Bala Usman: Intels Has Competitive Edge over Other Operators

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala-Usman, has said that Intels Nigeria Limited has competitive advantage over other terminal operators in the handling of oil and gas logistics in the country.

Speaking in Lagos on Television Continental (TVC) Business Prgramme, Usman said Intels is already a well-established terminal operator having been in the business for more than 30 years.

According to her, ”I don’t think they (Intels) should shy away from competing with other terminals. They should welcome the fact that having really established that business, they should be able to compete and get all the cargo to themselves, and, indeed, if you have been operating and doing this service for years and now someone else is coming, you should have a favourable edge.”

The NPA boss had expressed similar sentiment for Intels in October 2016 during her maiden visit to the expansive port facility and the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone.

Shortly after being conducted round the multimillion dollars facility, Usman said she was impressed by the high quality, “efficient and effective” facilities and services provided by Intels.

She described the facility as “very tidy” and the infrastructure as being “deployed efficiently and effectively.”

Intels Nigeria Limited developed and operates the Onne Port and the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone. The port is now one of the best equipped in Africa, while the Onne Free Zone is one of the fastest growing oil and gas free zones in the world.

Speaking recently when the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside visited the facility, the General Manager of Intels Nigeria Limited, Mr. Silvano Bellinato said the high quality facilities and services in Onne were the result of the company’s huge investments running into several billions of dollars.

“Intel has been a trusted partner to major oil and gas producing companies in Nigeria and a monumental logistic partner to the NPA in the development of ports infrastructure and service in Nigeria. In over 30 years, we have added substantial value to the Nigerian oil and gas service industry and the operators have found our services strategic to their operations.

“In the maritime sector, Intels operation as a port infrastructure developer and maritime service provider reinvigorated and brought the needed momentum and life to Nigerian ports and the maritime industry with improved capacity to serve the nation.