Seplat Energy Sets New National Benchmark with CIPS Procurement Excellence Certification
June 6, 2025 — Lagos, Nigeria
Seplat Energy Plc has made history by becoming the first Nigerian company to receive the prestigious Procurement Excellence Standard Certificate from the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), marking a significant milestone for the nation’s energy and procurement landscape.
The globally recognized certificate was formally presented on June 5, 2025, at Seplat’s corporate office in Ikoyi, Lagos, by CIPS Global Chief Executive Officer Ben Farrell, who led a delegation to honor the energy giant. The Seplat team was represented by Chief Operating Officer (COO) Samson Ezugworie and General Manager of Supply Chain Management (SCM) Valentine Agwu.
The CIPS Procurement Excellence Programme evaluates companies across five critical dimensions — Leadership and Organisation, Strategy and Policy, People, Processes and Systems, and Performance Management. Seplat Energy began the rigorous journey in February 2023 and completed the assessment on January 21, 2025, culminating in a glowing recommendation from an independent verifier under the CIPS Advantage scheme.
“This certification is not handed out lightly,” Farrell said. “It is a badge of honor, earned through diligence, innovation, and a deep-rooted commitment to procurement best practices. Seplat has demonstrated unwavering ambition and a remarkable drive for improvement. It’s a milestone not just for the company, but for Nigeria.”
Seplat’s COO Ezugworie emphasized the company’s strategic intent in undergoing the assessment. “Supply Chain is the bedrock of our business. It is where our spending decisions are executed, and we believe in transparency and integrity throughout that process. This recognition validates our effort and commitment to world-class governance.”
Valentine Agwu, who spearheaded the SCM transformation, shared that Seplat initially focused on reforming its processes, people, and systems in 2021. This evolved into a structured transformation guided by the CIPS PEP model, with the ultimate goal of creating a transparent, efficient, and resilient supply chain.
“We were assessed across 98 elements, and we came through with flying colors,” Agwu said proudly. “This honor is not just about recognition but a call to reach even higher. Our next target is to achieve the Platinum Category and embed sustainability into every facet of our operations.”
With this feat, Seplat Energy sets a new national benchmark. It is now the first Nigerian company — and only the second oil and gas enterprise in Africa — to achieve this level of procurement excellence. The recognition affirms Seplat’s leadership in governance, compliance, and innovation in Nigeria’s critical energy sector.
