Elohor Aiboni will become the first Nigerian to hold the combined position of Executive Vice President and Country Chair for Shell in Nigeria, succeeding Marno de Jong, who is stepping down after more than six years in the role.
Shell has appointed Elohor Aiboni as its new Executive Vice President and Country Chair for Nigeria, making her the first Nigerian to occupy the combined leadership position.
The appointment takes effect on August 1, 2026, when she succeeds Marno de Jong, who is stepping down after more than six years leading Shell’s operations in Nigeria.
The company said de Jong’s tenure saw sustained performance at the Bonga deepwater asset and progress on key investment decisions, including the HI offshore gas project and the Bonga North development.
More than two decades at Shell
Aiboni brings over 24 years of experience within Shell, having worked across the company’s offshore, shallow water and onshore businesses in Nigeria, as well as international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei.
She currently works in Brunei, where she oversees asset performance, production and project delivery. Before relocating, she served as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo).
Aiboni joined Shell as a trainee production engineer after completing the Shell Intensive Training Programme.
Over the years, she held several technical and leadership positions, including business adviser to Shell’s executive vice president and manager of third-party interfaces across Shell assets in Nigeria and Kazakhstan.
She later became Asset Operations Manager for the Bonga floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, where she was responsible for operational performance, asset management, and health, safety and environmental standards.
Aiboni at SNEPCo
In 2021, Aiboni became the first woman to serve as Managing Director of SNEPCo and the first female managing director of a Shell company in Nigeria.
She led the company’s deepwater business during a period that included a major milestone for the Bonga field, which produced its one-billionth barrel of oil in 2023.
SNEPCo, a wholly owned Shell company, pioneered Nigeria’s deepwater oil production through the Bonga field, which began production in 2005.
Educational background
Aiboni holds a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Benin and a master’s degree in Integrated Environmental Management from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
She is also a certified Quality Management System auditor and has training in health, safety, security and environment auditing.
Aiboni’s appointment comes as Shell continues to focus on its offshore portfolio in Nigeria, where deepwater assets remain a significant part of the company’s operations and investment strategy.
The new appointment will formally take effect on August 1, 2026, when she assumes leadership of Shell’s Nigerian business as Executive Vice President and Country Chair.
