Seplat Energy Becomes First Nigerian Firm to Receive Prestigious Global Procurement Certification

Seplat Energy makes history as Nigeria’s first firm to earn CIPS Procurement Excellence Standard.

The milestone cements its leadership in supply chain governance within Africa’s oil and gas sector.

Seplat Energy Plc has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first Nigerian company to be awarded the Procurement Excellence Standard Certificate by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS). This recognition positions the energy giant as a trailblazer in supply chain governance and procurement excellence across the country’s oil and gas sector.

On June 5, 2025, Ben Farrell, Global CEO of CIPS, led a high-level delegation from the UK-based procurement institute to formally present the award at Seplat’s headquarters in Ikoyi, Lagos. Along with other senior executives, Valentine Agwu, General Manager of Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Samson Ezugworie, Chief Operating Officer of Seplat Energy, welcomed him.

Seplat Energy’s journey toward this landmark certification began in February 2023, when the company voluntarily submitted itself to CIPS’ globally recognized Advantage Procurement Excellence Program. The process involved a detailed assessment of 98 critical elements spread across five key categories: leadership and organization, processes and systems, strategy and policy, performance management, and people.

On January 21, 2025, the company underwent its final evaluation with a CIPS-accredited independent verifier. Following this, CIPS announced on January 22 that Seplat had met all required standards and would be awarded the certificate.

Speaking during the presentation, Ben Farrell commended Seplat’s relentless pursuit of operational excellence and accountability in procurement. “These certificates are not handed out lightly. They are reserved for organizations that are driven by improvement and hold themselves to the highest global standards. Seplat Energy has clearly shown that level of commitment,” he said.

COO Ezugworie responded by acknowledging the importance of the recognition and characterizing the certification as a strategic victory for Seplat and evidence of the supply chain function’s strength and transparency. “We chose to go through this process because supply chain integrity is critical to our business success. This achievement validates our efforts in building a world-class procurement system anchored on governance and transparency,” he stated.

Valentine Agwu, who spearheaded the certification process, explained that Seplat’s transformation began in 2021 with an internal restructuring built around people, process, and technology. This change was further enhanced by the implementation of the CIPS Procurement Excellence Program (PEP) Model, which led to a two-year audit that examined every aspect of the business’s procurement infrastructure.

“We are proud to have passed this rigorous assessment with distinction. It’s a huge win for the entire SCM team and the company as a whole,” Agwu said.

Seplat Energy has established a new standard for corporate governance and procurement professionalism in the region by becoming the first Nigerian company and only the second oil and gas company in Africa to achieve this procurement standard.

This achievement reinforces Seplat Energy’s position as a leader in not only Nigeria’s energy space but also in sustainable and accountable business practices across Africa.