Ikeja Electric has announced the appointment of Mrs Ogochukwu Onyelucheya as its Acting Chief Executive Officer, with effect from July 1, 2026, following the transition of the current CEO, Mrs Folake Soetan, to a broader strategic role within Sahara Group’s energy business.

The appointment was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Okotie, who said the leadership change is part of efforts to strengthen the organisation and drive continued growth, innovation and service delivery across the power sector.

According to the company, Soetan, who has led Ikeja Electric since 2020, will assume wider strategic responsibilities across Sahara’s power and upstream businesses after overseeing the company’s transformation over the past six years.

Chairman of Ikeja Electric, Kola Adesina, praised Soetan’s contributions, describing her tenure as one that significantly transformed the electricity distribution company.

He said her leadership helped build a more resilient, customer-focused and performance-driven organisation while improving operational efficiency, strengthening stakeholder confidence and positioning the company for sustainable growth.

Reflecting on her time as CEO, Soetan expressed appreciation for the opportunity to lead the organisation and its workforce, adding that she looks forward to advancing Sahara Group’s vision of delivering sustainable and inclusive energy solutions across Africa in her new role.

The board said Onyelucheya’s appointment reflects its confidence in her leadership, strategic insight and proven ability to drive business transformation and long-term organisational performance.

Adesina described the incoming acting CEO as an experienced corporate executive with a strong record in strategy execution, operational excellence and customer-focused leadership, expressing confidence in her ability to build on the company’s achievements.

According to Ikeja Electric, Onyelucheya has more than two decades of experience spanning the banking and energy sectors, with expertise in financial management, business strategy and organisational growth.

The company said she has successfully led large-scale business transformation initiatives through digitalisation, process automation and revenue assurance systems aimed at improving operational efficiency and financial performance.

Onyelucheya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, a Master’s degree in Finance and Financial Law from the University of London and is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

Speaking on her appointment, she pledged to sustain the company’s progress by improving service delivery, strengthening customer confidence and delivering value to all stakeholders.

She described the opportunity to lead Ikeja Electric as a privilege and said her administration would focus on enhancing operational performance while building on the strong foundation already established.

The company added that the leadership transition reflects its commitment to continuity, operational excellence and the provision of reliable electricity services, while reinforcing stakeholder confidence and creating lasting value for customers, employees, regulators, investors and host communities.