The Guardians Special Focus on Nigeria’s 50 Most Inspiring and Definitive Top CEOs in 2023: Part VI

ROTIMI BANKOLE: Astute Professional, Creating Innovations That Help Clients Stay Ahead At All Times

Whenever media agencies are being discussed in respect to adhering to global best practice, professionalism and integrity consciousness, one name that features prominently is the SBI Media Group, a company established with a mission to offer best-in-class media solutions to clients with a transparent process and fulfilled staff.

SBI Media Group is an establishment that has lived up to its bid of creating a legacy by contributing immensely to the media, advertising and marketing sector of the country, all thanks to Mr. Rotimi Bankole, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SBI Media Group who has achieved global recognition with the company with his strategic directions.
A media and marketing communications expert of international repute, he has over 18 years of cross-functional experience across media, creative and content development, public relations, events management and brand activation. Described as a creative innovator, he is also a silent achiever and media strategist whose personality promotes excellence at all times. However, notwithstanding the remarkable feat he has recorded in his personal and professional calling, Bankole is an embodiment of humility and resourcefulness.
Bankole began his career with a deep stint at Mediacom Nigeria Ltd, now Zenith Media, a subsidiary of Insight Communication Limited before founding SBI Media in 2013 as a strategic media strategy and buying agency which has now expanded into events and activations with Streams Communications.

Taking about SBI Media Group, he disclosed that the company aimed at becoming Africa’s most global agency. In his words, “SBI Media Group is Nigeria’s largest independent media agency (RECMA 2021) built on a culture of bravery, thought leadership and innovation. As a member of the Stagwell Global affiliate network, we are in partnership with a diverse clientele of telecoms, technology, aviation, automobile, telecoms, e-Commerce, FMCGs financial services and allied industries. Our fast-rising presence cuts across six economic cities including Accra Ghana, Johannesburg South Africa, Nairobi Kenya, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and recently our London office serving Europe and the Asia Pacific. We are headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and financial capital with over 100 media professionals in digital transformation, creative and content, media strategy, research, planning and exchange.”

Bankole maintained that SBI Media Group is a partner to some of the largest blue-chip brands and mega corporations in technology, fintech, traditional finance, consumer goods and services, public communications and e-Commerce, and the group currently advise and manage brands of the largest smart phone holding company in Africa, the largest bank in Nigeria and the world’s largest crypto currency exchange.

Speaking on the strategies adopted to expand its portfolio, Bankole disclosed that right from the beginning of its establishment, they have always focused on building a strong, integrated and connected team of people with diverse backgrounds and competencies which has really put them ahead especially in the area of multiple solutions they can deploy and execute in the market, adding that at SBI Media, they have also being at the forefront of pursuing symbiotic partnerships across business disciplines and sectors, saying that a combination of these factors have positioned them for growth in the last 10 years.

“Across the industry and even outside the Nigerian market, we are known for our speed because we are able to cut through complexities in the market by giving brands a faster route to reach their target market and also our focus on innovation has further differentiated us amongst our peers and one thing we are known for is because we do not have competitors as our business model is unique in itself and we are able to service diverse clients irrespective of their dynamics and challenges,” he added.

Highly principled with a knack for excellence, Bankole highlighted some of the services rendered at SBI Media Group, saying that the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital transformation and the use of data to get better outcomes. “We have continued to be one of the most preferred partners to plan, design and execute digitally for brands. Across strategy, public relations, sponsorships, brand talent management and creative communication executions and our bouquets of innovative services have continued to position us as the go-to partner in the market,” he stressed.

The media guru also speaks on the challenges faced in his sector, saying that though every industry has its peculiar challenges, at SBI Media, they will continue to work with regulators, brands and trade associations to ensure the quality of services and the integrity of the practice is in line with the global best practices and they are also committed to supporting the industry on other positive agendas that will ensure the industry they operate in is always first amongst equals.

As a result of his astuteness and outstanding performance in the industry over the years, Bankole has received numerous awards and recognitions from prestigious organisation, including Lifetime Achievement in Photography & Media Advertising by Guild of Photo journalists in Nigeria, 2023, Industry Torch Bearer Media Planning & Buying by Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria, 2023, The Industry Star Award by The Industry Magazine, 2023, Brand Personality of the Year – Marketing Edge, 2023, Media Personality of the Decade at Marketing Edge Awards, 2020,

Marketing Edge Outstanding Media CEO of the Year, 2021, Marketing Edge 2019 Media Personality of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Media Personality of the Year, Guild of Photo Journalists 2022, Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, Industry Touch Bearer Awards, 2022, The Industry Award Media to Rotimi Bankole, 2022.

Notwithstanding the personal accolades he has received over the years, his unique leadership style as also significantly earned SBI Media Group numerous awards, amongst them are, Marketing Edge Outstanding young media Agency of the year- 2016, Marketing Edge Fastest Growing Media Buying Agency of the year — 2015, Best Campaign in Information Technology 2016 OAAN Posters Awards, Marketing Word Media Agency of the Year, 2019, Media Personality of the Decade at Marketing Edge Awards, 2020.

Other include the Marketing Edge Outstanding Media CEO of the Year, 2021, Marketing Edge Media Agency of the Year, 2021, Marketing Edge Experiential Agency of the Year, 2021, Outstanding Smartphone Campaign of the Year, 2021, Outstanding Performing Media Agency of the Year for the Banking Sector, 2021, Outstanding Tech Industry Media Agency of the Year, 2021, Outstanding Media Agency for Start-ups 2021, Industry Grand Prix as Outstanding Performing Media Agency of the Year, 2021, Streams Media – Outstanding COVID-19 Campaign –Smartphone Category, 2021, Streams Media – Fast Growing Creative agency, 20Smartphone Virtual Launch Event, 2021, Streams Media – Outstanding Hybrid Product Launch Event of the Year, 2021, and Streams Media – Most Outstanding Performing Young Agency, 2021.

On the lessons that have shaped his career as a Chief Executive Officer, Bankole who holds a Higher National Diploma in Mass Communication from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, and a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication from the Lagos State University, explained that he has always built a strong team and has never been afraid to try new things, saying that no doubt, the market will always be unpredictable and unstable but what is constant is the ability of the team to integrate, plan and execute for partners and brands to stay ahead of the game.
He therefore assures that SBI Media Group will continue to execute and expand its pan-African and global relevance as they are now partnering with brands across markets and alternate cultures, saying that this is a huge learning curve for the company, which believes its future is tied to succeeding with its partners, irrespective of where those brands are located around the world.

EZE SIR RAYMOND EMENIKE CHINDA: Eminent Custodian of Culture and Tradition, Oil and Gas Business Leader, Philanthropist Par Excellence

His Royal Highness, Eze Sir Raymond Emenike Chinda (Ksc, JP), Nye nwe-eliRumuezeolu (Paramount Ruler) of Oropotoma. Aside from his eminent position as the custodian of the culture and tradition of his people, he is also a dignified personality in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, having contributed tremendously to the local content initiative via two organizations, namely Craymond Nigeria Limited and Struckmn Nigeria Limited, where he sits as the Group Chairman of these leading players in the oil and gas industry.

