The NilePet New Headquarters that was inaugurated by President Salva Kiir on Saturday, March 2, 2024 - Credit: Lou Nelson/Eye Radio

President Salva Kiir on Saturday inaugurated the headquarters of the state-owned oil firm, NilePet in the capital Juba.

The event was attended by senior government officials including the Vice President for infrastructure cluster, Taban Deng, Speaker, Jemma Nunu Kumba, and Chief Justice, Chan Reec Madut.

Others are the Presidential advisor on security affairs, Tut Gatluak, minister of presidential affairs Bangasi Joseph Bakasoro, finance minister Bak Barnaba Chol, Managing Director of the NilePet, Eng. Bernard Amuor Makeny.

The building is expected to accommodate up to 3,000 people.

According to NilePet, the state-of-the-art building will now reduce the cost of expenditure of the oil company, because it was renting offices in many locations in Juba.

Other NilePet’s subsidiaries will also be allowed to rent within the facility.

The nearly 30-million-US dollar-nine-story building’s construction first started in 2018.

During the inauguration, President Salva Kiir applauded the management and the staff of Nile Petroleum Company for the successful completion of its headquarters office, saying it was very good and excellent.

In his address during the launch, Kiir acknowledged the efforts exerted by the team to enable a successful launch of the new structure.

He thanked the joint operating companies for the support and cooperation they showed NilePet during the construction period up until its launch.

The head of state further directed the governor of Central Equatorial State to move all the squatters surrounding the NilePet building, saying the squatters do not give an impressive look in the area.

“Today is a very humble day, and I must thank the management of NilePet and staff for the efforts exerted to complete the building. I thank all the partners of the joint operating companies (JOC) for their support and cooperation to this day,” Kiir said during the inauguration of the new NilePet headquarters in the Buluk area.

“This building is very good and excellent, but between squatters, this is the first thing anybody coming to this building sees, and because of this, I direct the governor of Central Equatoria to move the squatters away from here,” he said.

Kiir was speaking this morning at the new NilePet headquarters in the Buluk area.

The nine-story building is now officially the tallest building built by the national government.

Eng. Bernard Amuor Makeny, the managing director of NilePet said the commissioning of the headquarters is a sign of the government’s agenda of development.

“Today is a very great day for the country, it is also a great day for Nile Petroleum Corporation and a great day for the entire South Sudanese citizens,” Eng. Amour said.

“It is a day of commitment of Nile Petroleum to champion development and infrastructure to put Nile Petroleum Corporation on the world map to at least address the public relations of this country demonstrated by the fact that His Excellency commissioned the building officially,” he said.

“Now the building has been officially opened by His Excellency General Salva Kiir Mayardit, the President of the Republic of South Sudan.

“We are also excited as employees of Nile Petroleum Corporation, we are also equally excited as the citizens of this great nation.

“We want to send a message to the world that Nile Petroleum Corporation will not only be defined by the negativity that is being disseminated out there but by the reality that we are the leaders in the region in the oil and gas industry.”

Martha Nyamal, the deputy managing director of NilePet said the commissioning of the building demonstrates the government’s commitment towards development.

Nyamal also encouraged girls to study petroleum engineering.

“I’m here encouraging our girls fear to do your petroleum engineering, go to school, we want girls to come up to make sure because South Sudan is an oil producing country,” Nyamal said.

“This building that you have seen here is artwork, there is a saying that Rome was not built in one day, don’t expect South Sudan to be built in one day, we go stage by stage,” she said.

“Let’s put our hands together to build this beautiful nation, trust me all of us will have it, we will have food on our table if we put our hands together.”

The foundation of the building was laid five meters below the surface, with a basement to accommodate about 50 vehicles.

The green building has a city power system, solar and generator.

The building was also constructed with a system of recycling rainwater, it also has a sky garden on top of the steel structure.

It is built using the government’s money, without borrowing a single dollar from other countries or institutions.

The employees are expected to shift to the building next week.

Nile Petroleum Corporation Limited (NILEPET) was established in 2003 under the Civil Authority for New Sudan to link the oil companies with the Civil Authority for New Sudan and the then-civil government in the liberated areas of Southern Sudan.

NILEPET was incorporated on June 1, 2009, by the Ministry of Legal Affairs and Constitutional Development of South Sudan incorporated NILEPET as a state-owned National Oil and Gas Company of South Sudan under the 2003 New Sudan Companies Act.