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By Steve Agbota
Switzerland’s Ambassador, H.E. Mr Patrick Egloff, and the Consul General of the Swiss Consulate in Lagos, Madam Conny Camenzind, yesterday inspected SGS Nigeria’s newly built crude oil assay laboratory in Apapa, Lagos.
The laboratory is equipped to conduct comprehensive crude oil assay analysis, a development expected to strengthen SGS Nigeria’s capacity to support the country’s petroleum industry.
Welcoming the Swiss delegation, the Chairman of the company, Mr Francis Ogboro, expressed delight at the visit and commended the delegation for its commitment to engaging with the company’s Nigerian operations.
However, he reaffirmed the company’s commitment to combining global expertise with local capabilities to support businesses and facilitate international trade.
On SGS’s global reach, he noted that the organisation operates in 115 countries with more than 2,500 offices and laboratories, saying that the company’s strength lies in combining its international network and technical expertise with locally developed talent.
According to him, SGS Nigeria’s operations are driven by Nigerian professionals who draw on the knowledge, capabilities and resources of the wider global organisation to deliver services to businesses across various sectors.
He also outlined the company’s broad range of services, covering testing, inspection, certification, training and consulting, which support businesses in building trust, improving confidence in their products and processes, and participating more effectively in global trade.
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Responding, Switzerland’s Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Mr Patrick Egloff, commended the company’s contributions to the Nigerian business environment through local expertise, management and investment in indigenous capacity.
Speaking during his visit to SGS Nigeria, Egloff described the opportunity to learn more about the company’s operations as valuable to his work as ambassador, noting that direct engagement with businesses provides important insights into the realities of Swiss investment and commercial activity in Nigeria.
“What I especially like when I see it is that it is a Swiss company, but it is locally engineered, locally managed and locally driven. And I think this tells a lot about the strength of SGS here, and also the business model of SGS and of many Swiss companies,” he said.
He emphasised that investment in local talent and capabilities remains an important feature of Swiss companies operating abroad, adding that Nigeria possesses considerable local expertise.
The ambassador also described SGS as an “invisible giant,” noting that although the company operates discreetly, its work spans important areas of business and industry.
He said his long experience in the diplomatic service had repeatedly brought him into contact with SGS and its activities in different countries.
Egloff expressed appreciation to the SGS leadership for the invitation, explaining that the visit offered an opportunity to better understand the company’s work on the ground and its contribution to the Nigerian economy.
