By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The leading petroleum marketing entity in Sierra Leone, NP-SL Ltd, is a very ambitious indigenous company that has as its primary responsibility the task of ensuring that petroleum products, of different varieties and of high quality, are always available on the market for the vast majority to easily gain access to them.
Firmly ensuring that sustainable arrangements are well made with other key players in the sector, NP (SL)Ltd, had been preventing scarcity of those petroleum products with the main objective of avoiding serious socio-economic dislocations that could have the propensity of bringing the nation to a grinding halt.
The meteoric rise of NP could be largely attributed to the crystallization of selflessness, determination, hard work and sheer practical and workable entrepreneurial initiatives on the part of 33 Sierra Leoneans who formed the company and the capable Managerial Teams that have been steering the affairs of the 100% operated marketing entity.
Its continuous ascendancy is indeed a clear manifestation of dogged commitment to succeed on the part all those who are assigned to carryout various tasks.
If there is one outstanding feature which makes the company quickly identifiable then that could be its innate quality to maximize customer care by making sure that satisfaction is given.
Without saying it loud, however, it is a well established fact that the company’s Shareholders and Management do not in any way compromise Customer Care as it is prioritized in all the company’s service delivery operations. The thorough and cautious implementation of initiatives and policies geared towards enhancing customer care is very is highly prioritized in all its operations.
It is indeed a cardinal business maxim that availing customers with qualitative petroleum products, dealing with them respectfully, negotiating win-win deals will all have been considered as factors that are responsible for retaining customers as well as wooing new ones.
With all amount of certainty it could be safely concluded that NP has mastered that business technique, deepening it to such an extent that it is working well in the best interest of all that choose to do business with the marketing company.
Development specialists have propounded that proper implementation of the Local Content Policy is indeed a very important cog that accelerates the engine of growth. NP-SL Ltd’s strict adherence in the implementation of the country’s Local Content Policy has remained impressive for a very long time.
The shareholders and Management of the company always makes it a matter of policy to bring within its fold indigenes as employees and even in cases where expatriates are engaged, local members of staff are given the opportunity to understudy them so that at the end of the day they will imbibe the necessary skills to take over.All NP(SL)Ltd Filling Stations are operated by Sierra Leoneans as it is the case with all the different components or departments that are parts of the business entity.
This is very advantageous in the sense that it helps in providing jobs and to develop a crop of competent individuals which the country needs in its development interventions.
Cooking is an inevitable aspect of human life, whether for domestic and commercial purposes. Man depends on food for survival; individuals invest in food businesses and the like. Very mindful of the hazardous effects of depleting the environment, using traditional means of cooking using wood or charcoal, the company deemed it prudent to introduce NP-Gas which is a cooking gadget that has been certified as very fast to ignite, quick in terms of performance, safe and highly convenient. NP Gas, manufactured in different sizable cylinders could be accessed at the company’s filling stations and from authorized dealers.
The company has high profiled customers with tight schedules who may have limited time to always wait in queues in order to purchase petroleum products. Besides, some people are not used to having huge cash in their possession but prefer using smart cards.
For those vital reasons the company went the extra mile to introduce what is widely referred to as NP Smart Card which some customers are using to purchase petroleum products. From what was so far gathered all the customers who are using NP Smart Card are well satisfied doing so saying it is very convenient further praising NP for rolling out that initiative.
The savvy business nature of NP and even its viability could be measured by its expansionist operations both within the country and in the West African sub-region as is evident with the opening of branches in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia.
Indeed, it could be deduced that for a hundred percent indigenously owned company to go to the extent of spreading its tentacles is no mean accomplishment.
As far as this medium learnt the branches in all those countries are doing extremely well amidst varying challenges that do emerge from time to time.
Without mincing the truth, NP’s contributions to socio-economic development, some emanating from its policies and initiatives implemented over time and others through the intervention of the company when rolling out its Social Corporate Responsibility.
