By Amin Kef Sesay
The National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is a thriving indigenous petroleum marketing company that has stood the test of time since it was established by thirty-five Sierra Leoneans years back.
Overcoming turbulent times through shrewd, incisive and fine managerial initiatives, the company has gained a strong foothold in various parts of the country and has a presence in neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia.
The company has truly proven that it is committed to the attainment and fulfilment of its mission which borders around “maintaining its dominant leadership position in the local market and strive to operate at sub-regional level by assuring the supply of petroleum products in an environmentally friendly manner while offering superior value for their customers, employees and other stakeholders based on a proud corporate culture with emphasis on safety consciousness, profit optimization, corporate expansion thereby contributing to national development”.
To a large extent the company has, over the years, successfully rolled out what is encompassed in the aforementioned Mission Statement. Today, in Sierra Leone and within the West African sub-region, NP-SL Ltd stands tall, dominating the petroleum marketing landscape in terms of its timely importation of high grade petroleum products, its effective marketing strategies, the number of dealers it has attracted to open Filling Stations even in hard to reach areas as well as the impressive way it is optimizing customer care, earning it the covetous respect as 1st for Customer Care.
With regards safety consciousness, the company always ensures that it provides tips at all its Filling Stations on how customers should conduct themselves when they are transacting businesses. Information such as “No Smoking”, “Avoid Naked Flame”, “Turn Off Engine While Fuel is Being Pumped”, “ Don’t Make-Up While Driving”, “Switch off Mobile Phones” are just some of the precautionary measures that are constantly made visible to all and sundry amidst the fact that fire extinguishers are always handy.
In all the countries within the West African sub-region where the company opted to establish, it was more particularly concerned of building a well-run dominant petroleum company in Liberia that is poised to compete in the West African sub-region. To a large extent that Vision has been achieved as NP-SL Ltd is a vibrant functioning entity that is assuaging the petroleum needs of people in that part of the world and doing so commendably well.
When the company was set up, the owners thought of having a Culture bordering around “developing a disciplined family with an institutional culture working towards building a great company”.
It is against such a backdrop that the company made it a policy that in terms of employment indigenes should be given priority as opposed to expatriates or foreigners. The culture is in sync with promoting the Local Content Policy and has contributed to the improvement of the lives of many locals. Employees of the company are well disciplined, are motivated and courteous in the way and manner in which they treat customers from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.
Known for effective service delivery, the company has calibrated pumping machines that gives the exact amount of fuel requested for.
Also, it introduced what is now known as NP Smart Card which is a memory chip that could be credited from time to time by the holder in order to buy fuel. It is a cashless way of conducting business and many have attested that it is very convenient.
There is also NP-Gas which is a cooking devise that could be refilled with gas. Manufactured in different cylinder sizes it is said to be very efficient and they are sold at the company’s Filling Stations or authorized dealers at affordable prices.
With its core values of NP-SL Ltd are anchored on:
Safe Working Environment, Good Customer Service,
High quality products, environmental sustainability and building positive teams, NP-SL Ltd has come a long way in executing its roadmap to become a viable business entity.
