Sahara Taps Ex–Ikeja Electric CEO Soetan to Lead Oilfield Services Subsidiary
Sahara Group has appointed Mrs. Folake Soetan as Managing Director of Arahas Global Oilfield Services, as the energy and infrastructure conglomerate accelerates its “Beyond XXX” agenda aimed at deepening impact, advancing operational excellence and shaping the future of energy across Africa.
Executive Director, Sahara Group, Adedeji Odunsi, said the appointment at Arahas — Sahara Group’s oilfield services company — underscores the organisation’s long-term growth priorities and commitment to delivering value across the energy sector. The appointment takes effect on 07/01/2026.
“Our focus is on building future-ready platforms anchored on strong leadership, clear strategy, and disciplined execution. Folake’s appointment reflects our commitment to empowering leaders who can translate ambition into measurable outcomes across our energy ecosystem,” Odunsi said.
Soetan’s appointment comes as Arahas positions itself to redefine oilfield services delivery across the value chain, with an emphasis on innovation, operational efficiency and sustainability. In her new role, she will lead efforts to embed the company’s focus on high-impact, value-driven solutions for partners and stakeholders, while strengthening Arahas as a globally competitive platform rooted in African expertise, engineering excellence and operational reliability.
The company said the strategic direction is expected to boost Arahas’ capacity to deliver solutions that optimise production, extend asset life and enhance operational certainty across the energy lifecycle.
Odunsi added that Soetan will also assume expanded responsibilities within the Sahara Power Group, leveraging her power-sector experience—particularly her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Electric—to strengthen performance frameworks, deepen operational linkages and support the delivery of reliable electricity solutions.
“This dual responsibility signals Sahara’s deliberate effort to create stronger integration across its upstream and power value chains, unlocking synergies that will enable a more cohesive, efficient, and sustainable approach to energy delivery across the continent,” he said.
Commenting on her appointment, Soetan said she was excited about the opportunity to help advance Sahara’s evolving energy vision.
“Arahas represents a bold and timely opportunity to redefine how oilfield services are delivered across Africa, anchored on innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. I am excited to work with the team to build a high-performance platform that strengthens the integration of our Beyond XXX agenda and shape a more resilient energy landscape for the continent,” she said.
Soetan brings experience across Nigeria and Ghana’s energy sector, spanning midstream, downstream and power, as well as the airline sector. Sahara said she will now apply that blend of strategic leadership, operational depth and transformation expertise to the upstream services segment.
At Ikeja Electric, the company noted, Soetan led operational and organisational improvements, expanded customer-centric initiatives and drove performance-focused execution within one of Africa’s largest electricity distribution companies, with a leadership approach centred on efficiency, accountability and sustainable value creation.
