Gulf of Guinea: Solewant Group CEO Honoured for Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Development 

Suleiman Adeola

Eminent personalities including global thought leaders, top diplomats, public and private sectors captains, gathered in Abuja on Sunday to unveil the Reports of the High-level Roundtable on the Gulf of Guinea, convened by The New Diplomat in collaboration with The Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC), during the United Nations General Assembly’s 80th session in New York City, USA.

The high-level gathering drew the participation of many eminent personalities. They include foremost scholar-diplomat, former foreign affairs minister and erstwhile undersecretary of the United Nations, Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari; 21st indigenous Chief of  Naval Staff, the Nigerian Navy, Admiral Awwal Z. Gambo; National President of NACCIMA, Engr Jani Ibrahim; former Nigerian Ambassador to Jamaica, Ambassador Janet Olisa; former Nigerian Ambassador to Thailand, Ambassador Oma Djebah; former Nigerian Ambassador to Pakistan; Ambassador Muhammed Bello Abioye; former CEO of Navy Farms, Admiral Julius Nwagwu; former Honourable Commissioner for Finance, Delta State, Olorogun Bernard Okumagba; former Honourable Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Chief Fred Majemite; former Presidential Chief Physician, Dr Fortune Fiberesima, amongst others.

The occasion was used to honour eleven eminent personalities who have made a positive impact in the peace and sustainable development trajectory in the Gulf of Guinea.

Among the eleven personalities recognized for their exceptional contributions to the peace and sustainable development in the Gulf of Guinea was the Group Chief Executive Officer of Solewant Group, Mr. Solomon Ewanehi.

Mr Ewanehi was honoured with an award for his outstanding contributions to peace and sustainable development in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

It would be recalled that Ewanehi was one of the keynote speakers and Panelists at  the gathering of senior government officials, business leaders and other global players in the oil and gas, as well as maritime industries, who dissected the Gulf of Guinea’s energy, oil and gas, minerals and maritime investment prospects at a high-level roundtable held during the recent 80th Session of UN General Assembly (UNGA 80) in New York, United States on September 25, 2025.

The top-notch roundtable themed: “Unlocking Energy, Oil & Gas, Minerals and Maritime Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea: A Roadmap for Peace and Security,”  which was convened by The New Diplomat, in collaboration with the Luanda-based Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) to deepen international engagement on peace and security, foster international business cooperation, forge an appropriate funding architecture for large scale projects in the Gulf of Guinea, canvassing broad support for Nigeria’s offer to host an enlarged operationalized CMTF-GoG, and deepen multi sector collaborations, came up with crucial outcomes,

Therefore, last Sunday’s event was the latest effort to catalyse investment and business in the region’s energy, oil and gas, mineral, aviation and maritime sectors.

Gambari, also a former Chief of Staff (CoS) to late former President Muhammadu Buhari described the high-level evening conversation on the GoG as a defining moment as it brought together governments, international organisations, private sector, and all other leaders united by shared concerns about the investment prospects in the GoG.

Meanwhile, Ewanehi, who received  a certificate of award by The New Diplomat for his outstanding contributions to peace and sustainable development in the Gulf of Guinea, also used the occasion to present his just released book to participants.

The book titled: ‘Unlocking Africa’s Energy Future,’ written by Ewanehi had earlier been reviewed by Professor Sett Accra Jaja, the former Vice Chancellor of Federal University, Otueke, Bayelsa state,  and Professor Olusegun Olufemi Ajide, Co-Principal, Doctoral Academy of Postgraduate College, University of Ibadan (UIDA) and IP Sub-Dean (Postgraduate), Faculty of Technology, of the same university.

Prof. Ajide had described the author as an astute economist, virile entrepreneur, innovator and global industry leader.

The book reviewer had stated that the book reflects “synergy of the author’s strategic leadership philosophy, corporate evolution, and a forward-looking overview of Africa’s energy landscape.”

According to Professor Ajide, “the book is an unflinching blend of the author’s personal reflections and foresight on leadership, organisational culture, and human-centred management with a holistic exploration of Africa’s energy potential, emerging opportunities, and strategic pathways for sustainable and accelerated growth.”

Ajide argued that “the book positions energy not only as a driver of industrial development, but as a catalyst and change agent for human prosperity. An in-depth study of this book provides limelight on the need for purposeful leadership, continuous improvement, innovation, diversification and a unified commitment to building an inclusive, technologically enabled, research, development and economically vibrant Nigeria cum Africa at large.”

Meanwhile, at the high-level roundtable on the sidelines of UNGA 80, participants had called on regional and international leaders to confront the insecurity challenges in the Gulf of Guinea to unlock its vast economic potential.

On his part, Ewanehi, in his presentation at the high-level roundtable, noted that recent public estimates and discussions place the region’s energy, maritime and infrastructure investment opportunity in the hundreds of billions of dollars, describing it as a transformational economic prize for Africa’s coastal economies.

Citing recent reports, Ewanehi declared that unlocking Africa’s coastal economies responsibly will require security, governance, and coordinated public–private action.

“Security frameworks already exist. Most notably the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (2013), which provides a foundation for cooperation against piracy, illicit trafficking, and other maritime threats. Yet the Code needs strengthened legal status, harmonised enforcement, and operational capacity if it is to protect regional trade and investor confidence at scale.

“Solewant Group speaks to the role indigenous industry can play. Over 25 years we have invested in people, plants and products, including commissioning what is widely reported as Africa’s largest multi-layer pipe-coating facility, to strengthen local content, job creation, and supply-chain resilience for energy and infrastructure projects. These investments validate that when security and financing frameworks are aligned, African firms are fully capable of delivering high-quality industrial capacity that meets global standards,” he added.

Ewanehi explained that the company is actively translating regional interests into concrete partnerships.

Indeed, in recent years, Solewant Group has continued to break new grounds, which have earned the company and its CEO garland of honours and recognitions by the global oil and gas industry.

From acquiring its first set of painting and coating equipment to executing its major milestone projects for oil and gas operators, Solewant Group has demonstrated what resilience looked like in practice.

The company was recognized as ‘Best Indigenous African Oil and Gas Contractor of the Year’ by Offshore Africa Oil & Gas Magazine, in 2023.

In 2021 and 2022, the company was awarded ‘Best Oil & Gas Contractor of the Year’ by News Direct.

In 2024, it hosted the Solewant Group 8th Energy Summit, at her industrial park, focusing on sustainable energy development in Africa.

The 9th Energy Summit recently took place from November 27–28, 2025, at the Solewant Industrial Park, Alode-Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The annual summit typically attracts policymakers, energy executives, DFIs, development partners, and researchers from across Africa and the rest of the world, who brainstorm on strategies for building a sustainable and technologically advanced energy future for Africa continent.

Earlier in 2025, it unveiled the ‘Solewant Group Roadmap Plus’, a 10-year strategic vision emphasizing technological innovation and contributions to Nigeria’s industrial development and energy transition.

In June 2025, it commissioned an automated bend coating plant, a new multi-layer pipe bend and fitting coating factory at the Solewant Industrial Park in Onne, Rivers State.

The company also celebrated its 25th Anniversary on June 6, 2025, marking two and a half decades of innovation, impact, and industrial excellence in Nigeria.

.Adeola, an oil and gas analyst, writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State