The group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari and the governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun have commended the founder and group managing director of Rainoil Limited, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie and the company’s over 2,000 workforce for the successes and profitability recorded in the last 25 years.
Kyari and Abiodun spoke in Lagos at the 25th anniversary /Gala nite of Rainoil, just as Ogbechie stated that, the company was at the forefront of questioning what would disrupt the global downstream oil sector and would be appropriately positioned to be ahead of that and adequately prepared for the ongoing energy transition.
Kyari, who was represented by NNPC’s group executive director, Downstream, Mr. Adetunji Adeyemi, said Rainoil, which started as a mere idea, had grown to become a major player in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
He said the success of the company was made possible through the sterling attributes of its founder, who he described as a man of vision, full of determination, courage, hard work and consistency.“We are here today to celebrate a gentle man, his vision, determination, courage, hard work and consistency. All of those were espoused when he came here to tell us about the history and how Rainoil came to be and to where it is today, and the message from the GMD of NNPC is to wish this great company very good celebration of 25 years and to pray that the next 25 years of this company, next 50 years, next 100 years of this company will be much more greater than what we have witnessed today,” Kyari said.
He stated that Nigeria needed more stable andprosperous companies in the nation’s oil and gas industry and in other sectors of the economy, adding that the country needs companies that have succeeded and stayed up to 50 years plus as witnessed in other countries.
According to the GMD, “in Rainoil Limited, we have no doubt that with the foundation that has been laid and the leadership of Dr. Ogbechie, that this can only last forever. This is a going concern, and here we celebrate.”
Also congratulating the oil marketing company, Abiodun, who was a former chairman of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) before his foray into politics, said the story of Ogbechie and his company was the, “story of a young focused, dynamic, purposeful, dedicated, resilient, determined, audacious Nigerian entrepreneur. Of course, it’s no gainsaying that he has been very successful at that.”
In addition to owning over 130 filling stations across the country, Ogbechie said, Rainoil has an 80,000 metric tons Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) storage facility also in Ijegun Lagos and over 250 trucks for distribution of products nation-wide.