A Knight of St. Christopher, he acquired a degree in Politics from Newcastle University, Upon Tyne, in the United Kingdom, having bagged a Diploma in Business Studies from Barrow College of Further Education, also in the UK. On his return to Nigeria, he was faced with a frailing economy plagued with unemployment, a political dispensation that was fragile due to ethnic suspicion, accompanied by a structural adjustment program that had an adverse impact on the economy at the time. His intuition ignited his desire to venture into the oil and gas business, given that he is from an oil-rich region where major activities in the industry are carried out.

His first contract in 1987 from Shell Petroleum Development Company was the springboard that launched him into prominence in the industry as he executed the contract, valued at N150 to standard. From there, he never looked back as he built a legacy of over 33 years in the oil and gas industry. Through the years, he has equipped himself with industry knowledge by embarking on training within and outside Nigeria, enabling him to provide employment, train indigenous engineers, and empower communities through CSR programs.

He is passionate about business, exemplified by his work ethic and the desire to service humanity, which has culminated in a multiplicity of awards from various public and private organizations. He is a Fellow of the African Business School, Crown Ambassador of Peace International, Justice of Peace and Ambassador for peace, inter-religious and international federation for world peace

Strategy that has kept Craymond Nigeria Limited relevant in the Nigeria oil and gas industry

My keenness for hard work, resilience from setbacks, high intuition in talent recognition, and commitment to human capital development has immensely influenced my career. 

Having a keen sense of competitiveness in procurement and engineering and embracing the highest standards in quality assurance and quality control in timely service delivery has kept us going through the years. We don’t compromise on quality.

Range of services offered by Craymond Nigeria Limited and major clients 

Our competencies include but are not limited to civil works, electrical works and instrumentation, mechanical works, deep water welding, procurement, facilities management, manpower supply, and perimeter welded mesh fencing. The clients we provide exquisite services to are Shell Petroleum Development Company, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Halliburton, Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), as well as State and Federal Governments.

Impact on the economy as a stakeholder in the Oil and Gas Industry

Our impact on the public sector has been varied. I have served the State Government in the Bureau of Public Procurement for four years. We are avid proponents of Corporate Social Responsibility, which translates into furnishing secondary schools in my community and providing scholarships for indigent people in my contract areas and my community.

In the private sector, we have been able to employ Nigerians and reward them with income consistently. We are ardent exponents of technology transfer, where our foreign partners are required to train our indigenous staff. We also undertake training of Nigerian personnel. Our trainees have successfully gone to work for many companies in the Oil and Gas Industry. 

On reviving the Nigerian economy

Openness and transparency in all facets of our dealings to stymied nepotism, corruption, and mediocrity, huge investments in Human Capital Development, educating youths in skills acquisition, and foreign partnerships to help execute research and development as it uniquely affects us. Emphasis on Agricultural development to foster food security and create processing and storage businesses. Provision of credit for all scales of farmers and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises to drive rapid economic growth. Enhancement of productivity and efficiency by the divestment of government from critical sectors such as railways, oil refinery, and civil aviation. Revamping our energy sector to achieve an efficient mix of thermal, solar, hydro, and wind energy to become the bedrock of our industrial development.

Why Nigerians need procurement management literacy to cope with current economic reality, by Aliyu

Alhaji M.J Aliyu is the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN). He is a supply chain management professional, procurement management consultant and academician.

With a wealth of years in public, private and institutional administration, among others, Aliyu carries the gospel of purchasing and supply management and its contribution and importance to businesses and national economic development.

In this interview in response to his Recognition as one of “Nigeria’s Most Inspiring and Definitive Top CEOs In Nigeria”, by The Guardian, Alhaji Aliyu spoke about his career journey, professionalism in Nigeria’s procurement policy and procedurethe mandate of  CIPSMN and its contribution to the nation’s economic development, the milestones that the Institute has accomplished in recent years, amongst other sundry issues. Excerpts ….

What does the Practice of Procurement and Supply Chain Management entail?

Procurement and supply chain management is the profession charged with fulfilling the social welfare mandate to provide the right quality materials, supplies, works and services to support operations management and production in both public and private.

The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN), was founded on June 28, 1974, under the name Nigerian Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management, it was duly registered as a corporate body on March 31, 1984, and became chartered by an Act of Parliament 21 of April 30, 2007. 

The uniqueness of the institute is captured in its motto which is: “Value for Money”. Value for money simply means an economic and commercial concept which we relate and deal individually and collectively on daily basis knowingly or unknowingly.

The institute is a place where useful learning, character building and procurement professionals are developed for both public and private sector organisations of Nigeria for wise-spend management. It also entails strategic decision-making as regards the utilisation of resources of materials, supplies, works, and services cum directing organisations, parastatals, and government entities, on how to develop professional standards and best practices.

As a leader, what strategies have you adopted in expanding your Institute’s portfolio?

The most powerful secret in creating a great organisation is having every single person think and plan strategically and commonly about the future development, growth and meaning of success cum how it is achieved with superior knowledge. Therefore, whatever may be done by anybody saddled with the responsibility to lead is to be aware that nothing affects the success or failure of a business enterprise more than how well the direction of the business or government organisation is set. 

Furthermore, a leader should led by example and let the followers understand why they should be committed and strategically map out how things should be done to the advantage of their organisation that is, he has to carry everybody along. This is a well recognized dictum that has been guiding me in piloting the affairs of this institute.

Meanwhile, enough has been written and said already on a theoretical part of the leadership and follower ship and a number of macro and micro economic and leadership associated with activities are available to explain the concepts of why, what, when, where and how leaders and followers should be using a numerous studies, dealing on most complex and critical formulations and computations to find the answers to some of these basic question like why there are many problems facing our dear country? What causes it?. In other words, a lot of Nigerians have challenged the leadership situation in our country, people were talking but no one was doing anything.

Right from the onset, I realised that the Institute required radical transformation and I identified all the above factors and actions, which securing the charter status was one of them. Thank God we got Act 21 of 2007 because we all know that procurement is an essential aspect of any economy as it plays a vital role in the smoothing functioning of businesses, government and all organisations in general from obtaining right quality goods and services to managing supply chains, procurement encompasses every process involve in acquiring resources to support company’s operations. As such, understanding the costs and benefit of procurement is crucial for business owners, managers, government, economics and many more. I believe that procurement and supply chain management hold the answer to Nigeria’s challenges. We lack high quality personnel and government genuine support in implementing necessary procurement policy and procedures in Nigeria. For example, the public procurement Act 14 of 2007. Therefore, an efficient procurement system is one of the per-conditions for economic and social development which has been a dream at CIPSMN.

What makes your organisation unique to Nigeria’s corporate industry?

The heightened need for talents in the art and science of procurement management is to some degree what every nation including Nigeria should strive to meet in this age because procurement is an independent function of government for several reasons. As such the institute is not only unique but imperative to Nigeria’s corporate industry. Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has yet to fully appreciate what efficient and effective procurement is all about. That is why no adequate attention is paid to the art and science of procurement and supply chain management.

Procurement is very crucial to the development of any nation and its organisation as it is responsible for providing the right quality materials needed for operations management or production, while at the same time focusing on cutting costs and improving stock management, which makes it a key player in managing the company’s profitability and reducing government operational costs.

In today’s demanding environment, cost reduction and quality are paramount, and the institute has a high level of achievement measured against all manner of quality benchmarks as regards control mechanisms such as procurement audit, excellent training, research, value for money, efficient procurement planning, budget implementation among others. 

