By Clara Nwachukwu
Contrary to speculations that Nigerian companies participation in the annual Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston Texas, US, is more of a jamboree than business development, Emval Holdings Limited, has said that participation in the conference has brought it vast business opportunities.

The Managing Director of Emval, Mr. Valentine Obidi, who spoke with Vanguard during the just concluded OTC, said not only did exposure to the conference enhanced its businesses locally, but also, interntionallly.

He revealed, “Through our participation in the OTC, we have been able to secure partnerships with some foreign companies interested in setting up manufacturing  outfits in Nigeria for some of our products – gas slates and valves.”

Furthermore, Obidi said that through its subsidiary company, Submar West Africa, the group was able “to get the opportunity of negotiating licence agreements to produce concrete mattresses used for a number of services in the oil and gas industry in 17 African countries, which started with the Nigerian outlet opened in June last year.”

With the Nigerian outlet, he said the group is licenced to sell its products to the rest of the countries until it is able to open shops in them, adding that the products are already present in Angola, Ghana and a number of other African countries.

The Emval boss disclosed that these successes did not come cheap, as the group started off only as a visitor to the fair 14 years ago, before graduating to an exhibitor four years on.

“When we started coming to the OTC, we were just visitors, coming to observe what business opportunities there are, and it cannot be compared to the benefits we now have as exhibitors,” he added.