Exclusive interview with Jehu Ndoumi...His journey to Dakar Petrogaz Expo 2019...at King Fahd Palace

1) Can you tell us about your itinerary?

Academically I am a Design Engineer specialized in Telecoms/Networks & Decision Systems and a post-graduate Economist-Statistician. I am also a PhD student in Mathematical Economics of Energy.

On a professional level, I am currently President of the international holding company NetOil comprenant NETOIL GROUP SA in DOUALA, NETOIL GROUP INVESTMENT SAS in Paris, YPRESS EQUITY NV in Belgium, NETOIL ENERGY LTD in London and Partner of SEN’EQUITY in SENEGAL.

During the first ten years of my professional experience, I have capitalized on my expertise in the management of technical and economic projects for telecom and intelligent systems solutions adapted to the needs of companies; the elaboration of IT and telecommunication master plans; the commercial and marketing development of telecom, electronic security and electronic data processing solutions and technologies; the implementation of business performance management strategies with Business Performance Management solutions; the deployment of customer service organization and management and e-marketing solutions for companies and local authorities in Africa.

From 2000 to 2003: Member of the group of experts of the OMEGA Plan and NEPAD, under the direction of Dr. Chérif Salif SY, Minister, in charge of economic issues at the Presidency of the Republic of Senegal. In this capacity, I participated in the big conference on "the operationality, the effectiveness and the feasibility of the OMEGA Plan", held in Dakar in April 2001. I remained a member of the team until the adoption of NEPAD by the Heads of State of the African Union in Lusaka in July 2001.

The last ten years of practice in the energy sector (Markets-trading-Project finance) have given me the opportunity to develop a proven expertise in : Structured arrangements and complex financing operations for Energy and various infrastructure projects in PPP; Development of models for the evaluation and economic optimization of oil projects and financing contracts; Project evaluation and negotiation of oil contracts; Negotiation of risk hedging contracts; Development of tools for decision support, monitoring, control and comparison of the results of the sharing of the oil rent.

In terms of associations, I am a member of several professional organizations in the energy sector: Association for the Development of Energy in Africa (ADEA) based in Paris; Association of French Petroleum Consultants (ACP) based in Paris; Director of Economic Intelligence and Strategy of the African Center for Research on Energy and Mining Policies (CARPEM) based in France; Representative for Central Africa of the African Energy Institute (IAE) based in Dakar, Senegal; General Manager for Africa of the Slovak, African and Arab Chamber of Commerce (SAAOK) based in Slovakia and Turkey.

2) When and why did you create the NetOil company? What type of business does this company conduct?

NetOil was created in November 2011, from the will of its promoters capitalizing on more than half a century of experience in waste treatment and oil distribution both in Cameroon and outside our borders, with the aim of distributing petroleum products throughout the national territory and in the sub-region. This was made possible by obtaining in February 2012 the approval for the distribution of all petroleum products according to the order N°00000107/MINEE of February 15, 2012.

Our ambition and objective was to offer consumers the beneficial effects of a new technology dedicated to service. Thus NetOil proposed to introduce on the market an original offer able to satisfy on a local scale as well as on a regional scale in the medium term the diversified customers from here and elsewhere. Our mission consisted in introducing on the oil market an original offer able to satisfy on a local scale as well as on a regional scale in the medium term the diversified customers of the African center.

I have presented NetOil in its initial concept because, initially specialized in the distribution of petroleum products, NetOil is now positioned in THE PRODUCTION OF VARIOUS ENERGY AND BIOMASS to meet the current demand. This was motivated by the fact that since the beginning of 2012, Cameroon is in the era of major achievements and structuring projects. This transformation of the Cameroonian economy induces an economic growth which generates a strong energy demand.

To cope with this increase in activity, NetOil will proceed with a series of investments from the year 2018, therefore it needed the additional capital intended to finance its industrial projects of 'bio-ecological' energy production and the strengthening of its financial structure. Due to the opportunities related to the globalization of markets, NetOil has modified as of October 12, 2018, its legal and financial structuring to facilitate its development in AFRICA and EUROPE through direct or indirect participation, in any form whatsoever in all financial, industrial, movable or immovable operations, directly or indirectly related to the corporate purpose by way of creating new companies.

This positioning, with a network of international partners, will enable it to raise different types of financing, from the most traditional to the most complex, by intervening directly in the private finance market.

