By Teddy Nwanunobi
The Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) is a replication of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in the African continent, Founder of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Mr. Shawley Coker, said.
According to Coker, who is also the CISCON Nigeria Limited Chairman/Managing Director, a lot of companies operating in Nigeria today are off-takes from the OTC.
“It gave us the ideas on how such events can be held and what the gains could be if organised in a very professional way. PETAN is a major driver and engine of growth in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
“It assisted us to come up with a replica of what we saw and learnt from OTC. It has managed to survive, but if the industry is not allowed to run professionally without politics getting in its way, we should be doing better.
“If Nigeria can get its act together, I would like to see the industry thriving under a good leadership of a square peg in a square hole and PETAN up there with it,” Coker said.
Coker spoke to Oil & Gas Republic at the sideline of the 5th edition of SAIPEC held virtually this year, when he led the first Nigerian delegation to OTC in Houston, USA.
SAIPEC, which was hosted by PETAN, stands as not only the largest event in the centre of the region’s oil and gas hub, but also the only truly industry-led event, held in partnership with the country’s petroleum sector.
SAIPEC 2020 featured 72 industry leaders and global experts on an insightful programme which was held alongside the sold-out exhibition, with 111 companies showcasing their products and services, as well as generating meetings with thousands of invested industry professionals.
Over 6000 attendees participated in total from 36 countries, including 20 national oil companies from Nigeria, Mozambique, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Uganda, Angola, Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea and the Gambia.
