World Report

Weafri has worked with big name companies such as Agip, Addax and Chevron

roviding a wide range of services to the oil and gas industry, from drilling fluid products to cementing and sand control, Western African (Weafri) finds itself in growing demand by the major foreign oil operators.
Weafri owns and operates a sizeable fleet of onshore and offshore machinery available to help operators with many of their most complex well requirements.

With American technical support, it has worked for many of the big name companies, including Agip, Addax and Chevron. The company now has a Houston presence to add to its growing Nigerian profile.

Chris Onyekwere, Weafri’s Executive Director, singles out Shell as the first major player to give the company a break, allowing it to bid for crucial projects. “Right now we are working for Shell and we are providing good quality services for them,” he says.

Over time, the company has proved its ability to compete. “We have the know-how, we have a history of good job performance, and we deserve to be given the opportunities. We deliver what the clients want, a quality service and at the lowest cost. That is what has kept us in the business.”

According to Mr Onyekwere, Weafri’s strengths lie in its absorption of new technologies, manpower and resources. The company has set its own standards that are comparable on any level, a point that operators have picked up on.
Although initial efforts to increase the stake of Nigerians in the oil sector may have been slow, Weafri is making up for lost time. Founded in 1988, the company has already witnessed a great deal of change as the Nigerian market has gathered momentum in the democratic era.

Chris Onyekwere
Executive Director of Weafri

‘We have the know-how and a history of good performace’

Huge investment in the local oil sector, and the development of the gas industry, has kept the work rolling in for local content firms. “This is the greatest thing that has happened to Nigeria,” says Mr Onyekwere.

But he believes that there is still huge potential for the company – and other indigenous players – to grow as the economy expands further. After spending around 20 years in the United States, Mr Onyekwere himself is in no doubt that progress is being made.

“A lot has improved in Nigeria,” he says. “Before I came here I thought I might be running back to where I came from within the year. But today I am satisfied with what is happening on the ground.”

The future looks bright with Weafri emerging as a market leader in certain niche areas, such as advanced cementing, primary well construction and coiled tubing well intervention. Mr Onyekwere says the company needs to stay ahead amid increasing competition by maintaining its high standards. “This is a competitive world,” he says. “When there is competition, the clients get the best service.”