Dr. Bukola Olusola, Managing Director, Matrix Energy Exploration and Production Company Limited, speaking in a panel session titled: African Content and Opportunities, at the just concluded 2024 Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) answering to: How do you approach environmental stewardship and community engagement to ensure sustainable operations?
…minimizes carbon footprint in the environment
…Maintains gender balance within organization
… Retain diversity in African Content Development
Speaking in a panel session titled: African Content and Opportunities, at the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES), Dr. Bukola Olusola, Managing Director, Matrix Energy Exploration and Production Company Limited, said host communities are key stakeholders to the operations of oil and gas company and are best managed when they are enlightened about its operations. He made it known that it is important for companies to strive to have continuous engagement with operating communities and sustain these engagements at various stages of operation.
To maintain sustainable operations, it is critical to consistently evaluate organizational operating procedures and plans. He said this to emphasize that while Asset Development is paramount, sustainable development guarantees longer term brand viability.
About Matrix, he shares their responsible asset development plan to include a minimized carbon footprint as well as environment stewardship and robust stakeholder engagement.
“Our employees are empowered to uphold a high level of compliance to our safety policies and where we have the community and contractors working in any of our facilities, we hold them responsible to maintain the same high-level standard.”
Dr. Olusola revealed that Matrix development plan includes a zero-gas flare strategy from operation commencement and responsible use and disposal of produced water, highlighting yet another commitment to their sustainable production plan.
At Matrix, “We ask of our community stakeholders to be treated as family members and not strangers”, we seek active dialogue and continuous engagement whilst ensuring that our host communities also benefit from our operations through employment opportunities and our corporate social responsibility initiatives. These, we employ to ensure our host maximally benefits from our operations, reinforce our commitment to the community growth, and also create a sustainable operational ecosystem where our employees and assets continue to be safe.
On the issue of gender action and implementation with sustainability and building local content, Dr. Olusola states, “if you want just any idea, bring together people of similar backgrounds and life experiences, and you get just any idea.”
“But if you want a great idea, an innovative product. Then you need to bring together people from different backgrounds and life experiences.”
He said Matrix is intentional on how staff is recruited into the company. “We make sure that we retain diversity in our staff strength, because we want uniqueness, diversity and contribution from individuals of different backgrounds bringing in their perspectives to build innovation.”
Matrix recruitment strategy also contributes to her staff strength. Dr. Olusola stressed further that the company ensures a gender balance and reasonable distribution across its assets. Diversity, he says, is important. On the issue of Research and Development (R&D), the Matrix Upstream Managing Director pointed out that proposals from Nigerian researchers are substandard because in-country professors have not had opportunities to collaborate with their counterparts in other developed nations.
According to Dr. Olusola on industrializing Nigerian industry with Africans, “we must retain diversity in African content development and collaboration with professionals around the world, otherwise sustainability cannot be achieved.” Sustainability is best achieved through systems implemented by people, “such that when a set of people leaves, the next set are able to carry on with the vision.”
It is also imperative to note that irrespective of gender, each staff must understand why we are emphasizing sustainability. They must know that “It is not only about today, but for our collective generational benefit.”
“It is important as well to note, that whatever we do today is a catalyst for tomorrow’s change as what changes sector dynamics is not only market forces, but mindset, how we think and how we and our consumers relate with products.”
“It is important that we maintain that diversity balance with respect to gender, tribe, and religion. Ensuring diversity in any team creates bigger opportunities for the African energy sector leadership” and recognizing the strength of each who have helped us arrive at today.
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