Leading supplier and distributor of refined petroleum products, OVH Energy Marketing recently rewarded its top-performing lubricant distributors for their outstanding performance at a presentation ceremony held in Lagos, Nigeria.

During the presentation ceremony which happened at Aspamda Market, two qualified distributors who each sold over 1 million liters of lubricants were recognized in line with the management’s commitment to award deserving distributors. The duo, Chucorl Nigeria Limited, and Ade De Young Auto Limited who met and exceeded the set target in the distribution of OLEUM lubricants were awarded OLEUM branded trucks at the ceremony.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer, OVH Energy Marketing, Huub Stokman posited that the ceremony was organized to reward top-performing distributors as well as inspire others through their exemplary feats. “Our distinctive progress as the leading downstream oil and gas company is built on the commendable dedication and support of our partners as well as the contributions of our staff. I applaud the awardees and other OLEUM distributors for their diligence and resourcefulness in making sure that the OLEUM range of lubricants remains a market leader.” he said.

“Oleum is a product made in Nigeria, by Nigerians, for Nigerians. Our dream is to formulate the best lubricant available in the Nigerian market at a very affordable price. The hard work of our partners continues to contribute immensely to the growth of the organization and for that we are thankful” he continued.

Commenting at the presentation ceremony, Alhaji Lateef Adeleke, owner Ade De Young Auto Ltd., an awardee said “I appreciate the company for this initiative to reward distributors with branded trucks. Rewarding deserving distributors with the branded trucks is a thoughtful initiative from OVH Energy Marketing.”

Chief Oliver Jacob, CEO Chucorl Oil and Gas Limited said “This acknowledgement from OVH Energy Marketing is indeed an incentive to do even more. The trucks will be valuable in strengthening our supply chain and meeting our increasing consumer demand”

The maiden edition of the Nigerian Content Midstream - Downstream Oil and Gas Stakeholders Summit, with the theme, “Maximizing Potentials in the Midstream and Downstream Oil and Gas Sector – A Local Content Perspective” kicked off on May 23rd, 2022. 

The event organized by The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) engaged stakeholders within the industry in top-level dialogue articulating the agenda for actualizing the full local content potential. Speakers and Panelists also discussed prospects for driving massive investments in the Midstream and Downstream sectors of the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry. 

The second day of the hybrid summit featured a panel discussion with Mr. Huub Stokman, Chief Executive Officer of OVH Energy Marketing Limited (Oando licensee), discussing “opportunity areas and challenges of investment in the petroleum product marketing and bunkering sector.”

Mr. Stokman stated that pipelines, depots, trucks and retail sites are priority areas for investment within the industry. The trucks and depots are critical to last-mile delivery and should be upgraded with safety features reflective of modern best practices. He said, “investors measure performance through returns. To effectively invest in Nigeria’s midstream and downstream oil and gas sector, players need to increase operational efficiencies and reduce losses. With the proposed deregulation of the industry backed by the Petroleum Industry Act, soon Nigeria will have a functioning refinery landscape which will create value for Nigeria. However, stakeholders must properly capture this value through safe and sustainable operations down the value chain, otherwise it will go to waste.”

“The retail forecourt offerings in the industry are not on par with those of other countries on the continent. Once deregulation happens the price of PMS will probably increase.  When this happens, the consumer will naturally request more value for money. When we pay more, we typically want more. To satisfy the consumers demand, industry players must guarantee the quality, quantity, and excellent customer service in a safe and secure environment.” He continued. He further highlighted key challenges facing the manufacturing industry that supports the Oil & gas industry, including reliance on import of critical raw materials, inflation and currency devaluation, as well as industry skills shortage arising from skilled Nigerians moving overseas. He reiterated that investment done by the Oil & gas industry in upskilling existing manpower will contribute to build in-country people skills availability. 

The summit’s agenda of sensitizing and enlightening stakeholders about NCDMB’s capacity intervention programmes in support of Nigerian Content Development in the Mid and Downstream sectors is commendable.

About OVH Energy 

OVH Energy is a leading indigenous marketer of choice and provider of trusted petroleum products and services in Nigeria. The organization's expertise spans the distribution of refined petroleum products for retail, commercial and industrial purposes. Its strong unrivaled heritage, drive to impact lives positively and the influence of the shareholders – Helios Investments, an Africa-focused Nigerian firm; Vitol Group, a leading global supplier of petroleum products and the strong Oando retail brand – contributes to the brand’s growing business success. Through its Oando retail brand, OVH Energy has enriched Nigeria’s downstream sector and established an unparalleled supply footprint, distributing over 1 billion liters of refined petroleum products annually. 

In commemoration of the 2022 World Malaria Day, OVH Energy Marketing, the leading indigenous marketer of choice, has partnered with the African Clean-up initiative, a non-profit advocacy organisation, for another edition of the Roll Back Malaria campaign. The campaign marked under the theme "Harness innovation to reduce the malaria disease burden and save lives" empowered local communities within Lagos and Rivers state. 

The Roll Back Malaria campaign is a partnership program conceived and implemented out of the need to educate people on Malaria preventive measures. The initiative seeks to identify and eradicate the associated effects of Malaria through education, empowerment, and treatment. Beneficiaries were enlightened on preventive measures and practical steps to prevent malaria outbreaks. Insecticide-treated mosquito nets were also distributed to men, women and children from the host communities.

