Ingentia Energies Limited, the indigenous oil and gas company, has appointed former Shell executive Victor Agbaroji as its new managing director and chief executive officer, effective Sept. 1, 2026.

Agbaroji succeeds Charles Odita, who served as interim managing director from March through August. The leadership change was announced Tuesday following a handover ceremony in Lagos.

Agbaroji sets priorities for Ingentia Energies

Odita, speaking at the ceremony, described his six-month tenure as productive and said he was confident Agbaroji would build on the work already done at the company.

“It is my privilege today to hand over the affairs of Ingentia Energies Limited to the incoming managing director, Engr. Victor Agbaroji,” Odita said. “The company has achieved a lot within the last six months, and it is our desire that the new managing director will take us to the next level.”

Agbaroji said his immediate priority would be to strengthen the company’s existing operations while placing greater emphasis on safety, employee development, efficiency, innovation and cost control.

He also pledged to ensure employees return home safely each day, while developing talent and finding more efficient ways to create value for shareholders and other stakeholders.

The new CEO said Ingentia Energies would also support Nigeria’s efforts to raise crude oil production, including the national target of 3 million barrels per day.

More than three decades in oil and gas

Agbaroji brings more than 31 years of experience across the oil and gas industry. He started his career as a well-test engineer before joining Shell as a reservoir engineer.

During his time at Shell, he held roles in operations engineering, petroleum engineering, corporate planning and economics. He also worked on portfolio optimization programs that helped support the development of Nigeria’s indigenous marginal-field operators.

He later served as front-end development manager on major gas projects, including initiatives linked to gas supply for fertilizer production.

His experience also extends beyond Nigeria. As global operations manager for reserves reporting across the Shell Group, Agbaroji oversaw activities involving teams in Asia, Europe, Australia and North America.

He subsequently moved into Nigeria’s independent oil sector, where he applied international industry practices to locally operated businesses.

Before joining Ingentia Energies, Agbaroji was chief operating officer at PeerGroup LLC in Houston, Texas, a position he held from January 2023. He also provided technical advisory, risk management and project delivery support to emerging energy companies.

Building on recent drilling work

Agbaroji takes over as Ingentia Energies continues to develop its upstream portfolio. The company operates Petroleum Prospecting Licence 202, covering the Egbolom field, and is headquartered in Lagos.

Founded in 2022 and beginning operations in 2023, the company says it is focused on using technology, local expertise and safer operating practices to expand its presence in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

Ingentia Energies says the Egbolom field has an initial production capacity of about 5,500 barrels of oil per day, with 25 local community contractors projected to be engaged.

The appointment also comes after the company reported two drilling successes in the Egbolom Field Development Programme last month, giving Agbaroji an opportunity to build on recent operational progress as he begins his tenure.