Fresh from a transformative tenure at the helm of Ikeja Electric, Mrs. Folake Soetan has been appointed Managing Director of Arahas Global Oilfield Services, a strategic move that underscores Sahara Group’s ambition to reshape Africa’s energy landscape through innovation, operational excellence and integrated value creation. Effective July 1, 2026, the appointment places one of Nigeria’s most accomplished energy executives at the forefront of Sahara Group’s evolving Beyond XXX agenda, an enterprise wide strategy designed to deepen impact, strengthen execution and build future ready energy platforms across the continent.
The appointment represents far more than a leadership transition. It reflects Sahara Group’s long term vision of positioning Arahas as a globally competitive oilfield services company capable of delivering world class solutions while leveraging African expertise, engineering excellence and operational reliability. As energy markets continue to evolve amid growing demands for efficiency, sustainability and technological innovation, Arahas is expected to play an increasingly strategic role in supporting upstream operations across the energy value chain.
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Executive Director of Sahara Group, Adedeji Odunsi, described the appointment as a reflection of the organisation’s commitment to building resilient businesses driven by visionary leadership and disciplined execution. According to him, the company’s continued investment in exceptional leadership is central to achieving its long term growth ambitions and delivering lasting impact across Africa’s energy sector.
“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.
For Sahara Group, Soetan’s arrival comes at a defining moment in Arahas’ evolution. The integrated oilfield services business is expanding its capabilities with the ambition of redefining how oilfield services are delivered across Africa. At the heart of that strategy is a commitment to innovation, operational efficiency and sustainable performance, enabling customers to optimise production, extend asset life and improve operational certainty throughout the energy lifecycle.
As Managing Director, Soetan will be responsible for embedding Arahas’ philosophy of delivering high impact, value driven solutions to partners and stakeholders while strengthening the company’s position as a trusted provider of integrated oilfield services. Her leadership is expected to accelerate operational excellence, enhance competitiveness and reinforce Arahas’ reputation as a company capable of meeting the changing demands of the global energy industry.
Her responsibilities, however, extend well beyond Arahas. Sahara Group has also expanded her strategic oversight within Sahara Power Group, where she will leverage her extensive experience in the electricity sector to strengthen operational performance, improve collaboration across business units and support the delivery of reliable power solutions. The dual appointment reflects Sahara Group’s deliberate strategy of creating stronger integration between its upstream and power businesses, unlocking synergies that improve efficiency while strengthening the company’s overall energy ecosystem.
Odunsi noted that the expanded role demonstrates Sahara Group’s commitment to building a more connected and sustainable energy enterprise capable of delivering greater value across the continent.
“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.
Speaking on her appointment, Soetan described Arahas as an opportunity to help redefine the future of oilfield services in Africa through innovation, sustainability and operational excellence. She expressed confidence that the company’s vision aligns with the broader ambition of transforming Africa’s energy sector while delivering meaningful value to customers, partners and communities.
“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 to the role an impressive record of leadership spanning Nigeria and Ghana’s energy industry. Her career has covered the midstream, downstream, power and aviation sectors, giving her a broad understanding of complex operational environments and the strategic discipline required to lead large scale business transformation. Her appointment to the upstream services business further expands that experience while reinforcing Sahara Group’s confidence in her ability to lead across multiple segments of the energy value chain.
She is perhaps best known for her transformational leadership as Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Electric, where she successfully guided one of Africa’s largest electricity distribution companies through a period of significant operational improvement, organisational transformation and enhanced customer engagement. During her tenure, the company strengthened operational performance, deepened customer focused initiatives and reinforced its position as one of Nigeria’s leading electricity distribution companies.
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Her leadership style has consistently been characterised by a strong commitment to accountability, operational efficiency and sustainable value creation. She has earned recognition for navigating complex regulatory environments, managing diverse stakeholder relationships and delivering measurable business results in highly dynamic industries.
As Africa’s energy landscape becomes increasingly interconnected, Sahara Group’s decision to place one executive across both upstream services and power operations reflects a growing recognition that the future of energy will depend on collaboration, innovation and integrated leadership. With Folake Soetan now leading Arahas while supporting broader strategic priorities across Sahara Power Group, the organisation is positioning itself to drive greater operational excellence, strengthen energy security and accelerate the transformation of Africa’s energy future.