I was particularly pleased to see that many national newspapers and objective observers hailing the CIPSMN as ‘unsurpassed in the modern professional sector ‘while the general public who knows the value of efficient procurement rated our institute as the best to help the country combat corruption since corruption are mostly perpetuated in the process of purchasing that prices are inflated, goods are improperly stored by unprofessional and fraudulently issued. To drag the point more, some government officials will steal government property and resell to the same government. Good examples are Power Holding Company, the defunct Nitel among others. Meters, cables, and so on cannot be used by any person or organisation other than power holding company and NITEL but this things are being stolen on daily basis and sold to the same organization. With a procurement sound policy and procedure in place with the recognition the role of the procurement professional, if you steal government property, you won’t find a buyer. A competent procurement professional will not allow it.

Pre-shipment inspection is another area where the government needs trained procurement professional to handle. How proper is it to ask someone who is not a Nigerian in another country to inspect goods coming to Nigeria? It is abnormal and indeed unethical. Our procurement professionals must be involved in pre-shipment inspection in other to protect the government and the people from goods that will give us little or no value at all. This is why the World Bank and other donor agencies are seriously interested in procurement activities of developing countries because they know that so much is lost through procurement systems handled by unprofessional. Therefore, all professional in Nigeria should rise up to help government with uncontaminated mind in rendering such services.

CIPSMN has continued to raise the bar of excellence through the numerous services it renders, can you highlight some of these?

Procurement professionals are trained in efficient and effective resource management to the best advantage of any nation or organisation. One of our success stories is our ability to train professionals to have access to global procurement and markets vital to national economic and business growth. The institute develops good partnerships with strong and recognised reputable organizations nationally and internationally for best practices. One of them is with the military on capacity building. We also have a robust relationship with the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management (IFPSM) and the Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN) as regards research, capacity building, and innovation among others. We have been developing Nigerian procurement professionals for the economy of our great country. 

With your wealth of experience what is your advice to the government and Nigeria on the way forward based on numerous challenges facing the county?

Firstly, there is need for the general agreement among contemporary Nigerians to transform and build this country from underdeveloped erstwhile colony to a modern society that is well endowed professionally, technically, efficiently, earthly resourceful and economically self reliant nation that can rule the world.

That the envisaged exercise (of transformation and sound building) of our dear country, is feasible because of Nigeria’s rich endowment of abundant natural resources and her articulate citizenry. That the science of procurement and supply chain cum technology is supposed to promote the crucial leverage for the desired transformation and that no country is intrinsically more endowed than others with the ability to make professionalism and technological advancement. Rather, that what is achieved in this field usually depends on inputs in terms of research, sound materials resources management, supplies, works, services, human capacity building and financial resources of big magnitude and direction of such investment by any country is itself a function of the national leadership and its ideological option.

That most governments of developing countries accept the responsibility of creating sound welfare for their citizens why is Nigeria, neglecting this aspect in our development agenda?

That social and procurement policy should not only exist on paper, but must be properly implemented because there are social and procurement problems to be solved. And, similarly, there are structural and attitudinal characteristics that need to be changed. It is also because social procurement development is imperative to the goal of improving the elements of the people.’  

That we often think of great battles as having been won by superior strategy or weaponry. Often, however, the greatest battles are decided by a much more mundane and superior factor which, is efficient and effective procurement and supply chain management activities.

That since procurement and supply management controls a large percentage of the budget and expenditure of many firms or government according to many authorities and studies (75-80% in many cases),this in itself is a valid reason for government at all levels having highly trained and certified procurement professionals as personnel, to handle the country’s procurement acquisition process and contract management functions.

That experienced and well trained procurement professional can find a dozen or more areas other than price to negotiate. When it comes to negotiating contract as part of your work, getting it wrong could cost any nation millions of in losses. Therefore, trained and certified procurement professional will look for all types of advantageous things, to help out in their negotiations, purchases, keeping overall cost as low as possible. They will keep cost of purchased items to an absolute minimum, if each item is properly, professionally and knowledgeably handled.

Take note that any clerk can write a purchase order, but it takes a skilled certified procurement person to frame the order so that, it can reduce the real cost to the lowest point consistence with quality, availability, economy and all other factors involved. All these hold through for government at all levels, and nonprofit organization, as well as profit making firms cum religion organisation. The federal government has for most part, neglected procurement profession therefore, intellectually discerning and highly trained professional procurement personnel are needed now with the situation of things in Nigeria. 

That it must also be realised from the World Bank Study popularly referred to as Country Procurement Assessment Report (CPAR), Public Procurement Act 14 of 2007, CIPSMN Act 21 of 2007 and Presidential Executive Order Five (5) of 2018, are the priority of priorities in the present scheme of things in Nigeria. If we are to attain the desired goals on a national basis, we must continually monitor the performance and the problems of Nigeria procurement and supply chain management. It is only on hard facts and information base on such monitoring that adequate budget planning, implemented, procurement planning policies and procedure sector can be based upon.

Finally, nothing can help the promotion of transparency, probity, accountability, and corruption- free society more than PROCUREMENT POLICY PROCEDURE AND PROFESSIONALISM. As a result the position of Director General of Public Procurement cannot be occupied other than certified procurement professional as it is done in accounting, surveyor general and so on.

CIPSMN believes that if those of us in a position to provide the needed information for the planning of procurement and supply chain management do not do so promptly, other people who may not have appropriate data, knowledge and background, in a genuine attempt or otherwise to fill the gap may provide less adequate information which, may be counterproductive in the development of any sector. A good example is the recent appeal made “Contractors Association of Nigeria (CAN) through a news paper publication on the Daily Trust Newspaper of 7th August, 2023 suggesting to the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria to appoint an Engineers as the Director General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP). The question we need to ask ourselves is that are we talking of procurement and supply chain management or engineering?

This interview should, be viewed with an understanding that, it’s providing appropriate and prompt information necessary for Mr. President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to rescue public procurement system so that, certified procurement professionals are saddled with such an important national assignment for purpose of versatility, competency, reliability, maintaining ethical standard, professionalism and upholding the value for money principle in all acquisition processes.

The critical nature of procurement and supply chain management in Nigeria today, needs a rethink because; it is a big business in today’s economy and national development. Indeed it plays a pivotal role worldwide and the world has become a global village primarily because, of the role played by procurement and supply chain management in economic development of any nation not only Nigeria. Procurement and supply chain role of negotiation, acquisition of materials and goods, storage, movement, handling and distribution of goods to final user and above all concern about green level compliance, which is an environmental requirement in the disposal of unserviceable materials appropriately, is sufficient enough to explain its significant importance and also how it serves the bottom line of the business entity and good governance in particular. 

It is worth nothing that this is not so with Nigerian public or private organisations, therefore this implies that all business entities whether public or private or individual are affected by the role of procurement and supply chain management. Meanwhile enough had been written already on the theoretical part of the procurement and supply chain management as regards, trade, national development and a number of micro and macro economic theories of procurement and supply chain management cum associated activities that are available which thus, explains What, Why, When, and How the trade activities (buying and selling using numerous empirical studies and deviling on most complex and critical formulation and computation)is used to find the answers to some basic questions; like why there is procurement and supply chain management, what causes it to happen, what depresses it not to happen, what will happen if this, are wrongly carried out? What was the past and what is the present situation, where is it heading and in what direction in future?

