Have you noticed that a new filling station has just been opened along the ever-busy Gbagada Expressway in Lagos, called Northwest Filling Station? It is almost opposite UPS Courier company. It has a colourful look. You can’t miss it. Similar stations have been opened along Lekki Epe Expressway, in Lekki. But many don’t know the owner of this fast-rising brand. We can authoritatively tell you who owns these filling stations. She is Winifred Akpani. She is the Founder and Owner of the chain of filling stations, Northwest. She is a woman who has carved a big niche for herself in the Oil & Gas industry. Call her a woman of substance and you won’t be wrong. She is well educated. She is also very brilliant too. She holds a B.SC degree in Mathematics from the University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State Nigeria and a post-graduate diploma in Computer Science from the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State. She has garnered over 27 years’ experience in the corporate world. She started a career as a trainee accountant in the audit firm of Oni Lasebikan & Co. (now Ernst & Young, Osindero) an Accounting Firm.
She later joined Flame Petroleum & Gas Company Limited, where she rose through the management and became an Executive Director in 1997. She subsequently left and founded Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Limited and assumed the position of Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer. She has attended numerous local and international courses and seminars cutting across the Finance, Oil & Gas and Banking industries. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and an Associate Member of the Institute of Directors.
The latest story on this quintessential woman is about her filling station in Lagos, called Northwest Petroleum & Gas which has more than 6 stations in Lagos. The recent project which is the talk of the town is a project located between Gbagada Estate and Anthony expressway in Lagos. It’s directly opposite Westex bus-stop and almost Ups Courier company. Let’s tell you more about it.
This new project is situated on about 4 hectares of land. It’s a massive project that keeps the passerby wonder each time they pass by. If It isn’t the biggest filling station in terms of landmass and structure, then it would be among the biggest. Presently, work has reached the completion stage and a few days ago, the filling station was commissioned and it has commenced full operations from the look of things. This filling station has the capacity to occupy hundreds of cars at a time. It doubles its branches in Ajah roundabout and Victoria Garden City’s gate. Presently, it has become a hot topic for everyone who passes by, most especially car owners and concerned Lagosians. Aside from the spacious where vehicle and cars can refuel, it also has a big supermarket beside it, where all sort of things would be on sale. This company called Northwest has done its homework before situated its branch in that particular place. On the side the project is situated, there is no filling station coming all the way from Mile 2, except the other side, which obviously impossible for any vehicle or car to cross the other side to refuel the cars.
Let’s tell you more about this filling station. Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd was created from humble beginnings in 1998 with a vision to earn a reputable name in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas industry by being measurably efficient, responsible and competitive while working to meet Company growth and objectives within the broader Social and Economic goals of their operating environment. From those early days to date, they have worked very hard to realize their mission to operate an efficient and technically competent Oil and Gas Company in a safe, professional and socially responsible manner.
The business started with the supply of 200litre drums of diesel to homes, guesthouses and small branches of Banks in Lagos. Later advanced to the sale of 33,000litre trucks of diesel and 20MT of LPG to manufacturing companies such as BOC Gases, Dunlop PLC, Flour Mills of Nig Plc, BAGCO Plc and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) filling plants across Nigeria.
With strong determination and a brave corporate heartbeat, the Company sourced its supplies from NNPC depots, major oil marketing companies including Total Plc, Uni-petrol Plc (Now OandO), AP Plc (now Forte Oil) and Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc amongst others.
Today, they are no longer a small player in the industry; it is one of a select few Foreign and Nigerian Companies involved in the official export of Crude Oil from Nigeria since the year 2014. It also imports, store, supply and distribute refined petroleum products including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS=petrol), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO=diesel), Household Kerosene (HHK) and Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO).
-ISAAC ABIMBADE
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