Featured, Oil & Gas
By Anthony Isibor
AS the Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, SAIPEC 2024, come to an end, some exhibitors and vendors count their gains from the annual event.
All of the exhibitors, who spoke to Realnews believe that the advantages of being part of the SAIPEC Oil and Gas event far outweigh whatever disadvantages that may exist.
Arsene Fredric, Head, Promotion Department of Petrosen Exploration and Production, a Senegal-based oil and gas company, explained that meeting other oil and gas companies and potential investors in one single room is one of his biggest drivers.
Fredric, who revealed that he has been attending the SAIPEC for three years now, told Realnews that he was able to meet potential investors who are ready to do business with Petrosen.
“The event is also an opportunity to share ideas, create a network of businesses that are in similar situations as yourself and of course make money.
“We cannot continue to allow developed countries to dictate the direction of Africa’s oil and gas sector. We can learn from ourselves and SAIPEC creates that opportunity.
“It is good for African oil and gas companies to join efforts together to help grow the industry in the region, especially through finance.
“This year, for example, we have discussed with a lot of Nigerian companies, which want to invest in Senegal.
Fredric also called on top energy companies in the region to start pulling resources together and start building universities that will develop indigenous technologies so as to stop relying completely on developed nations.
He also called for the removal of all regional barriers among African States and companies which want to do business in other countries.
Abia Valentine, Business development manager, Global Lifting and Engineering Services Nigeria, GLE Limited, a company based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria also told Realnews that the huge benefits gained from SAIPEC each year had been the motivation to keep returning.
“We have benefited generously and that is why we keep turning up every year, especially in the areas of getting more jobs even from overseas. I can tell you that from this events we have done some jobs in Dakar, Senegal.
“Another beauty of the exhibition is that there are companies I have been trying to penetrate, but getting into these companies is always difficult, security people will always want you to call, no matter how you explain to them that you are an intending vendor and has no one to call.
“But here, whatever stand you go, you introduce yourself and they give you card and you secure an appointment, there are no security, no protocol. Networking is one of the huge advantages.
“For example, the Dorman Long, I had been to their gate many times before but here I have met with one Kelechi, who is their business manager and we discussed everything. Good a thing that he is also coming from Port Harcourt so it’s just when we get back to Port Harcourt I will do a follow up. It is beneficial.
Similarly, Patrick Iroakazi, Business Development Coordinator for Ashbard Energy says that the company has benefited greatly from being involved with SAIPEC since 2021, especially in the area of increasing their client and partners portfolio.
“It has also helped us to be part of the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB through the Project 100.
“Being here makes the journey easier, at SAIPEC you meet people you have been finding it difficult to meet privately. Before you meet them, you have to create a schedule, book appointments, but here in SAIPEC you meet them one-on-one and discuss your business ideas with them.
For Kazeem Olatokun, Atlantic BlueWater Services Limited, every time we came to SAIPEC, we get new customers.
“Even at this current event, we have gotten customers, who are ready to do business with us,” he said.
Olatokun, who said that they had been involved with SAIPEC for 3 years straight, added that this year’s event seemed more organised than the previous ones.
However, the technician with the company, who preferred to be referred to as Simon, bemoaned the lack of TV hangers, which he said, made it impossible for them to showcase their products.
He called on the organisers to provide all the necessary tools needed for a seamless exhibition or allow them provide these things by themselves.
The vendors, who participated at the Exhibition also expressed satisfaction at the huge patronage that they recorded at this year’s conference.
For instance, Nnamdi Nwaneye, Managing Director, Gold Model Clothing, who came all the way from Aba in Abia State, told Realnews that he couldn’t hide his excitement at the huge sales that he made so far during the Conference.
Pointing to his trade displayed beside the walk way to the conference and exhibition hall, he said: “This is local content and I made these by myself and this is my fourth time. I use to participate and it is good.
“Market is really good, they have been buying. I can’t tell you how much I make, but I made money, millions of Naira.”
The SAIPEC event has continued to be a platform that helps to promote the African Content by bringing together regional leaders of thoughts in the industry and creating the opportunity for the exchange of ideas and networking.
A.I
Tags: Abia Valentine Arsene Fredric Ashbard Energy Atlantic BlueWater Services Limited Global Lifting and Engineering Services Nigeria Limited NCDMB Nnamdi Nwaneye Patrick Iroakazi Promotion Department of Petrosen Exploration and Production SAIPEAC2024