This theoretical aspect looks good for the academicians but, for a practical person (government in particular) who participate on the day to day real life operational basis there, are certain other considerations for viewing the global trend as regard, buying and selling (trade) as a continuing phenomenon.There are certain operational fundamentals based on logic and experience. These are the perceptions based on common sense and causes that always produce results. Perceptions because, he perceives and assumes them to be true without applying any logical reasoning or marketing laws but, take them to be true, commonsense because the one who ventures in the overseas (or domestic) markets experiences them as very basic of ground rules whether applied in the overseas trade or domestic trade, because when applied to business practice they tend to produce results.

Given the peculiarities of the Nigerian business environment, what are the challenges faced in your sector and how have you been able to overcome those challenges as an organisation?

The major challenge is incompetent and uncertified personnel handling procurement and supply chain management organisations. This can be attributed to a non-recognition of the procurement profession in Nigeria and yet it controls 70-80 percent of the total budget of any nation

In Nigeria, some people think that storekeeping, warehousing, purchasing, procurement and supply chain management is a job to be handled by anybody and that is why corruption and wastage of resources are so rampant. People should keep to their core competence area.

The biggest challenge centered on non-recognition of the procurement profession in Nigeria and yet procurement controls 70-80 percent of the total budget of any nation. Procurement plays an essential role in global trade and international business and yet professionals in that sector in Nigeria are not given enough recognition in the scheme of things as regard budget preparation, purchase of electoral materials and distribution of it and many more. This is why so many of our government officials face problem after their tenure and EFCC pursue them. For example, Late Ochuba Okadigbo the former senate president, Emefiele the former governor of Central Bank among others failed due to non involvement of chartered procurement professionals for technical advice. 

The non-implementation of Public Procurement Act 14 of 2007 and the non compliance of the Act 21 of 2007 which established CIPSMN is another big problem and above all everybody claimed to be procurement professionals without the knowledge particularly sector specialists are the most in this direction. In this case, is there any profession that doesn’t have owner? The answer is capital ‘NO’.  Who will bell the cat? And as such people should be proud of their colour by keeping to their core competence area.

What are the most important lessons that have helped shape your career as CIPSMN CEO?

My primary purpose today is to help in the professionalisation of procurement business in all types of organisations through effective training. As a person in charge of the helm of affairs, you will be required to think critically all the time. My journey started when the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos appointed me as chairman caretaker committee comprised of four members, to look at the affairs of the institute as a result of the aggrieved members that instituted a court case against the then 1999 Executives. 

After that, I got the institute chartered in 2007 and was made president for four years. At the expiration of my tenure, members insisted I should not go and appointed me as the Registrar/CEO. From the foregoing, I can categorically state that the most important lesson I have learnt is honesty, hard work, integrity, service to humanity and much more pay handsomely with good dividends.

What are the next steps for CIPSMN?

Professional associations can make a lot of contributions to the development of Nigeria if given the opportunity particularly procurement professionals as regards procurement planning, budget implementation and contract management. 

The role of professional association to mankind in general cannot be over emphasised when it comes to national development and good governance. Our country Nigeria and the people who work within are under serious attacks on daily basis from the banditry, kidnapping and many other challenges being witnessed such as corruption and waste in high places. The institute looks forward to collaborating with other professional associations to establish the concept of promoting good governance as regards efficient service delivery to the citizenry.

The guardian newspaper congratulates you on your recent conferment as a professor by the senate of international entrepreneurship university of America recently, how do you feel becoming a professor?

Promotion to such a position is the highest rank someone can attain when one is practising as an academician and professional in his or her chosen career. It is usually conferred on those who are hardworking and distinguished themselves academically and professionally in the practice, so I feel fulfilled. 

Ogundimu Accentuates Good Leadership, Local Content, As Key To Economic Growth

Established in 1993, Delog Nigeria Limited has through astute management team grown in leaps and bounds to establish subsidiaries in other sectors of the economy. With Barrister Oludele Ogundimu as the Managing Director and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) the labour outsourcing company has engage over 7000 workers that provide effective and efficient services in notable companies in Nigeria.
Not a party to compromising the health of its workers, the company in not too long a time added health insurance (Delog Medical Limited) and logistics outfit to its services.
Apart from extending his services to other sectors of the economy, Delog Nigeria Limited is also deep in youths employment and empowerment, using avenues to raise young and vibrant Nigerians that would not only engage in meaningful source of income, but would be the pivot of the nation’s economic growth.
For this laudable goal, Barrister Ogundimu has received many awards and recognition for his intervention in Lagos State. Amongst them are:
● Lagos Mainland Local Government Education Authority,
In recognition of his support for the youth in Lagos Mainland.
● An award for stewardship as A Corporate Member of Nigerian Institute of Safety professionals.
And in recognition of working over 1, 000,000 man-hour without injury or incident for Nigeria Mid-Africa Strategic Business Unit. (Annual Contractor Safety Forum-2011.

Reflecting on how he came into the business, the barrister said it all began from his childhood, where he hated seeing sad people around him. Growing up he ventured into an organisation that manages people in every aspect of life.
“We are into manpower or labour outsourcing; obviously, it goes beyond the complete management of people or just being a paymaster, but to dealing with the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of human beings.
“To break it down in our language as a labour outsourcing vendor, we say, it includes health, safety, and the environment. Meaning, the health of our workers, the overall safety of people doing the job and the enabling environment are key. Anyone coming into this profession must love humanity. Our slogan is “service to humanity.” I love seeing people happy. I don’t like to see sad people or problem-overwhelmed people right from my childhood, while in the primary school till date. I cherish relationships and like keeping to simple agreements. It is worthy of note that, it is ridiculous to have equipment worth millions of naira being operated by disgruntled or sad workers. For me, love for humanity is my unique selling point in this profession,” he said.
Taking a close look at the level of professionalism in the nation’s workforce and government’s preparedness to reposition the country for economic growth and development, the University of Ado Ekiti and Lagos Business School graduate noted that for there to be the required professionals in the nation’s workforce in any sector, there must be a well designed template, which will be properly followed, saying people most times wonder how his management team has been able to manage its huge workforce that spread across notable factories and industries in country, without knowing that the company’s key index is the template .
According to him, the template determines production capacity, the required manpower need and the necessary safety compliance for good production. Bringing this to governance, he noted that running Nigeria is a big task with the way we manage manpower and resources, adding that the situation in Nigeria is complex, as people in government are often distracted and never respect or honour templates.
Ogundimu observed that Nigerian government would set regulations for industries and businesses, but its officials will never keep to it even on matters touching government, stressing that If any state government can operate like Chevron, Chivita or any of the multinationals, the result will be amazing. He urged government at all levels to have templates for cleaning / waste management, fixing bad roads at specific periods, assigned securities to designated black spots, ensuring street lights are managed by a sustainable system, and capturing local-level supervisors in communities to oversee government facilities and manage them.
Drawing examples from his company, the human capital development manager said his company’s supervisors know very well that Delog Nigeria does not joke with timing, effective reporting, safety report, and prompt solutions to workers’ needs, while on the job; in fact, we have means by which every top-level manager can participate in online production on a minute-by-minute basis, and through this, any lapses can be covered. He looks forward to seeing those in public governance to do the needful.
Worried about how to fix the human capital challenge in the public and private sectors, Delog Nigeria headman revealed that the setup in the private sector is very different from the one in the public sector, saying in their recruitment processes, private sectors do not wish to employ workers from the public sector, but it is always a big plus each time public sector recruits from the private sector, saying it is disheartening that such professionals do not always stay with the public sector because they are not use to bureaucracies and undue delay in policy implementation.
According to him, for government to fast-track economic growth, it has to cascade the ministries like private companies with targets on results and profit, and also be ready to employ highly cerebral staff in their different areas of competence. As part of the solutions, the barrister noted that there is nothing wrong for the Ministry of Health to run two levels of hospitals —profit-generating hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment, and people support hospitals, saying this model can be extended to other ministries, especially as people are ready to pay for quality services if properly managed by government.

