Banke Alakija-Balogun

Biography

Professional experience

Banke Alakija-Balogun is a seasoned commercial and energy executive with over 20 years of experience spanning upstream, gas development, trading, and downstream operations in the oil and gas industry. She has held diverse leadership and strategic roles at Shell Nigeria, where she consistently delivered value across crude and products trading, upstream gas commercialization, commercial negotiations, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory compliance.

During her tenure in Shell Upstream Trading, Ms. Balogun coordinated Western Supply & Trading activities across Nigeria and West Africa, supporting the growth and long-term sustainability of crude oil and refined product portfolios. She developed and executed commercial strategies aligned with broader Shell Group objectives, unlocking value at the upstream–downstream interface and optimizing terminal and pipeline infrastructure. Her portfolio covered complex commercial negotiations, credit and pricing risk management, HSSE and reputational risk oversight, and delivery of innovative trading solutions across a wide customer base.

In Shell Upstream Gas, she held responsibility for commercial risk management, governance, and stakeholder alignment for major gas development projects, including the Assa North–Ohaji South (AN-OS) Gas Project. She negotiated Gas Sales Agreements and led engagement with regulators and counterparties to secure commercially and technically sound outcomes. Earlier, in the Upstream Gas Contracts function, she led and supported negotiations on unitization agreements, contractors’ unit operating agreements, and other petroleum contracts, earning recognition from both Shell leadership and Nigerian regulators for her contribution to the successful renewal of Shell’s shallow-water leases.

Ms. Balogun also served in Planning and Performance Monitoring, where she coordinated commercial performance reporting and compliance across Shell’s oil licenses. She received a Special Recognition Award for her role in delivering an exemplary regulatory audit outcome. In Shell Oil Products Nigeria, she was both Credit Manager and Brand & Communications Advisor, where she successfully implemented global credit frameworks, restructured business processes, strengthened key stakeholder relationships, and led brand initiatives that improved operational efficiency and financial results.

Her early career at Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting) as an Analyst and Business Consultant provided a strong foundation in strategy, organizational transformation, process optimization, and project management across multiple industries.

Ms. Balogun holds a B.Sc. (Second Class Upper) in Accountancy and Law from the University of Brighton, United Kingdom. She has completed advanced professional development in credit risk management, international oil and gas law, commercial negotiations, and energy business operations.

She brings to Equinox Hydrocarbon Ltd a leadership style grounded in commercial discipline, stakeholder inclusiveness, and execution excellence—positioning the company for responsible growth and value-driven participation in Nigeria’s evolving upstream sector.