Sahara Group Names Folake Soetan to Lead Arahas in Push to Expand Oilfield Services Across Africa
LAGOS, Nigeria — Sahara Group has appointed Folake Soetan as Managing Director of Arahas Global Oilfield Services, effective July 1, 2026, as the company accelerates its strategy to expand integrated oilfield services and strengthen its energy operations across Africa.
The appointment is part of Sahara Group’s Beyond XXX corporate agenda, which focuses on operational excellence, innovation, sustainability, and long-term growth across the continent’s energy sector.
According to Sahara Group Executive Director Adedeji Odunsi, Soetan’s appointment underscores the company’s commitment to building future-ready businesses through experienced leadership and disciplined execution.
“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.
Strategic Expansion of Oilfield Services
Arahas, Sahara Group’s integrated oilfield services subsidiary, is positioning itself to deliver technology-driven and sustainable solutions across the upstream oil and gas value chain.
As Managing Director, Soetan will oversee efforts to improve operational efficiency, enhance production performance, extend asset life, and deliver value-driven services to energy producers across Africa. Her mandate also includes strengthening Arahas’ competitiveness through African engineering expertise and improved operational reliability.
The appointment comes as African energy companies increasingly invest in local capacity, digital technologies, and integrated service delivery to improve efficiency while supporting the continent’s growing energy demand.
Broader Leadership Role Across Sahara’s Energy Businesses
Beyond leading Arahas, Soetan will assume expanded responsibilities within Sahara Group’s power business, where she is expected to strengthen operational integration between the company’s upstream oilfield services and electricity operations.
The move reflects Sahara Group’s strategy of creating stronger synergies across its energy portfolio to improve efficiency, reliability, and sustainable energy delivery.
Experienced Energy Executive
Before joining Arahas, Soetan served as Chief Executive Officer of Ikeja Electric, one of Africa’s largest electricity distribution companies, where she led operational reforms, improved customer service initiatives, and strengthened organisational performance.
Her career spans Nigeria and Ghana’s energy sector, with leadership experience across the midstream, downstream, power, and aviation industries. Sahara Group said this diverse background positions her to drive the next phase of growth for its upstream services business.
Commenting on her appointment, Soetan said Arahas presents an opportunity to transform oilfield services delivery across Africa through innovation, efficiency, and sustainability.
She said the company aims to build a high-performance platform that supports Sahara Group’s long-term energy strategy while contributing to a more resilient and integrated energy landscape across the continent.
The leadership change highlights continued investment by African energy companies in experienced executives as the sector navigates evolving market dynamics, infrastructure expansion, and the transition toward more efficient and sustainable energy operations.