Frowning at the nation’s reliance on foreigners for content, Ogundimu divulge that to grow our local economy, government must encourage local content providers. One of the ways to do this, he noted, is for the federal and state governments to be flexible and be ready to give support to local content creators in any field.
“There should be flexible policies to enable local content strive. Let us use the Enterprises Promotion Act of Obasanjo’s regime from 1976 -1978, as a case study. So many businesses were deliberately taken from Asians and, today, it has affected many people. I understand that highly technical sectors like aviation, machine fabrication and oil drilling require foreign participation, but government should first reach out to its citizens before giving out the contracts to foreigners. There is also the possibility of government creating partnerships with the locals and foreigners, and giving a set time for the locals to take over,” he said.
Delog Nigeria chief enjoined government to begin to think on how to grow our economy by investing in other countries too, saying a country with weak exports like Nigeria can think outside the box by investing in foreign countries and repatriating the hard currency back to Nigeria.
“So what is wrong if local, state, and federal governments show interest in attracting foreign investors to the nation and simultaneously invest overseas and bring in foreign currencies? People are leaving Nigeria because they want to go abroad and repatriate hard currencies; so, why not the government? I am of the opinion that the principles required for successful organisational operations should also be applicable in running a nation,” he said.

Harping on the need to improve the economy, Ogundimu noted that the difference between an upward-moving economy and a downward-moving economy is a question of the stability of the political structure and the experience of the leadership.
According to him, our experience in Nigeria has been toxic and always full of doubts, as we are often surrounded by a plethora of problems, saying the hopes and aspirations of the citizens are always shattered in every political dispensation.
Nigeria, as a religious nation, he noted, has witnessed so many revival prayers for the country, but no tangible results, and many have lost faith, stressing that Nigeria is not a cursed nation as some spiritual fathers often portray.
“To solve macro problems, you need experience in solving micro problems. If we look into the demise of some big corporations and the success of some big ones, it is all about the experience of the leadership. If you cannot solve ordinary management crises or local community problems, on what ground can you solve macro problems in Nigeria?
“It will be in our best interest to bridge the gap because as organisation grows it delegate new responsibilities to subordinates. If Nigeria can have one President and three or more Vice Presidents with one Vice President coming from each of the regions (i.e. North, South, West, and East) and stays as the Presidential Liaison Officers in the regions, the frustration of geographical displacement would be tackled. This will enhance super development for each region,” he said.
Underscoring the importance of leadership, Barrister Ogundimu emphasised that the role of a leader is very important in any organisation because the leader is a planner, adding that planning for short- term, mid-term, and long-term is a key prerequisite for achieving goals.
“The role of any leader is that of trust. A leader is not representing their interests, but the overall goals of their organisation, corporate or national goals. Just be rest assured that no result should be expected if otherwise,” he stated.
On his latest innovation to human capital development, Ogundimu revealed how Delog Nigeria solved the key problems affecting workers, adding that when it started, they relied heavily on other service providers like Health Management Organization (HMO) to ensure workers have good healthcare, but this failed his organisation and they established an independent HMO to give personal health service to its workers and that as the number of workers is growing, Delog services has to branch into haulage and trucking, aside from the ongoing production in different factories.
He revealed that his organisation had to create subsidiaries to help tackle its complex challenges.

OLAKUNLE WILLIAMS: Uplifting Businesses With Clean, Cost-Effective, Sustainable Energy Solutions 

Olakunle Williams is the CEO, Tetracore Energy Limited – an integrated energy solutions provider with a robust and increasing energy portfolio (natural gas and power delivery) across the energy landscape in Nigeria and a growing footprint within the African continent. Williams is committed to deliver clean, cost effective and sustainable energy solutions for power, commercial and industrial sectors within the Nigerian Clime and the African Continent through Tetracore.

Strategies in expanding Tetracore portfolio

Tetracore’s initiatives and business model is centred around the provision of sustainable energy solutions that enable the decarbonisation of the country’s energy sector, through Natural Gas adoption in line with Nigeria’s ‘Decade of Gas’ initiative, and its commitment to reach Net Zero by 2060. Tetracore’s gas supply portfolio already supports 13 industries and growing, aiding industrialisation, employment, and GDP growth while advancing decarbonisation.  

Tetracore’s strategy also supports electricity generation in the country. Its collaboration with NDPHC (Niger Delta Power Holding Company) for the supply of natural gas that supports about 34 per cent power generated to the national grid. 

Expanding its successful strategy across Africa, Tetracore signed an agreement with Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbon to deliver natural gas to its domestic market, with plans to further increase supply over time.  

Leveraging its innovative successes in Nigeria, Tetracore Ghana was issued the first ever Virtual Pipeline license, an innovative way to deliver Natural Gas to infrastructurally stranded customers.

Tetracore’s unique identifier as an energy solution provider 

We have achieved significant success in implementing energy projects in Nigeria. Our main goal has been and continues to be to provide clean, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions to our customers. We have a strong track record delivering uninterrupted energy solutions, with a Zero supply downtime so far and are dedicated to excellence in our operations and maintenance services. We have shown a lot of resilience in the energy space in the time we have been around, and we have done a lot of “firsts” even as a young organisation.  For example, we were one of the first companies to operationalise the Nigeria Network Code and were also among the first companies to deploy an indigenously designed and assembled Pressure Regulation and Metering System. 

We are proudly working towards being Africa’s most preferred energy solution provider, offering customized solutions, technical expertise, portfolio management, and efficient project delivery at cost-effective prices.

Excellent services

At Tetracore Group, we maintain a midstream-downstream distribution and trading gas portfolio that supplies Piped Natural Gas “PNG” to industrial cluster and power plants. As we expand our portfolio, we are broadening our scope with our Energy Hub project in Ijebu, Ogun State, which will house a 25MMscfd Gas Delivery Facility, a 6.1MMscfd Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) facility and our 10MMscfd Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility. 

We have also made some inroad into the Midstream and the Upstream sector of the industry with investments made toward acquiring a 200MMscfd gas processing facility and a gas-rich asset to further support our downstream business and expansion aspirations. Tetracore also offers both on grid and off grid power solutions (gas to power, and renewables) within the embedded, captive, and bilateral framework. 

Overcoming challenges in Energy sector

Nigeria is a country with abundant energy resource with over 37 billion barrels of proven oil and over 209 Tcf of proven gas reserves. However, the country remains energy poor and 43 per cent of Nigerians live with no access to electricity, while an even larger share of the population continues to rely on expensive and polluting sources of energy. The energy sector has faced several challenges over the years that has impacted its development with issues ranging from insufficient gas infrastructure, policy deficit issues, crude theft, pipeline vandalism and inadequate electricity supply.

