Tom Otuaga is the Chief Executive Officer of KTS Oil & Gas Services Ltd, a fast growing fully-owned Nigerian oil and gas manpower specialist firm. In this interview with The Nigerian Economy Publisher/Editor, SAMSON ECHENIM, he speaks about current oil and gas operational environment in Nigeria, the ISO 9001:2015 certification recently bagged by KTS and how the firm is pulling through against all odds in the current economic situation of the country.
The current economic situation in Nigeria has been hard for both citizens and businesses. How would you appraise the general business environment in Nigeria now, as it affects your business?
No doubt, we have been going through some trying times for both individuals and businesses alike and a lot of these difficulties can be ascribed to the removal of the fuel subsidy which led to a hike in the cost of fuel and transportation as well as the cost of goods and services. The floating of the Naira has also had its own negative impact on the economy. These economic anomalies have brought about a hyper inflationary trend where prices of goods have been on a consistent increase. As we have seen, a lot of businesses have been struggling and in recent times, we have had quite a number of companies closing shops and relocating their operations out of the country. The challenges notwithstanding, there are indications to hope that a brighter future may just be in the horizon. For instance, seeing the concerted efforts being made by the Central Bank of Nigeria in the area of forex management, I have reason to believe that things will improve sooner than later. Beyond that, we Nigerians are a very resilient people. There is hardly anything we set our minds on that we cannot overcome. For us at KTS, we have been very deliberate about finding ways to leverage on the opportunities produced by the rather harsh economic reality for as they say, in every cloud, there is a silver lining. The ability of a business to see opportunities in difficult conditions is what sets it apart. We are here now, better, stronger and winning more grounds. So, we will continue to hope for a better business environment.
When you said your business is winning more grounds, it brings to mind the recent ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System) certification bagged by your company. What is the significance of this certification for KTS Oil & Gas Services Limited?
Obtaining the Internacional Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification is for us a statement of intent on how we want to operate as a company. The ISO 9001:2015 framework which we are in compliance with, emphasizes the establishment of clear and documented procedures for all critical operations. This can lead to improved efficiency, reduced errors, and better consistency in service delivery. The certification positions us as a reliable and quality-focused provider of manpower services in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
What exactly are the services your company renders in the Oil and Gas sector?
KTS Oil & Gas Services Limited specializes in the provision and management of technical manpower for oil and gas installations. We have access to a large pool of professional skilled and experienced Nigerian and expatriate personnel for various onshore and offshore operations requirements and our manpower service contracts are supported by an experienced and competent management team. We also provide crew logistics support service, industrial relations management, community relations management as well as community relations management. Our primary objective is to partner with our clients to meet the challenges of driving optimal productivity and value chain optimization in their onshore and offshore operations.
Going forward, how would this certification affect your company’s business?
The QMS ISO Certification would have several specific impacts on our business, and one of such is access to larger clients. Major players in the oil and gas space prioritize working with companies who are committed to a quality management system and so, we expect this certification which is a demonstration of our commitment to quality and standardized processes, to open new doors for us. We are ready to expand our clientele and our doors are wide open for mutually beneficial partnerships”.
Who are your target clients in the oil & gas sector?
Any company that engages in the exploration and production of oil and gas or holds an Operations and Maintenance contract for any oil and gas production facility is our target client. Our operations personnel pool offers a wide range of technical expertise in Flow Stations, Oil Rigs, MOPUs, FPSOs or other extensions such as, FSO, FPSs, FSUs, FLNGs, FSRUs and FDPSOs. These critical field operations pool, combined with our integrated support solutions, keep us primed to deliver value for our client. Our goal is to help get things done faster and in the most cost efficient way.
With this feat achieved early in your company’s existence, what are your future plans for maintaining and improving upon this achievement?
To maintain and improve upon our ISO 9001:2015 certification and its associated benefits, we will conduct regular internal audits to assess the effectiveness of the QMS certification and identify areas for improvement, schedule regular external audits by accredited certification bodies to verify compliance with ISO 9001:2015 standards, and foster a culture of quality and continuous improvement among employees by recognizing and rewarding contributions to maintaining ISO certification.
