Nigeria’s Elohor Aiboni emerges first female to head Shell’s country operations

Shell has appointed former Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Elohor Aiboni, as its new executive vice president and country chair for Nigeria, making her the first Nigerian and the first woman to hold the combined leadership position.

Her appointment takes effect on August 1, 2026, as she succeeds Marno de Jong, who is leaving the company after a 34 year career to pursue another opportunity.

According to a statement by Shell, Marno was appointed Senior Vice President for Nigeria in 2020 and later assumed the additional role of Executive Vice President and Country Chair, overseeing all of the company’s operations in the country.

He joined Shell in 1992 as a Project Engineer and went on to serve in several leadership roles across Project Delivery, Engineering, Commercial and Upstream Development in the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Nigeria, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Indonesia.

During his tenure in Nigeria, Shell said the flagship Bonga asset delivered strong performance, sustaining high availability well above target. It added that he was instrumental in advancing major investment decisions, including the HI offshore gas project and the Bonga North development.

Marno said, “I’m grateful for the support I have enjoyed since my time in Nigeria, which has enabled us to achieve progress on many fronts. I leave with fond memories of warm friendships and strong support from colleagues in Shell and our partners. I’m confident that Shell operations in Nigeria will continue to deliver value and growth under Elohor, given the strong leadership credentials she brings to the role, and wish Shell Nigeria every success.”

Aiboni brings more than 24 years of experience within Shell, having worked across Nigeria’s offshore, shallow water and onshore businesses, as well as on international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei.

She became the first woman to serve as Managing Director of SNEPCo in 2021, leading the deepwater business and associated investments in Nigeria. Under her leadership, the Bonga field achieved the milestone of producing its one billionth barrel of oil in 2023.

She later moved to Brunei in 2024, where she currently oversees asset performance, production and project delivery as Asset Director.

Speaking on her appointment, Aiboni said, “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. Marno has led from his heart these six-plus years, sustaining operations and breaking new ground in project delivery and growth. It’s a legacy I’m keen to build on with the support of colleagues and other stakeholders.”

Her appointment marks a significant leadership milestone for Shell in Nigeria, placing a seasoned executive with extensive local and international experience at the helm of the company’s operations in the country.