A vintage photograph captures the vibrant city of Enugu, fondly known as “Coal City,” in the early 1960s, prior to the Nigerian civil war. The image features two prominent petroleum companies, Shell Nigeria on the right and Total on the left, which dominated the West African energy landscape at the time.

Shell’s history in Nigeria dates back to 1938, when it operated as “Shell D’Arcy” and was granted an exploration license. The company made a groundbreaking discovery in 1956, uncovering the first commercial oil field at Oloibiri in the Niger Delta. This pivotal find paved the way for Nigeria’s emergence as a major oil-producing nation, with exports commencing in 1958.

Before the advent of oil, Nigeria’s economy, like many other African countries, relied heavily on agricultural exports. Interestingly, many Nigerians initially believed that oil explorers were searching for palm oil.

Total Nigeria PLC was incorporated on June 1, 1956, as a private company, with the primary objective of marketing petroleum products in Nigeria. Over the past five decades, Total Nigeria PLC has maintained its position as a leader in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The company’s first filling station was commissioned in Lagos in 1956, marking the beginning of its extensive operations in the country.