News and Updates

.

......Fred Dike....

Indigenous oilfield services company, Sepha Energies, has announced that it successfully executed more than 30 upstream oil and gas projects within one year of its strategic transition, while calling for improved access to financing for indigenous service companies to deepen Nigeria’s local content drive.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Nigerian Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE) of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) in Lagos on Monday, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sepha Energies, Engr. Sandra Ekpe Agho said the company’s rapid growth demonstrates what Nigerian-owned firms can achieve when given opportunities to compete.

Agho recalled that exactly one year ago she introduced Sepha Energies to industry stakeholders shortly after its transition, describing the company as one of the few women-owned and women-led oil and gas service firms in Nigeria.

“Last year, I stood here asking the industry to believe in Sepha. Today, I stand here thanking the industry for believing in us,” she said.

According to her, the confidence reposed in the company by clients has translated into business expansion, job creation, investment and enhanced indigenous technical capacity.

She disclosed that Sepha Energies has completed over 30 upstream projects in the past year, while more than 10 additional projects are currently in the pipeline. The company is simultaneously delivering over five service lines across four operational locations.

Agho also revealed that the company’s workforce has doubled from 25 to 50 professionals since the transition, adding that Sepha Energies has remained continuously engaged in project execution every month during the period.

She identified the award of a 2,000-horsepower, 10,000 PSI land rig contract as a major turning point in the company’s growth, describing it as a vote of confidence in the firm’s competence and technical capability.

According to her, the successful execution of the contract strengthened confidence among financial institutions, enabling the company to invest in strategic assets, including a 2,000-horsepower, 10,000 PSI land rig and a 460,000-pound, 10,000 PSI Dolly Walkover unit.

Agho added that Sepha Energies now has access to one of the world’s leading 3,000-horsepower, 15,000 PSI swamp drilling rigs, which can be mobilised into Nigeria within three months with an experienced international operating crew.

She said the company’s achievements underscore the importance of creating opportunities for indigenous firms, noting that local companies can compete effectively when supported by industry stakeholders.

While expressing optimism about future growth, the Sepha Energies boss stressed that indigenous capacity development cannot be sustained without adequate indigenous financing.

“We cannot build indigenous capacity without indigenous capital,” she stated.

“If local content is to reach its full potential, indigenous service companies must have access to sustainable financing that enables us to invest, innovate and compete globally.”

Sepha Energies boss also highlighted the company’s support for several Nigerian marginal field operators, revealing that Sepha Energies assisted some operators in achieving first oil without requiring upfront payment.

She said the arrangement was based on mutual trust and confidence, adding that the operators honoured their financial commitments within the agreed timelines.

According to her, the experience demonstrated the value of collaboration among operators, service companies, financial institutions and government in driving growth across Nigeria’s petroleum industry.

Reflecting on the company’s journey, N
Agho said the greatest challenge was never operating as a women-owned business but securing the first opportunity to prove its competence.

“The biggest risk in our journey was never being a woman-owned company. The biggest risk was whether someone would give us our first opportunity. Opportunity may open a door, but only execution can keep it open,” she said.

She expressed appreciation to several indigenous and international operators and industry partners, including Platform Petroleum, Formation Drilling, EOP Energy, Oando, Hilong, NEPL, TotalEnergies, Pillar Oil, Matrix Energy, Seplat Energy and others, for their confidence in the company.

Agho .also acknowledged the role of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in promoting policies that strengthen local content and support indigenous participation in the oil and gas industry.

She further thanked technology partners, including SLB, Halliburton, Weatherford and Welltec, as well as financial institutions such as FirstBank and Sterling Bank for supporting the company’s expansion.

Commending the Society of Petroleum Engineers for providing a platform that amplifies the voices of indigenous companies, she said Cepha Energies attended NAICE last year with a vision but returned this year with measurable results.

She concluded by emphasising that Nigeria’s energy future would be driven by collaboration among government, financial institutions, technology providers and indigenous companies working together to build a globally competitive energy industry.