3) You are involved in the project to build a domestic gas cylinder plant in Kribi, Cameroon. Can you tell us more about this project?

The project consists in developing, in Cameroon, with a consortium of Italian and Belgian companies, and from the beginning of the year 2020, a production unit of tanks in composite material coated with glass fibers. The manufacture of fiberglass coated tanks for the storage and transport of LPG gas (butane or propane) for residential applications. The production capacity has been set at 1,000,000 cylinders per year.

Project background. There are over 1000 applications for LPG, butane and propane gases. Hundreds of millions of people currently use and depend on LPGs for thousands of commercial, industrial, transportation, agricultural, power generation, cooking, heating and recreational applications. LPG is the only energy that can meet a wide variety of uses: to cook for a family in South Africa or for a community in India; to cool a store in Brazil; as fuel for cabs in Tokyo; to make welds for car manufacturers in Germany; to heat a Canadian family's home; to weed a ranch in Texas; to allow a hot air balloon to rise and make the first non-stop solo flight around the world; to lacquer the hair of Hollywood starlets; to warm up the climbers launched on the ascent of Mount Everest; to allow the Olympic flame to exist and even to make special effects in the cinema or at Disneyland... that's why LPG is recognized as the most versatile energy on the planet.

Identified opportunity

The LPG Master Plan adopted on August 15, 2016 in Cameroon, forecasts butane consumption to reach 383,000 tons, about 12 kilograms per capita, or nearly 4 times current consumption. There will be an investment of 6.8 million additional new gas cylinders, the opening of 6600 new retail outlets, an additional cylinder filling capacity of 277 kilotons, and a storage capacity of filling centers of 2.857 tons. The financial investments required are estimated at 265 billion FCFA, 60% of which is for LPG cylinders. In general, composite tanks are 3 to 4 times lighter and offer a longer life than steel products. Composite tanks are also preferred for storage under high pressure (above 60 bars).

Product description. Composite LPG (butane or propane) pressure tanks are used for domestic and industrial applications. These tanks consist of a seamless polyethylene inner bag and are coated on the outside with glass fiber reinforced polyester and epoxy resin. The tank is then inserted into a pre-injected liner. The connections are standard 1/2″. These tanks offer a resistance up to 25 bars of pressure and 45 C° in temperature.

Competitive advantages

The competitive advantages of composite tanks are as follows:

- Lightness: a comparison of mass per unit volume shows that a composite tank has 25 to 75% less mass than an all-steel tank of the same volume.

- Pressure resistance: a comparative analysis in performance index (service pressure x mass / volume ratio) for different types of pressure vessels shows that the advantage of composite vessels can be more than 270%.

- Lifetime: with regard to resistance to environmental aggression, both external (UV, water, acid, salt, etc.) and internal due to the fluids contained (nitrogen, hydrogen, propane, CO2, etc.), the life of composite tanks can reach 30 years.

- Maintenance: Steel tanks require regular maintenance, including painting and treatment for corrosion resistance. Composite tanks do not require specific maintenance.

4) You are a partner of the International Foreign Trade Center of Senegal for the organization of the Dakar Petrogaz Expo 2019 Forum at the King Fahd Palace. Can you present us this forum?

Dakar PetroGaz Expo 2019This project was initiated by three organizations: the International Center for Foreign Trade of Senegal (CICES), NetOil Group Investment SA based in Paris, France and the Business Club for the Development of French Companies in Algeria (CADEFA) based in Paris, France. This is the first edition of the International Oil, Gas and Green Energy Exhibition, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN AFRICA THAT SEEKS TO CONCILIATE ENERGY, ENVIRONMENTAL RESPECT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, and is scheduled to take place from 03 to 05 December 2019 at the KING FAHD Hotel in Dakar, Senegal.

The DakarPetroGaz Expo 2019 whose theme is "OIL, GAS & GREEN ENERGY IN AFRICA: INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND INNOVATIVE FINANCING SOLUTIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENERGY TRANSITION" is intended, as you know, to edify at the end of the exchanges the ones and the others on the investment opportunities offered by the sector and to allow to promote the B2B, B2G partnerships. It must facilitate the setting up of a unique platform of PPP financing offers for these partnerships. It aims to provide building blocks for financial and technological innovation. It will create a space for the exhibition and promotion of products and services.

