By Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has been appointed as Board Member of The Welding Federation (TWF) representing the oil and gas industry to develop and sustain local content in manufacturing industries across Africa.
PETAN is an association of leading Nigerian Indigenous Technical Oilfield service companies in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors of the Oil industry. Its members covers the entire value chain of the Nigerian oil and gas industry with combined project revenue worth over $500 million. PETAN has over 80 leading manufacturing companies and provides services to over 29 major industries.
Established in 1990 with the vision to acquire, develop, advance, and promote petroleum technology for the benefit of Nigerians, PETAN currently stands as the strongest industrial network in West Africa and maybe the most successful group in Africa, in terms of commitment, and experience of local content achievements across all strata of the oil and gas industry.
Responding to the question on why PETAN has allied with TWF, Nicolas C. Odinuwe, Chairman of PETAN says “Post Covid-19, there has been an unprecedented increase in the demand for pragmatic solutions. Solutions to the most pressing challenges of human society e.g., food, water, shelter, energy, and health. Irrespective of GDP status, all societies are plagued with these challenges globally.
“In Africa, the situation is worse due to her inability to constructively and effectively collaborate to grow her industries and provide solutions that are technical, reliable, competitive alternatives, and economically viable to these challenges.
“PETAN as an SDG sensitive organization has gladly joined the Board of TWF because we have seen real value propositions in TWF’s vision to build, integrate and sustain competitive manufacturing industries across African member countries. TWF programs, schemes, and systems are in sync with our mission and they perfectly complement PETAN’s mission to promote an energy-sufficient Africa through a holistic collaboration of Africa’s energy industries.”
PETAN is the host of the annual Sub-Saharan Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) which brings countries across the continent to present in-country opportunities, develop innovative ideas towards the implementation of an efficient African local content strategy in the Continent’s oil, gas, and energy industry. The vision of both organizations perfectly complements each other, PETAN, therefore, brings to the Board of the Federation, a realistic and critical industry dimension to TWF programs and services.
TWF is Africa’s body of professionals and professional organizations, associations, and institutions in welding and related technology. She promotes harmonized personnel development schemes for the integration and growth of Africa’s manufacturing industries leading to deeper capacities and productivity. These schemes are currently being developed by leading experts from petroleum institutes, welding institutes, training bodies, associations, and manufacturers from Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Egypt, Morocco, Uganda, Libya, Ethiopia, Algeria, Tunisia, Cameroon, and Kenya.
According to Nicolas Odinuwe, “The success recorded by TWF thus far is very impressive. We understand that TWF is at the moment on its symposium 5.0 in Uganda, a conference scheduled for the first quarter of 2023, and already working with several countries in developing their systems to improve respective national welding capacities. These are laudable achievements without the involvement of government or big corporate names.
“We understand the responsibility thrust upon us via our Board position and we are committed to delivering our exceptional services. TWF Board structure is not specific to countries but to regions. This seems deliberate, to expand the thinking of Board members to think along regions and Africa, not countries.
“PETAN hopes to work assiduously with TWF to raise concerns and contribute to solutions of manufacturing in West Africa and Africa. Through TWF harmonized personnel skill schemes and established research structure, PETAN will contribute to developing and implementing the solutions to addressing the most demanding manufacturing skills required to service Africa’s energy industries.
“An energy industry without sound manufacturing systems is an unachievable quest. Therefore, we are glad that finally Africa is beginning to understand the power of the One.
“Working as one industry expands the elasticity of our capacities and commercial activities. By working together, we see the bigger picture, we collaborate at different levels with ourselves to harness the full value chain of manufacturing opportunities, which we often miss working in isolation.”
Ayo Adeniyi, Executive Director of TWF said, “PETAN indeed has a lot to share with the rest of Africa as manufacturers prepare to launch deep for capacity to deliver in the face of emerging industrial awakening across the oil, gas, and energy industries across the continent.
“PETAN comes into the Board with a willingness to collaborate and share experiences with the oil and gas industry and other industry representatives, to raise awareness and implement dynamics towards achieving impactful local content across Africa”.