Sometime in December 2020, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Street, Ikeja, the critical arterial road for commuting to and fro Murtala Mohammed International Airport, the busiest Airport in the West African block, suffered a major setback, even if for an altruistic purpose.
That fateful day, December 7th, residents and commuters alike were awaken to the rude shock of the demolition of the Mobil Filling Station and Oando Filling Station in Maryland, the entry point to the street, amongst other buildings. The exercise was carried out by the Lagos State Government in pursuant to a valid exercise of the right of compulsory acquisition of the area for public purpose.
For its economic and social life, the demolition of these two mega stations, situated opposite each other, was a major setback for Ikeja, the ever bustling Capital City of Lagos State, the nation’s commercial nerve centre.
In the last three years, it will be an understatement to say that the demolition of these two filling stations has had a very negative impact on the socio-economic life of not only commuters, but residents and businesses in Ikeja axis alike.
But a significant event happened on Thursday, 14th September, 2023 to permanently reverse the challenges which the 24-hour economy of Ikeja has suffered for three years. It is the commissioning of NorthWest Petroleum ultramodern 20-nozzle Filling Station at 5, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Street, almost adjacent to where the demolished Mobil Station was.
For commuters, residents and businesses in Ikeja, this is not just a welcome development, but a big relief and an end to an unpleasant ordeal, which the demolition of the two stations represented.
Since the commissioning of the ultramodern Filling Station, the euphoria that has greeted the venture has continued to grow in leaps and bounds.
Obviously, NorthWest Petroleum knows a niche market when it sees one and also knows how to serve such market efficiently.
Ladi Hassan, a Quantity Surveyor who drove in his SUV to the station to refill his almost empty tank Monday afternoon had this to say: “With this sophisticated dispensing pumps, with this high level professionalism by the attendants and this cosy environment, I bet, these guys are here to take over the business from other marketers in Ikeja. They really mean business.”
Obviously, NorthWest Petroleum really means business and may have arrived Ikeja with the single purpose of taking the number one position in this niche market.
NorthWest, which arrived Ikeja to fill a yawning gap, a supply vacuum, comes with a reputation preceeding it as a petroleum products marketer of distinction whose core value appears to be quality service at the most customer friendly rate. A company with vast experience in the importation, supply, distribution and storage of petroleum products, NorthWest Petroleum owns and operates several ultramodern Mega Petroleum Products Filling Stations across the country. These Stations have become the number one point of call for buyers who have come to associate the NorthWest brand with not just quality service, but a station to be trusted not to shortchange customers, in addition to a courteous and well trained attendants.
These attributes are what the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NorthWest Petroleum, Dame Winifred Akpani, harped on at the commissioning of the ultramodern Filling Station in Maryland.
She said: “NorthWest Petroleum is all about service. We are here to continue to excel in our service to humanity. We are all about service.”
Indeed. NorthWest Petroleum, in its resolve to serve the public and contribute its quota to the nation’s economic growth and development, has shown that it truly means business.
Presently, the company operates two ultramodern Mega Petroleum Products Storage Terminals with combined capacity of 96.8 million litres and an ultramodern Berthing Facility with international state-of-the-art Fire Fighting and Safety Equipment in the Calabar Free Zone, Cross River State.
In its Filling Stations, NorthWest Petroleum has created a standard that competition will have to struggle to catch up with.
With state-of-the art facilities, most modern dispensing pumps, quality and well remunerated manpower, that boasts of fuel attendants that are university graduates, conducive working environment that comes with decent accommodation for all fuel attendants to ensure seamless service delivery, NorthWest Petroleum has shown a clear leadership position in the distribution and supply value chain in the downstream sector of the industry.
It is this business leader that has all it takes that arrived Ikeja Thursday September 14 to fill a yawning gap. You will be right to call it a welcome development.