Sahara Upstream has appointed Gopi Nath as Director, Oilfield Services, in a move to strengthen its integrated services platform and support Africa’s evolving energy landscape.
In the new role, Nath will provide strategic oversight for Arahas Global Oilfield Services and SGIR Rigs and Energy Limited. He will lead the transformation of both companies into integrated service platforms focused on operational excellence, innovation, customer value, and sustainable growth, a statement said on Saturday.
According to the statement, the appointment forms part of Sahara Upstream’s broader transformation following its organisational restructuring and reflects the company’s long-term strategy of investing in the people, capabilities, and systems required to shape the future of energy in Africa.
Speaking on the appointment, Ade Odunsi, Executive Director, Sahara Upstream, explained that leadership remains central to delivering Sahara’s long-term growth ambitions.
He said: “As we advance our Beyond XXX agenda, we are intentionally building businesses that are equipped for the future. That means investing in leadership, strengthening capabilities, embracing innovation, and creating integrated service platforms that deliver smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable solutions across Africa’s energy value chain.”
He also said the appointment reinforces Sahara’s commitment to developing businesses capable of supporting Africa’s changing energy needs.
He added: “Our vision extends beyond operational growth. We are building future-ready businesses that create lasting value for customers, partners, host communities, and the wider energy industry. Gopi’s appointment reflects our confidence in his ability to unlock synergies, strengthen execution, and position Arahas and SGIR for long-term success.”
Arahas continues to provide engineering-led oilfield services built around operational reliability, safety, innovation, and sustainability, while SGIR delivers drilling, engineering, project execution, and field support services that enhance production performance across upstream operations.
The businesses represent an important part of Sahara’s strategy to strengthen indigenous service capability while supporting responsible energy development across Africa.
Speaking on his appointment, Gopi Nath said the organisation is well positioned for its next phase of transformation.
He stated: “This is an exciting period for Sahara’s oilfield services business. We have strong foundations, exceptional talent, and a clear strategic direction. My focus will be on strengthening collaboration across our service companies, driving execution excellence, enhancing customer value, and building scalable platforms that contribute meaningfully to Africa’s energy aspirations.”
He added that the goal is to build oilfield services businesses that establish new benchmarks for reliability, safety, innovation, sustainability, and stakeholder value while helping shape the future of oilfield services across Africa.
The appointment reinforces Sahara’s Beyond XXX philosophy, which focuses on building the capabilities, partnerships, and platforms that will define the next chapter of Africa’s energy future through responsible growth, innovation, and sustainable value creation.