We’ve made strategic investments in natural gas infrastructure to boost supply and support industrialisation. By unlocking below market rate, we deliver competitive pricing. Our infrastructure investments have brought online new pipeline capacity, storage facilities, and vital interconnects, strengthening reliability and affordability. 

No single company can tackle the intricacies of the energy system alone. Tetracore cultivates partnerships across the industry to collaborate with stakeholders, manufacturers, and experts to find effective solutions. By working together, we can adapt to changing markets and deliver progress.

Guided by a vision to innovate and add value, Tetracore will continue navigating complexities, seizing opportunities to make strategic investments that meet the nation’s growing energy needs.

Lessons that reshaped Williams’ career

Some few lessons have been instrumental in shaping my career as a CEO in the energy sector and help me navigate the complexities of the industry and work towards the success of the company. They are; Having a clear vision for the company’s future and a well-defined strategic plan is essential. It helps set long-term goals and align the company toward its vision.

The energy industry is constantly evolving. Being adaptable, agile, nimble, and open to change is crucial to stay relevant and seize to new opportunities and overcome challenges.

Building a strong, diverse, and capable team is fundamental. A successful company relies on the talent and dedication of its employees. Building positive relationships with stakeholders, is key to long-term and sustainable success.

Next steps for Tetracore Energy Group

Tetracore as an integrated company intends to play across the entire value chain, and we are working towards that goal daily. We also intend to increase our footprint across and replicate our success here in Nigeria, across the Africa continent. 

Along with the growth of its portfolio, Tetracore Energy is leading the conversion of automobiles to utilise Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel. In support of the government’s Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative, we are establishing a CNG modular plant to enable increased penetration and utilisation of CNG within the domestic market, especially for the automobile/transportation industry.

The new Electricity Act has opened various opportunities in the Nigerian power sector to offer various off-grid power solutions- captive and embedded generation framework to increase capacity, improve access to electricity, and stimulate economic growth.

TEMITOPE FAYOSE: Astute Real Estate Entrepreneur, Providing Affordable Housing, Putting Smiles On People’s Faces, Through Blue Mool

Mr. Temitope Ayodele Fayose, the Managing Director, Blue Mool Limited, is a seasoned and astute professional with over 15 years’ experience in the Construction and Engineering Industry. A graduate of Civil Engineering from Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, he is driven by his passion to provide quality and precise engineering solutions for everyone, locally and internationally. Fayose has worked in several technical, managerial and operational positions to help actualize organizational vision and objectives. He is Member of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), and a visionary, goal getter, pace-setter and a leader, who has built an enviable professional career for himself over the years. 

His company, Blue Mool Limited, is a renowned Engineering company, specializing in Real estate development, Civil Engineering and Procurement. Over the years, the company has evolved into one of the leading real estate development companies with expertise in design, Construction, Project Management, Supervision, Quality assurance and development of commercial, Institutional and mixed projects. 

Since its founding in 2017, Blue Mool has built a proud tradition of superior technical expertise and unsurpassed customer service. With deep roots and excellent reputation in the construction industry for quality work and loyalty to its clientele, the company’s services cut across the Oil & Gas, Engineering, Agricultural, Telecommunication & Energy sectors. 

With a team of highly-skilled professionals, Blue Mool offers world class designs that sooth diverse clients’ taste and lifestyle and the company’s architectural and interior designs are world class with state-of-art materials. Bluemool operates within the commercial, retail and residential property segment with designs that are borne out of inspiration to give clients the comfort, bliss, serenity and lifestyle they desire. 

In addition to design Blue Mool is a fully functional and operational engineering and construction company providing specialized Engineering services which cuts across construction, Maintenance and supply to Real Estates, Government, industrial and the oil and Gas industry. Also, the company offers world class real estate services, we build develop and sell classic housing facilities that soothe taste. 

Concerning his greatest passion and drive that has propelled him, he said is about excellence, precision and detailing. In his words, “This is one of the key factors that has helped us stand tall in the industry. The uniqueness of our designs cannot be marched.” 

He noted that “As one of Nigeria’s leading organizations in engineering/construction/real estate sector, we are fully aware of the huge housing deficit globally: particularly in Nigeria and efforts by government and other organized bodies including unions through various platforms like co-operative societies to address this very important need. Blue Mool is abreast with strategic ideas and resource to successfully address this issue with the right partnership approach with all relevant bodies including regulatory agencies and financial institutions for the benefits of the subscribers.

Our promise is to maintain standard at all through our development process and strive to 1000 housing units annually. At Blue Mool, our operations are very dynamic and systemic. We don’t just do things anyhow. We have a team of highly trained and seasoned professionals who understand the organizational vision, goals and objectives. For every project, we clearly map out strategies during the plan stage before we implement and execute. Our creative designs and clientele base are a proof of Blue Mool Limited’s professionalism” 

Fayose added that “We have so many innovative projects that have been implemented. But I will talk more about our current development. We are presently working on one of our major developments in Lagos “ITE CITY” which is situated in a self-sustaining environment at Monastery Road, Sangotedo. The objective of this project is to bridge the gap in housing deficit in Lagos and Nigeria at large by providing affordable luxury with a blend of contemporary designs and feel (Infusing the Western culture, style & trends). This project will attract foreign invest for Lagos state, create employment opportunities and also decentralize Lagos urban areas. A city powered by clean and renewable energy.”

A company with vast experience and capacity technically and financially to make a bold statement in delivering bespoke designs in affordable and luxury homes in Africa. We do not comprise standards, Our Integrity speaks.

Over a decade, I have been fully involved in the real estate development sector from the conception, design and implementation to financing with numerous projects to showcase for the strides achieved over the years across West Africa putting smiles on many faces through affordable housing provision.

In his opinion as a key practitioner and stakeholder, he pointed out that “For us to create a sustainable and business friendly economy, the government should implement policies that protects the interest of business owners, stabilize inflation by investing more in production than importation, restructure Mortgage, give grants to business owners and startups and build better infrastructure.” 

Speaking on the toughest decision he ever made, he noted that “leaving everything behind and starting my own company. It took a lot of sacrifice, resilience and hard work. Lesson Learnt – Do not share your dream with people that cannot walk the vision with you. Stay away from people with negative and “Impossibility” mindset. They will drag you back and kill your dream.”

In attestation to his resourcefulness and versatility, Temitope Fayose, the integrity-driven professional with experience in multiple sectors has won multiple awards and recognised by diverse bodies and institutions of repute. These include: 2022 Business Excellence Award in Real Estate Development, by Grand Nigeria Business Awards; CAGAI AMBASSADOR, National Leadership Award, by Convention Against Gender Abuse Initiative; Certificate of Honor, by Democratic Youth Assembly of Nigeria DYAN 2023; National Outstanding Leadership Award, by Congress of Nigeria Youth (CONYO); Icon of societal development Award, by National Association of Northern Nigeria students (NANNS), amongst others.

For Nigeria to create many more award-winning Chief Executives and sustained economic prosperity, Fayose advised that “young entrepreneurs should stay committed to their vision, persevere, be dedicated and also build a good team. The road to success and excellence is not easy especially in a country like ours but you should remain focused.”

SEGUN LAWSON: Highly Resourceful Investor of International Repute, Nigeria’s Mining Guru with Midas’ Touch

He is a resourceful investor, an administrator of international repute and a go-getter whose life of integrity and hard work is worth emulating Mr. Segun Lawson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Thor Explorations Limited, has distinguished himself as an expert endowed with the intellectual prowess capable of effecting a positive transformation in the Mining sector of the country. This is evident in the giant strides of Thor Explorations Limited, a low-cost gold producer with a prospective portfolio of gold exploration projects in West Africa.

