Eterna Oil launches Castrol GTX Essential made in Nigeria for the African market
Eterna Oil Plc recently launched Castrol GTX Essential which was manufactured at Eterna Oil’s own lube blending facility in Sagamu, Ogun state, in southwestern Nigeria.
“I am proud to announce that the latest addition to the Castrol GTX family ‘Castrol GTX Essential’ was produced for the first time in the world at our plant in Sagamu this August. This is a clear demonstration of the confidence reposed in our manufacturing capabilities by Castrol,” said Mahmud Tukur, Eterna Oil’s managing director.
Tukur said that Castrol GTX Essential was developed specifically to meet the lubricant requirements of the Nigerian market, and the African market as a whole.
Eterna Oil’s 15,000 metric tonne (MT) lube blending plant, which is owned by a company subsidiary, Eterna Industries Limited, is one of only three Castrol accredited lube blending plants in Africa. Investment in the lube blending plant was more than NGN3 billion (USD8.3 million), said Tukur.
“Castrol designed the plant and provided the required technical support during construction ensuring that the plant met global standards,” he said.
The lube blending plant, which is equipped with a state-of-the-art laboratory, can manufacture up to 45,000 MT on three full shifts, he said.
Eterna Oil started importing and distributing Castrol Lubricants in Nigeria in 1991. The company was most active in the marine and energy segments from 2009 to 2015. “In 2015, we commenced further discussions with Castrol to extend our licensing rights to cover the automotive and industrial sector,” Tukur said. This culminated in the signing of an exclusive distributor agreement with Castrol in February 2017.
Tukur said in the next few months the company will be rolling out sales points nationwide, appointing distributors in strategic markets, partnering with independent retailers and constructing Eterna Oil’s own fuel retail outlets in key cities, including Abuja and Calabar.
