JUBA, South Sudan, March 4, 2024 -- Nilepet is a major employer and incubator of talent in the petroleum industry of South Sudan. Its new, modern HQ marks a shift to being a more active and ambitious national company.

South Sudan’s national oil company Nilepet today opened its new headquarters in Juba, marking a significant milestone for the corporation. H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan, officially cut the ribbon at the new building.

The project took six years to complete, over the tenure of four managing directors, with the final stages and inauguration achieved under Managing Director Bernard Amour Makeny. At the opening, Nilepet (officially the Nile Petroleum Corporation) gathered together all international partners in South Sudan’s upstream petroleum segment, including CNPC, Petronas, ONGC, Sinopec and Tri-Ocean, as well as the joint operating companies Greater Pioneer Operating Company, Dar Petroleum Operating Company and Sudd Petroleum Operating Company. Also present were heads of Nilepet’s joint ventures and subsidiary firms.

“For all the young people, this truly is the beginning of the journey of transformation of Nilepet. I want us to change our mindsets,” said Makeny at the opening ceremony. “What produces results is commitment, integrity and the love of being a citizen … We need to prove that today we can build a better company if we work as a team. No more division. No more segregation. No more gender imbalance.

As South Sudan’s primary employer, with 2,000+ staff, Nilepet has a fundamental role in the human capacity development of the nation. The new headquarters, dubbed ‘the Home of Transformation’, can hold up to 1,100 staff. It signifies Nilepet’s growing ambition across the spectrum of energy activities, in particular the upstream business, where Nilepet recently grew its stake in Dar Petroleum Operating Company from 8% to 10%.

The building further demonstrates the corporation’s dedication to equipping South Sudanese nationals with the skills to build a competitive energy sector. Makeny emphasized that it is vital for Nilepet’s vision to engage further with international investors and partners, with accountability, efficiency and professionalism as core values.