He has led Thor Explorations Limited growth, overseeing the transition from a grassroots explorer to becoming Nigeria’s first large-scale commercial gold producer and continues to lead Thor as it grows in West Africa and as a first mover in Nigeria. In this exclusive interview with Tijani-Alabi Fatai, the Thor Explorations boss speaks on the company’s exploits, challenges, future aspirations amongst others. Excerpts…

What do you believe sets Thor Explorations apart from other companies in the mining industry, particularly in relation to the Segilola Gold Project?

What sets Thor apart in the Nigerian mining sector, is that being the owner and operator of Nigeria’s first commercial-scale gold project, we have a first-mover advantage. This means that we are currently the only company in the country that has overseen a project in all stages; from exploration to development all the way through to production. This provides us with a completely unique perspective that no other mining company in the country has been able to experience thus far.

The Segilola Gold Project is Nigeria’s first gold mine. Can you provide an overview of the project’s significance for both Thor Explorations and Nigeria’s mining sector?

Our first-mover status is not something that we take lightly as a company. Like most things, it has its benefits and disadvantages.  As mentioned previously, we have demonstrated our ability to take a project through all stages, and this is a model that we are aiming to replicate in our other projects, both in Nigeria and elsewhere in West Africa. A disadvantage of this is that we did not have a blueprint to follow when undergoing this process. 

However, our journey in the development of the Segilola Gold Project is hugely significant to other companies in the country who are looking to follow the same path. We have shown that full-scale production is possible in Nigeria, meaning that other companies in the nascent mining sector can learn from our formula in navigating the process. Unlike us, they have a blueprint to follow; and we hope that our story can be the start of exponential growth of the Nigerian Mining sector, something that we believe is long overdue.

What inspired Thor Explorations to invest in the Segilola Gold Project, considering the unique challenges and opportunities in Nigeria’s mining industry?

First and foremost, being Nigerian, I always kept an eye on the Nigerian mining sector, and I knew this project had significant potential. When comparing this project to other projects globally, it was an economically robust, high-grade project with a fast payback, and it had significant exploration potential which meant that the area around it hadn’t been explored. This gave us the unique opportunity as a junior company to come into a country and develop a project, while also hopefully being able to extend the mine life of the project and hopefully make more discoveries in the area. It was particularly attractive because there were no other large-scale gold mines in Nigeria and the ability to develop the first one put us in a unique position as a first mover in the country. 

Could you share insights into the project’s progress, particularly in terms of development, production, and community engagement?

The Segilola project is progressing well. On the production side, we produced 98,000 ounces of gold in our first full year of production, which was well within our guidance for the year.

We engaged with the communities around our site (three host communities) at an early stage – prior to construction. In line with Nigerian regulations, we progressed and signed community development agreements (CDAs) with each host community. The CDA process took 18 months but built knowledge, trust and a good working relationship between our company and community leaders in each village. The final CDAs set out benefits agreed upon based on community suggestions. Nigeria is ahead of the game in West Africa in requiring a CDA from companies and improving transparency between communities and mining companies. The CDA process was invaluable to our project as it enabled us to achieve the social license to operate. 

How do you navigate regulatory and environmental challenges to ensure responsible mining operations in Nigeria?

The environmental and mining regulations both establish the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be completed and attained prior to construction. The EIA sets out emissions standards, establishes a biodiversity baseline, estimates environmental risks, and defines mitigation measures to reduce project risks. Even though our project had EIA approval, we undertook additional environmental baseline surveys (air, water quality, noise, and biodiversity) which we used to inform our design and to generate a more efficient project layout. In embedding mitigation into our design phase, we were able to reduce our mine footprint from 800 ha to around 500 ha –enabling agricultural land to stay in production and reduce erosion, improve water management on site, and maintain clean water resources for host communities and wildlife. Ongoing environmental monitoring also occurs and is shared with the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Solid Minerals. 

Thor Explorations has emphasized sustainability and community development. What specific initiatives or practices does the company implement to meet these goals, particularly in the context of the Segilola Gold Project?

As mentioned, we signed CDAs with our host communities which facilitate community development. Ongoing implementation of mutually and transparently agreed CDAs has realised: Scholarships granted annually to keep vulnerable children in school; 45 local women recipients (annually) of equipment and training improving their livelihoods; 21% of the SROL’s employment being provided by the 3 host communities (more than that agreed in the CDA process); Provided local medical centers with cervical cancer kits, medicines, and free check-ups for community residents; Provided free medical outreach for host communities that included screening and wellness checks, diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions, surgeries as well as laboratory investigations and optical care; Sponsored an annual football competition (for male and female teams); Hosted an annual children’s Christmas party for the host communities; and Constructed markets in 3 host communities. 

Socio-economic benefits: Segilola is proud of its significant local procurement expenditure. Our employment is around 1800 with 21% from host communities and over 90% Nigerian nationals. Five women truck drivers commenced employment this year 2023 – part of SROL’s target to increase female employment. SROL has also provided positions for youths in either internships or through the National Youth Service Corps program. 

Regarding sustainability, SROL has also embedded such practices into our design and operations. From the outset, we proposed to use compressed natural gas (CNG) to replace diesel in our generators after the project started up. This reduced our greenhouse gas (GHG) power emissions by 26% over that generated by diesel. Furthermore, we created more accommodation at the site as well as provided buses for long-haul routes reducing daily transport costs and GHG emissions. Water is also reused at site with water decanted from the tailings dam being reused back into process plant operations. Water from the project’s water storage dam is also used in livelihood restoration projects (fish farms and vegetable farms) for project-affected persons (PAPs). Thor is compiling sustainability reports using international ESG criteria to show continual improvement in sustainability metrics. 

Could you provide information on the technical aspects of the Segilola Gold Project, such as production capacity, processing methods, and exploration plans?

Segilola’s ore production capacity is determined by the Process Plant design which currently is producing at an annualized rate of just more than 1,000,000 tonnes of ore per year whilst the total amount of rock mined is in excess of 22,000,000 tonnes per annum. The gold-bearing ore is treated using tested and worldwide accepted responsible extraction technologies that include gravity and cyanide recovery methods that meet regulatory standards in a way that minimizes the potential environmental impact.

Thor Explorations started, of course, primarily as an exploration company. Exploration activities are focused on providing gold-bearing material to the Segilola processing operation that is in addition to the current resources and reserves, with the objective of increasing the life of mine. The exploration team deploys a strategy comprising geological, geophysical and geochemical prospecting techniques across 1500km2 of the company’s tenure.

Thor’s tenure consists of fifteen exploration licences, both wholly owned and in Joint Venture with partnerships with local partners, within trucking distance of Segilola.

In light of your experience and success with the Segilola Gold Project, do you have plans for expanding your mining operations in Nigeria or other regions?

Thor Explorations started, of course, primarily as an exploration-focused company. We are always exploring to extend the mine life of our flagship Segilola project. We currently have a portfolio of around fifteen gold exploration licenses, both wholly owned and in Joint venture with partnerships with local partners, within trucking distance of Segilola. 

