Abuja: Oilserv Nigeria Ltd. has urged International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in Africa to capitalize on the continent’s opportunities, particularly in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) sector. The Group Chief Executive Officer of Oilserv Group, Mr. Emeka Okwuosa, conveyed this message during the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025) held in Algeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Okwuosa, represented by Mr. Cephalus Wari, Oilserv’s Chief of Staff, outlined the company’s extensive experience exceeding 30 years in the oil and gas industry. He emphasized Oilserv’s role as a significant contributor to construction and engineering projects in Nigeria, with ongoing expansion across Africa. Okwuosa stressed that Oilserv’s successful execution of complex engineering contracts positions it as a formidable competitor on the continent.
Okwuosa detailed the company’s strategic partnerships with Afreximbank, which have bolstered Oilserv’s capabilities and facilitated its transformative growth. He remarked on the company’s management of several large-scale turnkey projects, including Africa’s largest gas project, and its collaborations with Nigerian entities like NNPC to develop flow stations and facilitate service delivery.
Oilserv’s operations have expanded into countries such as Benin, Ghana, and Senegal, among others, reinforcing its status as a key provider of oil and gas infrastructure. Okwuosa disclosed that Oilserv is now poised to extend its services beyond Nigeria, aiming to support other African nations with comprehensive facilities.
However, Okwuosa noted that financing remains a significant hurdle, with local banks often unable to support large-scale investments, leading to reliance on multilateral institutions like Afreximbank. He cited the initiation of Nigeria’s Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline project as an example of Oilserv’s capabilities, despite challenges such as financing difficulties, insecurity, ease of doing business, and foreign exchange instability.
Okwuosa highlighted the importance of collaboration with financial institutions like Afreximbank in securing critical funding for infrastructure projects across Africa. He also pointed out the impact of visa logistics and travel challenges on project timelines and efficiency, advocating for uniform policies across African nations to streamline these processes and conserve valuable resources.