This exhibition will also make known HOW TO INTRACT TECHNOLOGICAL, CAPITALISTIC, POLITICAL, ECOLOGICAL DATA SO THAT THE PARTICIPANTS DISCOVER WHAT WILL BE THE BIG FIGHTS TO COME AND THEIR CHALLENGES.

This exhibition will offer exhibitors the opportunity to address the following topics: Hydroelectric Energy, Oil, Gas, Studies and Research, Specialized University Training, Manufacturing and Maintenance of Equipment, Distribution and Commercial Representation, Transmission and Distribution Network, Green Energy (wind, biomass, solar), Equipment and Fire Prevention System, Certification and GHSE, Waste Treatment ... Particular importance will also be given to renewable energies: focal points of innovation today for the preservation of the planet

A simplified view of the show's program content presents some of the following topics:

• Plenary Conference: Senegal, new oil and gas producer, what political, economic and social vision
• Conference 1 : Operating in the context of "Local Content" in Senegal THE CONTEXT OF LOCAL CONTENT; THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A LOCAL CONTENT MANAGEMENT PLAN (LCMP); THE CONSEQUENCES OF LC CLAUSES ON THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF A PURCHASING CONTRACT; THE IMPLICATIONS OF LC ON HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.
• Workshop 1: Doing Business in Senegal in the Oil, Gas & Green Energy sector: Regulation, Taxation, Investment Security, Law.
• Workshop 2: Investment opportunities and strategies in the energy sector in Africa and in Senegal in particular: ENERGY AS A MEANS OF FINANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
• Conference 2: Financing models for state PPP programs and SMEs in Oil, Gas & Green Energy: reconciling the capital needs of local companies and investment opportunities, Structured Finance: innovative financing solutions.

5) What is NetOil's contribution to the organization of this Forum?

NetOil is actually the creator of the concept and the implementation of the scientific part of this exhibition. We defined the scientific themes, we created the project teams and we designed and executed the international communication plan for the show.

6) What are your other activities outside the oil sector?

As an international consultant, my expertise, built on the last 10 years of experience, is based on the know-how and the implementation of tailor-made financial solutions, from equity financing to structured financing. My mission focuses on the financing of public and private projects, and assisting operators in the definition and implementation of appropriate legal and financial packages. I also assist investors (institutions, family offices, companies) in their alternative investments.

Because of the opportunities linked to the globalization of the markets, my network of partners in Switzerland, France, Belgium and Singapore allows me to raise different types of financing, from the most traditional to the most complex, by intervening directly on the private finance market.

Infrastructure projects, health, education, telecommunications, airports, ports, solar power plants, renewable energy, the agricultural industry, and housing are all areas in which I work.

As a specialist in structured deals and complex financial operations; a specialist in unlisted investments, Risk Management & Private Equity, I am involved in various operations: raising equity and debt, securitization, restructuring of sovereign debt, financing of large structuring projects, setting up PPPs, developing investment programs, setting up private and public guarantees. Two years ago, I succeeded in raising the debt to recapitalize an airline in Jamaica. In Europe, I structured and raised three years ago the financing of an amusement park project in Italy and the recapitalization of an LNG distribution company in France.

As General Manager for Africa of the Slovac Arab Afric Chamber of Commerce (SAAOK) based in Slovakia, I accompany African countries in their strategies to find financing and raise funds for infrastructure projects. This is how I was able to structure and raise funds for the realization of a 1000-bed hospital in Chad, the construction and equipment of a 5* hotel called HÔTEL DES ARMÉES in BANGUI in CAR. I am currently completing the fundraising for road infrastructure projects in TOGO and energy infrastructure projects in DRC and Uganda.

Excellent trainer and very gifted in the conception and transmission of knowledge, I am a trainer and guest teacher in universities and colleges in Africa. I teach Econometric and Statistical methods; Financial Econometrics; Structured Finance-Project Finance; Data Analysis; Data Mining & Business Intelligence; Actuarial Finance Techniques and Risk Management. I am a researcher in energy economics. I created with Bordeaux Management School pole of Dakar a cycle of four Certificates in OIL, GAS & ENERGY. I am a trainer at the Catholic University of Central Africa within the Certificate program in OIL, GAS, MINING directed by Dr. Stephane Essaga. As an Entrepreneurship Coach, I create and develop incubators for start-ups.