Additionally, as a first mover, we always look to assess economic opportunities in the Nigerian mining sector. We have recently acquired a portfolio of lithium exploration licenses and plan to develop them into viable projects. We also have operations in Senegal, namely the Douta project and we are in early discussions to expand operations elsewhere in West Africa.

Community engagement and social responsibility are integral to mining projects. Could you share some examples of how Thor Explorations has positively impacted the local communities surrounding the Segilola Gold Project?

One of the main focuses, with respect to the Company’s community and CSR activities, has been progressing livelihood restoration programmes (“LRPs”) for Project Affected Persons (“PAPs”) who lost land and/or assets in the Segilola mine footprint. The LRPs are in addition to compensation for land and assets which formed part of an extensive programme prior to the construction phase (in 2019- 2021). Compensation was awarded to landowners and asset owners (crops and trees). To date, SROL has provided over $3.5 million in compensation. Farmers’ cooperatives have been established for all agricultural livelihood restoration projects so that such operations can become self-sufficient over a 12–18-month period.  

How do you envision the future of Nigeria’s mining sector, and what potential opportunities do you see for investors and other industry stakeholders?

I think the Nigerian mining sector has a lot of potential. It’s growing but it’s still in its infancy and it’s going to require a lot of investment. What’s going to drive this investment is the generation of exploration data, which can show viable commercial projects that can be targeted by international investors. I see opportunities across several minerals – precious metals (where we are focused), critical metals (such as lithium) and other rare earth minerals.

WALE OLAOYE: Business Leader, Thought Leader, Private Security Icon
The career trajectory of exceptional business leaders almost always showcases a disruptive flare, that inflexion point where uncommon talent combines with unyielding courage, challenging conventional wisdom to create a paradigm shift of historic proportions.

Such certainly is the astonishing story of Wale Olaoye, Chief Executive Officer, Halogen Security Group, in his meteoric rise to the apex of the private security industry.
While the nation has come to celebrate Wale’s towering stature as a pre- eminent leader within the private security sector in the West African sub region and across global fora, only few would know that on the day he first accepted the offer to join Halogen Security Company Limited as Managing Director, this brave business strategist and extra ordinary transformer had, up to that point, never had any prior training nor even one day experience in security management.
It is a testament to Wale’s entrepreneurial fire and to the fierce hunger and fearlessness of the lions that roar deep within the recesses of his assertive frame, that he has now built Halogen from a mere private guarding concern of barely four thousand operatives into today’s formidable security risk management power house – a much sought after leader-brand that bestrides the Nigerian private security space.
Adjudged Nigeria’s fourth largest employer of labour in a recent study by StatiSense, Halogen’s formidable work force goes beyond the ubiquitous presence of its stiffly uniformed guards across the 36 states of the federation. Helping to resource Halogen’s relentless innovation drive, the company also boasts of hundreds of back office executives and frontline top specialists in diverse fields that range from security risk management experts, ethical hackers & Cyber security specialists, Digital natives, mariners, Electrical & Electronic Engineers. Many of these major in new frontier technologies, IoT enabled remote surveillance systems, software development, Geo political analysis, research and data analytics, etc.

In a nation that is globally acknowledged as the world’s most populous black nation with well over 200m people, Wale’s accomplishment in growing Halogen into such a powerful job creation machine that is providing livelihood to thousands of bread winners is nationally celebrated as a significant feat by this wholly home-grown private security conglomerate.

Of greater significance however, is Wale Olaoye’s accomplishment in transforming Halogen from its modest beginnings as a solely manned guarding company into the sub continent’s security risk management center of excellence, helping provide risk advisory navigation and cutting edge security risk solutions across physical, virtual & IOT led spaces to leading global and local brands, sector leading organizations and governments.
Under his leadership, Halogen Group embarked on deep re-imagining and redesign of its solutions delivery architecture, with the group now leading new thinking and providing post digital economy solutions within wholly owned subsidiaries in Physical Security, Cyber Security, Maritime Security, Electronic Security & Telematics,

Travel Security & Executive Protection, Verifications & Identity Management, Enterprise Security Risk, Policy & Education and defence industry contracting.
Furthermore, under his visionary leadership, Halogen Group has become the go to center for capacity development – for the private security industry as a whole, for various national security agencies, as well as leading enterprises and youth who desire a career in security risk management and advisory. Its Academy Halogen runs top notch professional certification programs majoring in technology and security management up to MBA level.

Today, under Olaoye’s leadership, Halogen Group has become a leading cyber security training hub, joining forces with the Federal Government in 2022, to provide introductory training in the foundational modules of CyberSecurity to seventy thousand Nigerian youths.
Driven by his vision and leadership, Halogen Group has built a deep technology backbone, enabling the nation’s first comprehensive emergency response platform, incorporating, in partnership with external collaborators, seamless access to emergency response across medical and physical security emergencies.

In a nation that has recently faced spiraling security volatilities, mostly by non-state actors, Wale provided the leadership that saw the creation of Halogen’s intel and security analytics center. Housed within Halogen Group’s Security Advisory & Consulting division, Halogen’s security intelligence machine now produces a host of intel solutions ranging from real time security alerts to in-depth, research-led and evidence-based security navigation publications for enterprises and national leaders across civil government and the national security apparatus.\
He is quick to tell enquirers that the Halogen of his ultimate dream is still far from accomplished. With the endless possibilities that a new post digital era promises, it is perhaps understandable that despite his nationally celebrated accomplishments building Halogen Group into the end-to-end security risk management behemoth that it is today, Wale is freshly possessed of ferocious ambition, with lazer beam focus on helping Halogen achieve exponential growth, through leveraging new, future forward thinking and post digital economy success and dominance.
Despite his meek assertion that Halogen is still far from attaining its vision, industry watchers agree that he is a consummate enterprise security risk management & organizational resilience professional.

Wale is committed to the transformation of private security’s value and impact on economic development and national security. His professional experience spans 30 years across four continents with extensive capacity and influence to resource globally.
His leadership has driven Halogen’s focus on a relentless pursuit of superior performance with stringent quality management systems. By placing rigorous emphasis on global best practice, he accomplished ISO (International Standards Organization) certification for Halogen Group, first of its kind in Nigeria’s security sector. Over the past several years, his leadership has also succeeded in securing annual re-certification by the ISO which awarded Halogen the ISO 9001 2015 certification amidst several international awards and recognitions.

Relatedly, and as an affirmation of his deep work in entrenching global best practice and stringent quality management systems, the Olaoye-led Halogen Group has been the top trophy winners for 5 years in a row, in the annual Outstanding Security Performance Awards OSPAS in Nigeria.

Wale Olaoye is passionate about the strategic integration of public safety and enterprise security risk management into national developmental planning, national security and business management. He is a highly regarded thought leader in the area of security, risk management and organizational resilience whose insights and expertise are regularly sought by governments, corporate captains and the media.

A member of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS); Member, Institute of Risk Management, United Kingdom; and Member, Association of Licensed Professional Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN), he is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security (FNIIS) and a Fellow of the International Institute of Professional Security (FIIPS). He is a Member, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners; Member, International Facilities Management Association (IFMA); Fellow, Occupational Health and Safety Association, United Kingdom; Member, Institute of Directors (IOD) Nigeria/United Kingdom; Grand Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC).
He is a recipient of the distinguished Alumnus Award of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and Alumnus, Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun state; Lagos Business School (LBS) of Pan African University and IESE of University of Navarra, Barcelona, Spain