Sahara Group used foreign identity to counter 'colonial mentality', says co-founder

Tonye Cole, a co-founder of Sahara Group, has shed light on the strategic measures the company took in its nascent stages to navigate Nigeria's oil and gas industry, which he described as being heavily influenced by a 'colonial mentality.' Cole revealed that to overcome the inherent bias against young Nigerian entrepreneurs, Sahara Group was registered abroad in the Isle of Man, presenting itself as an expatriate firm.

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What I remember about back then was that there was what you would call the expatriate mentality, colonial mentality at the time.

This approach involved creating a fictitious British persona, 'Dr J,' to act as the face of the business. Cole explained that this was a calculated move to gain access to opportunities that would have been difficult, if not impossible, for a company perceived as solely Nigerian to secure. He noted that many industry stakeholders at the time believed foreign companies possessed superior capabilities compared to local businesses.

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It just meant that if you were white in Nigeria, then you would basically get everything.

Cole elaborated on the challenges faced, including ageism. He recounted instances where potential clients dismissed the company's ownership claims due to the young age of its founders, who were in their late twenties. This skepticism, coupled with the prevailing belief that success in the sector was linked to foreign ownership or connections, prompted the decision to establish a UK entity.

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We would go into offices and realise that if we went in as young 27, 28-year-old people and said that we own the company and we set up the company, the people sitting there would be looking at you as if, ‘Who are you? You can’t do that.’

"We discussed with one of my partners’ teachers at the time and said, ‘You know what, this is who we are. You have taught us well. We’re going to say that we work for you,’" Cole said, detailing the creation of the 'Dr J' identity. He emphasized that this strategy was a response to the reality of the industry, where foreign entities often held sway, and that they found a niche by leveraging this dynamic.

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Everybody who was in this business, the people who were actually succeeding in the business, had foreign companies or they were foreign companies.