WEDNESDAY, 1.00PM
OIL company Engen will spend more than $60-million in expansion into sub-Saharan Africa within the next few years.
John Slee, Engen’s managing director for Kenya, says the company will soon shift its focus to fuels, from lubricants, petrochemicals and bitumen, with the bulk of the investment going into marketing and brand diversification.
“We plan to open fuel stations in Kenya and compete directly with European and American oil companies,” Slee said.
Engen has opened offices in Kenya, Tanzania and Zaire over the last three years. The company also operates in Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and has sent test shipments of its products to Uganda and Rwanda. Slee says that competition is tough in all these countries. The sale of Engen products is also hampered by inadequate transport infrastructure in these areas.