The Managing Director of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) and Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCiN), Osagie Okunbor, has been honoured with an Award of Excellence by the newly instituted executive leadership of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN).
Okunbor received the award at a brief ceremony in Lagos, where PETAN’s executive team, led by its Chairman, Engineer Wole Ogunsanya, acknowledged the Country Chair’s visionary leadership of Shell and the longstanding relationship between PETAN, its member companies, and Shell.
Ogunsanya remarked, “Shell has been a leader in driving the growth of local capacity participation in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Several of PETAN’s members had their first breakthroughs with Shell, while even more are currently providing services to Shell companies in Nigeria.”
He further emphasised, “PETAN member companies pledge to consistently deliver quality products and services to Shell in particular.” Ogunsanya also expressed gratitude for Shell’s partnership with PETAN and the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in the Shell-PETAN Internship Programme, which provides young Nigerian graduates with two years of on-the-job training in their respective disciplines, enhancing their employability.
“This programme has been a resounding success, with several of the interns retained by the participating members,” Ogunsanya said.
In response, Shell’s Country Chair, Osagie Okunbor, expressed his appreciation for the recognition from PETAN. He stated, “The growth of participation of indigenous companies in the oil and gas industry is a good thing. Shell companies in Nigeria remain committed to continuing to create opportunities for Nigerian companies to participate in our business.”
Okunbor highlighted Shell’s ongoing efforts, saying, “For example, in 2023, SPDC, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), and Shell Nigeria Gas Limited (SNG) awarded $1.98 billion in contracts to Nigeria-registered companies, marking a 3% increase in value from the previous year. SCiN also directly employed more than 2,500 people (of whom 96% were Nigerian nationals) with over 9,000 contractors supporting operations.”
He reiterated Shell’s long-term investment in Nigeria, adding, “Shell has invested in game-changing businesses in Nigeria for over 60 years and will continue to power progress, positively impact lives, and unlock opportunities.”
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