KEY POINTS
- Elohor Aiboni becomes the first Nigerian to hold Shell Nigeria’s combined EVP and Country Chair role.
- Aiboni served as the first female Managing Director of SNEPCo and brings 24 years of Shell experience.
- She takes over from Marno de Jong on August 1, 2026, after his 34-year career with the company.
Shell has made history in Nigeria. For the first time in more than six decades of operations in the country, a Nigerian will lead all of Shell’s businesses here.
Elohor Aiboni has been named Executive Vice President and Country Chair Nigeria, effective August 1, 2026. She takes over from Marno de Jong, who is leaving Shell after a 34-year career to pursue an opportunity elsewhere. The appointment makes Aiboni the first Nigerian to hold the combined role in Shell’s history in Nigeria.
Aiboni is currently on assignment as Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum. She previously served as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, known as SNEPCo, becoming the first woman to hold that position when she was appointed in 2021. Under her leadership, SNEPCo’s flagship Bonga asset achieved a milestone in 2023, delivering its one billionth barrel of oil.
She brings more than 24 years of experience within the Shell Group. That record spans Nigeria’s offshore, shallow water and onshore businesses, as well as international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei.
What Aiboni takes on
Aiboni will oversee all of Shell’s operations in Nigeria, one of the company’s most strategically significant producing countries. Shell has been present in Nigeria for more than 60 years, with interests in deepwater, onshore and midstream assets.
She was direct about the responsibility. “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. “Marno has led from his heart these six-plus years, sustaining operations and breaking new grounds in project delivery and growth. It is a legacy I am keen to build on with the support of colleagues and other stakeholders.”
De Jong’s exit after six years
Marno de Jong joined Shell in 1992 as a project engineer. His career spanned project delivery, engineering, commercial and upstream development across the United Kingdom, Venezuela, Nigeria, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Indonesia. He was appointed Senior Vice President Nigeria in 2020 and later became Executive Vice President and Country Chair.
De Jong left with a direct message of confidence in his successor. “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 roles,” he said.
