24 years of experience at Shell, Aiboni has worked across offshore, shallow water and onshore operations in Nigeria, while also undertaking international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei. During her tenure as Managing Director of SNEPCo, she led the company’s deepwater business and associated investments, including operations at the Bonga field, which achieved the milestone of producing its one billionth barrel of oil in 2023.

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Before taking up her assignment in Brunei in 2024, Aiboni oversaw strategic initiatives aimed at improving operational performance and strengthening Shell’s deepwater portfolio in Nigeria. In her current role, she is responsible for asset performance, production and project delivery.

Commenting on her appointment, Aiboni said she was looking forward to contributing to the continued growth of Shell’s business in Nigeria.

“I’m excited at the opportunity to continue to contribute to the efficient delivery of Shell’s business in Nigeria and thereby power progress in a country we’ve been part of for more than 60 years,” she said.

She also paid tribute to her predecessor, noting that de Jong had delivered significant progress in operations, project execution and business growth during his time in Nigeria.

De Jong, who joined Shell in 1992 as a Project Engineer, held various roles across project delivery, engineering, commercial operations and upstream development in the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Nigeria, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Indonesia.

During his leadership in Nigeria, Shell’s flagship Bonga asset recorded strong operational performance, while the company advanced major investment decisions, including the HI offshore gas project and the Bonga North development. He expressed confidence that Shell’s Nigerian operations would continue to deliver growth and value under Aiboni’s leadership.

The appointment comes as Shell continues to strengthen its leadership team and pursue long-term investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.