By Gold Jeremiah
Sahara Group has appointed Mrs. Folake Soetan as the Managing Director of Arahas Global Oilfield Services, reinforcing its commitment to driving innovation, operational excellence and sustainable growth across Africa's energy sector under its Beyond XXX strategic agenda.
The appointment, which took effect on July 1, 2026, was announced in a statement issued by the Head of Corporate Communications at Sahara Group Limited, Bethel Obioma. According to the statement, the Executive Director of Sahara Group, Adedeji Odunsi, said the leadership change underscores the company's long-term vision of strengthening its energy and infrastructure businesses through capable leadership and strategic execution.
Odunsi said Soetan's appointment reflects Sahara Group's commitment to empowering leaders who can transform ambitious goals into measurable outcomes. He noted that the company remains focused on building future-ready platforms driven by sound leadership, disciplined execution and sustainable value creation.
He explained that Soetan assumes leadership of Arahas at a critical stage in the company's growth as it seeks to redefine oilfield service delivery across the energy value chain through innovation, operational efficiency and sustainability. She is expected to champion the company's vision of providing high-impact, value-driven solutions to customers and stakeholders.
•Mrs Folake Soetan
According to Sahara Group, Soetan's mandate includes strengthening Arahas as a globally competitive oilfield services company built on African expertise, engineering excellence and operational reliability. The company believes her leadership will accelerate the delivery of solutions that optimise production, extend asset life and improve operational efficiency throughout the energy lifecycle.
Beyond her responsibilities at Arahas, Soetan will also assume expanded duties within the Sahara Power Group. Leveraging her extensive experience in the electricity sector, particularly her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Electric, she will support efforts to improve operational performance, strengthen collaboration across business units and enhance the delivery of reliable power solutions.
Odunsi said the dual appointment reflects Sahara Group's strategy of creating stronger integration between its upstream oil and gas operations and power businesses. According to him, the move is expected to unlock operational synergies that will drive a more efficient, resilient and sustainable energy ecosystem across Africa.
Speaking on her appointment, Soetan described Arahas as a unique platform with the potential to transform oilfield services delivery across the continent. She expressed optimism about working with the team to advance the company's Beyond XXX agenda through innovation, efficiency and sustainability while contributing to a more resilient African energy landscape.
Soetan brings decades of leadership and operational experience spanning Nigeria and Ghana's energy industry. Having previously worked across the midstream, downstream, power and aviation sectors, she now transitions into the upstream services segment. During her tenure as CEO of Ikeja Electric, she led major operational improvements, strengthened customer-focused initiatives and enhanced organisational performance, earning recognition for driving efficiency, accountability and sustainable value creation in one of Africa's largest electricity distribution companies.