World Malaria Day is marked annually to focus global attention on Malaria, and its impact on families, communities, and societal development, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to the 2021 World Malaria Report by the World Health organisation, the African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2020, Africa was home to 95% of malaria cases and 96% of malaria deaths, with children under 5 accounting for about 80% of all malaria deaths. 

Speaking on the impact of the initiative, the Chief Executive Officer of OVH Energy Marketing, Huub Stokman reiterated the company's commitment to malaria prevention and control to build a healthy and conducive environment for members of its host communities. He mentioned that Malaria remains a significant public health and development challenge that requires collective human efforts and technological innovation to manage.

"The WHO has warned that malaria deaths will probably dwarf direct deaths from COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria also poses a socio-economic challenge; sadly, it remains a burden costing the continent an estimated $12 billion yearly. Therefore, the fight against Malaria is a critical issue requiring strong private sector engagement. At OVH Energy, we are deeply committed to eradicating this disease amongst Nigerians while improving our host communities' social and economic development in alignment with United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal three, which is good health and well-being." He said.

Also commenting on the initiative, Alexander Akhigbe, founder of the African Cleanup Initiative (ACI) said, "Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease that continues to affect the health and livelihood of people worldwide. Thus, when individuals are properly educated, the spread can be prevented, and with the right treatment, the mortality rate will reduce."

OVH Energy's commitment to enriching its host community is commendable. Through various corporate social responsibility initiatives such as the University Scholarship Scheme, OLEUM Academy, amongst others, the firm continues to impact the lives of those within its host communities.

The Chief Marketing Officer of OVH Energy Marketing, Lilian Ikokwu, shares her perspective on women in marketing and the power of finding one's path.

Lilian Ikokwu had finished a Bachelor's in computer science from Nnamdi Azikiwe University when she had an epiphany. "Computer science is defined by rules and codes, programming languages and artificial intelligence," she said. "Shortly after graduation, it clicked for me; I wanted to try out other things. I wanted to develop creative solutions for ingenious business problems."

She navigated to marketing with her creativity, communication skills, and analytical abilities; she felt right at home. With her background in computer science, Lilian understood the numbers; she quickly realized that data-driven marketing is the backbone of all laser-sharp understanding of one's target audience.

Lilian's career trajectory has been an interesting one. Fresh to working in the oil and gas industry, she tried different size roles. She worked as a commercial branch manager, Lubricants and VAP Manager, Customer Care Manager, Network Optimization Manager, Head Lubricants (Sales & Marketing), and now Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Lilian has come a long way with an impressive role as CMO of one of Nigeria's most prominent indigenous marketers of choice, OVH Energy Marketing.   

She had been laying the groundwork for years. "Radical changes do not happen overnight. Thousands of seemingly insignificant blocks build a mansion; I believe the same thing happens with opportunities." Lilian said, "Laying the groundwork and capacity building sometimes take years; its back-breaking work that eventually pays off. Then, when the right opportunity comes along, you think to yourself, this is it! This is the moment I've been preparing for."

Sharing her views on women's progress in the marketing industry, Lilian said, "I am an optimist, so is it progressing? Yes. Is it fast enough? I don't think so. Across the spectrum, from client to agency side practitioners and through content creation to messaging, the business case has been made for the incredible upside to full female participation. It is proven that having women in leadership roles positively influences consumer representation. This should ordinarily be a no-brainer. But if it is so obvious and simple, why hasn't it been solved yet?"

Clarity on the root issues and a concrete plan to solve them are critical. For example, despite near-parity in entry-level numbers, women are outnumbered almost 2 to 1 by men in first-level manager jobs that are the bridges to senior roles. Lilian believes that levelling the playing field by dismantling obstacles that impede retention will increase female participation within the industry.

There is a dogged stubbornness that one needs to possess to succeed. This attitude serves Lilian well in her time at OVH Energy Marketing. Lilian said the fact is, "the profession attracts more females at entry-level. However, in Nigeria, upward mobility becomes a challenge due to the disproportionate duties a woman carries because of culture and non-supportive practices" This often results in a career break leaving few women at very senior levels to drive the change.

Policy and implementation are the solutions, Lilian explained. To support female employees for professional development while on maternity leave and for re-assimilation to the workforce is a game-changer.

She discovered through experience the importance of continued education and having a solid network. "I recommend both to ascending talents, sometimes it's exhausting, but it is worth it. Continue learning, dabble into different things because you'll never know if you don't try, and that is the only way you keep learning." Always a scientist at heart; she believes that even failed trials reveal helpful information.

 "Also have both women and men as allies. You are only as strong as your network, and while this may sound cliché, it is the truth. I have also noticed a reluctance in women to leverage their network. When this happens, I tell them why buy a fancy car if you won't take it out for a ride." Lilian said 

"To me, mentorship is critical in life," she said. "Seeing someone that is where you want to be, just has an impact on your life." Particularly as a Nigerian woman working in marketing, Lilian appreciates the unique impact her visibility can have on fellow women pursuing careers in Marketing.

 "I am inspired by so many great mentors who have helped me on this journey; I hope that I can serve others like that." By sharing our stories, Lilian reminds us, we equip each other with insight. Those are the most valuable gifts as we continue to find our path