Meet Elohor Aiboni, First Woman Tapped to Chair Shell Companies in Nigeria
Shell has appointed Elohor Aiboni as Executive Vice President and Country Chair Nigeria effective August 1, marking the first time a woman will chair Shell companies in Nigeria. Aiboni succeeds Marno de Jong, who is leaving the company after a 34-year career and more than six years leading Shell’s Nigeria portfolio.
De Jong, appointed Senior Vice President Nigeria in 2020 and later Executive Vice President alongside the Country Chair role, oversaw Shell’s operations across the country. During his tenure, the Bonga deepwater asset recorded strong performance with availability consistently above target, while key investment decisions advanced, including the HI offshore gas project and the Bonga North development.
“I’m grateful for the support I have enjoyed since my time in Nigeria… I’m confident that Shell operations in Nigeria will continue to deliver value and growth under Elohor,” de Jong said, describing her as a strong leader positioned to build on recent progress.
Aiboni brings more than two decades of Shell experience spanning Nigeria’s offshore, shallow-water and onshore businesses, alongside international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei. She is currently Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum, overseeing asset performance, production and project delivery, and will return to take on the Nigeria chair role.
Her appointment adds to a record of “firsts” in Shell’s Nigeria business. In 2021, Aiboni became Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), the first woman to hold the role, leading Shell’s deepwater business and associated investments. Under that leadership, the Bonga asset reached a major milestone in 2023—producing its one billionth barrel of oil.
A trained chemical engineer, Aiboni started her Shell career as a trainee production engineer, progressing through roles in production operations, project and asset management, and operations readiness and assurance. She has also served as Business Adviser to Shell’s Executive Vice President for Sub-Saharan Africa and managed third-party interface across Shell assets in Nigeria and Kazakhstan. She previously led production delivery for shallow offshore operations as Asset Manager for the Sea Eagle FPSO in the Niger Delta, and held key leadership responsibilities on the Bonga FPSO, with a focus on health, safety and environment (HSE) and operational excellence.
“I’m excited at the opportunity to continue to contribute to the efficient delivery of Shell’s business in Nigeria… It’s a legacy I’m keen to build on with the support of colleagues and other stakeholders,” Aiboni said, paying tribute to her predecessor’s leadership.
Shell has operated in Nigeria for more than 60 years, and Aiboni’s elevation to Country Chair signals both leadership continuity and a historic shift in representation at the top of the company’s Nigeria operations.
