Elohor Aiboni has made history as the first Nigerian and the first woman to become Executive Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Nigeria PLC.
She officially assumed the role on August 1, 2026, after Shell announced her appointment in June to succeed Marno de Jong, who left the company after 34 years of service.
Career journey
Aiboni has spent more than 24 years at Shell, building experience across offshore, shallow-water and onshore operations in Nigeria, as well as international assignments in Kazakhstan and Brunei.
In 2021, she became the first woman to serve as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), where she led Shell’s deepwater operations. During her tenure, the Bonga oil field achieved a major milestone by producing over one billion barrels of crude oil.
She later moved to Brunei in 2024 as Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum, where she oversaw production, engineering and project delivery.
Education
Aiboni is from Edo State.
She attended Federal Government Girls’ College, Benin City, before earning a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Benin. She later obtained a Master’s degree in Environmental Management and Environmental Engineering from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.
Professional experience
Since joining Shell in 2002, Aiboni has held several leadership positions, including:
Production Operations Supervisor at SPDC.
Production Operations Support Engineer.
Team Leader for the Obigbo Oil and Gas Field.
Business Analyst for Shell’s Sub-Saharan Africa operations.
Senior Engineer on the Kashagan project in Kazakhstan.
Operations Completion and Handover Manager.
EA Operations Manager.
Asset Manager for the Bonga field.
Managing Director of SNEPCo.
Asset Director at Brunei Shell Petroleum.
Her appointments have seen her manage major oil and gas projects, improve operational efficiency, strengthen safety standards and oversee some of Shell’s most valuable assets.
New role at Shell Nigeria
As Country Chair, Aiboni will oversee Shell’s operations in Nigeria, including the company’s proposed $20 billion Bonga South West deepwater project. The project is expected to add up to 220,000 barrels of crude oil per day to Nigeria’s production capacity.
Shell believes her extensive experience both in Nigeria and abroad will help drive the company’s long-term strategy in the country.
Reported earnings
According to CareerBuddyHQ, Aiboni reportedly earns an estimated net salary of about ₦60 million per month, or roughly ₦720 million annually, excluding bonuses and other executive benefits.
The report estimates her total annual compensation package at around $4.5 million, including her base salary, performance bonuses, stock awards, pension, housing allowance, medical coverage, security and other executive benefits.
These figures have not been officially confirmed by Shell.
Why her appointment matters
Aiboni’s appointment comes at a time when Shell is focusing more on deepwater oil and gas projects after reducing its onshore operations in Nigeria.
Beyond the business impact, her emergence is seen as a major milestone for female leadership and local representation in Nigeria’s energy industry.
She now takes over from Marno de Jong, who led several major investment decisions during his tenure, including the Bonga North and HI gas projects. Her immediate task will be to continue delivering those projects while steering Shell’s future investments in Nigeria.
