Business
OANDO WINS DEAL OF THE YEAR AWARD AT AFRICA ENERGY WEEK 2024
-Story by Joy Agamah
Oando Plc, Africa’s leading energy solutions provider listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGX) and Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is pleased to announce that the Company has emerged winner of the ‘Deal of the Year’ award at Africa Energy Week (AEW) 2024.
The Africa Energy Chamber (AEC), the organisers of the annual week-long oil and gas conference, hosted and recognised different stakeholders at a Gala and Award night held at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CITCC), on Tuesday, 5 November, 2024.
In a category comprising other high-profile deals in the sector and across Africa, Oando won the award in recognition of the Company’s recently completed landmark $783 million acquisition of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) from the Italian Energy firm Eni on 22 August, 2024.
This acquisition, 10 years in the making since Oando’s initial entry into the ConocoPhillips/NAOC/NNPC Joint Venture (JV) in 2014 when the Company acquired ConocoPhillips Nigeria business, doubled the company’s stake in the JV to 40% and operator of the assets.
In receiving the award, the Company’s Group Chief Executive, Wale Tinubu, remarked “We are delighted and honoured to receive the ‘Deal of the Year’ award from Africa Energy Week. It’s been a remarkable year on many fronts. First, we marked our 30th anniversary as a business, then concluded our strategic plan to acquire our second IOC in a decade, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and step up to the role of operator.
“This award is more than just an accolade for a successful deal closure; it represents a public acknowledgement of the culmination of 30 years of grit, hard work, resilience, and sheer belief in our vision. It is a testament to my belief that with the #HumansOfOando, impossible is nothing. I’d like to thank the dream team, the #HumansOfOando, our financiers, and partners for their belief and role in making this award a reality.”
The acquisition is the culmination of a decade of preparation, strategic planning, and unwavering commitment to a vision of becoming Africa’s first indigenous International Oil Company.
It is a testament to the organisation’s 30-year journey spanning the entire energy value chain, with consistent and deliberate actions at each stage that have led to the advancement of indigenous participation in the industry.
The Deal of the Year award “recognises the most transformative and impactful deal in the energy sector – honouring excellence in negotiation, strategic alignment, innovation and collaboration – and celebrates deals that drive advancements in energy and economic growth.”
With this year’s AEW theme of “Invest in Africa Energies: Energy Growth Through an Enabling Environment”, the AEC, through the AEW Awards 2024, recognised other persons, International (IOCs) and National Oil Companies (NOCs) across the continent through awards in 10 categories.
Tinubu at the event also delivered a key note address with the topic, Transforming Africa’s Oil and Gas landscape through strategic Merger and Acqusition.
During the address he noted that indigenous companies contribute approximately 30% of the country’s crude oil production and hold around 40% of the total oil reserves. Additionally, they account for 60% of the country’s gas production and approximately 32% of gas reserves. This data underscores the growing significance of local players in the African oil and gas sector.
He also highlighted improvements in the business environment, citing the improved Ease of Doing Business driven by recent reforms that have attracted increased investments in energy. Tinubu pointed to the successful Implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which has established a regulatory framework that enhances transparency and boosts investor confidence.
Tinubu’s remarks included a call for enhanced collaboration among policymakers, investors, and oil and gas companies to foster the growth of indigenous firms through supportive regulations, financing access, and technology transfer. He urged stakeholders to focus on leveraging M&As to diversify and expand capabilities within the sector while emphasizing the need to strengthen Africa’s institutional and financing capacity for local firms.
As Oando continues on its growth trajectory, Tinubu’s insights served as a powerful reminder of the strategic importance of indigenous companies in Africa’s energy transformation and the collective effort required to drive sustainable development across the continent.
Nigerian born Serumu Igberadja has made his history as he assumed office as President of the International Vocational Education and Training Association (IVETA) USA. Igberadja who was also the former Vice President of IVETA East and West Africa, and the CEO of Think TVET Global Consult and Edu Tour Global Limited assumed office January 1st 2025.
With his assumption as the president of IVETA he becomes the first from West Africa to assumed such position.
The Delta State born is also the Director of International Relations and Business Development at Whitecloud TVET Solutions Ltd.
Igberadja who has Bachelor of Science (Ed) and M.Sc in Technical Education and Industrial Technology respectively is a youth leader and a community development advocate who has special interest in good governance, non-violence, community development, quality education, vocational skills development, sustainable livelihood, and economic development.
Igberadja is also an Alumnus of the Prestigious International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States Department of State Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs.
He has an interest in contributing his expertise to the growth and development of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for sustainable development across the globe. He is a member of the UNESCO UNEVOC Forum and Skillman International Forum (SIF) Italy. As well, an Assistant Journalist in the Lucubrate Magazine and the Coordinator for the Lucubrate Project Nigeria.
Serumu Igberadja has facilitated several workshops, conferences, and partnerships to promote and advance TVET for sustainable livelihood and development. Notable partnerships with Lucubrate NKB Norway and University of Nigeria Nsukka(UNN), IVETA and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), IVETA and UNN UNEVOC Centre, IVETA and Ese Odo Local Government Council, and Linkages with TVET Equipment Manufacturers in Europe, Asia, and America such as Delorenzo Italy, Labtech International, Tesca India, Lucas-Nülle Germany, Lexsolar Germany, and Edibon Spain.
He has featured as Keynote Speaker in several TVET and Youth Development Workshops and Conferences, his recent outing was his participation as Moderator for ‘Socio Professional Integration in TVET’ at the 2022 WorldSkills Africa Conference held at Swakopmund Namibia organised by the Namibia Training Authority, Keynote Speaker at the 2022 IVETA Las Vegas Conference, the US Africa Institute side event of the 2023 US Africa Leaders’ Summit Washington DC, Official Observer at Worldskills Lyon.
He is expected to rule over the affairs of IVETA for the next 12 months.
During his inaugural speech he promised to enhance global TVET systems by promoting collaboration, sharing best practices, and addressing diverse needs to create impactful, sustainable outcomes. While he also highlighted his strategic priorities for IVETA in the next one year, such as Global Partnerships: Strengthening collaborations with governments, institutions, industries, and global organizations like UNESCO, ILO, and World Bank to drive TVET advancements worldwide, Quality Improvement: Enhancing TVET programs to prepare graduates for the global workforce, focusing on teacher training, student outcomes, and institutional excellence.
- Advocacy and Awareness: Promoting positive perceptions of TVET through targeted campaigns, workshops, and community engagement across all regions.
- Resource Mobilization: Securing grants and funding to support initiatives that benefit diverse member regions.
- Governance and Representation: Ensuring balanced regional representation, strong governance, and efficient resource management to align with IVETA’s mission.
IVETA is a network of vocational educators. Its network includes vocational skills training organisations, business and industrial firms, and individuals and groups interested or involved in vocational education and training worldwide.
It is dedicated to the advancement and improvement of high-quality vocational education and training throughout the world.
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