15 companies owned by Nigerian energy tycoon ABC Orjiako

On May 4, 2025

Key Points

ABC Orjiako, a former orthopedic surgeon, co-founded Seplat and built a diverse empire across oil, logistics, healthcare, and consulting through Ordrec Group.
Despite exiting Seplat in 2022, Orjiako retains influence in Nigeria’s energy sector through diverse portfolios, including deepwater logistics and pharmaceutical firms.
His companies face legal scrutiny, including a $101 million bankruptcy suit, underscoring rising financial pressures across his business network.

Nigerian orthopedic-surgeon-turned-energy mogul, Ambrosie Bryant Chukwueloka Orjiako—widely known as ABC Orjiako—has built a sprawling corporate empire that sits at the crossroads of oil, logistics, healthcare, and investment consulting across West Africa.

Best known as the pioneering co-founder and former chairman of Seplat Energy Plc, one of Nigeria’s largest indigenous oil and gas producers listed on both the Nigerian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange, Orjiako has remained a key figure in Nigeria’s energy landscape even after stepping down from the Seplat board in 2022.

His core investment vehicle, Ordrec Group Limited, serves as the holding company for his broad portfolio of interests, with a strategic focus on upstream petroleum development and support services.

Despite recent legal headwinds—including regulatory scrutiny linked to his Seplat exit—Orjiako retains significant influence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Beyond Seplat, Orjiako is linked to several operational entities ranging from deepwater logistics and rig support to pharmaceutical distribution and international consulting. These companies often function as part of a vertically integrated structure, servicing both public and private clients in Nigeria and abroad.

Billionaires.Africa has identified 15 companies across various sectors either founded by or closely associated with Orjiako through directorships, shareholding structures, or executive roles. These entities reveal the breadth and depth of his business empire—and highlight how one of Africa’s most prominent medical professionals evolved into a formidable energy tycoon.

Below is a breakdown of the companies under ABC Orjiako’s orbit, based on public filings, regulatory documents, and corporate records.

Ordrec Group Limited

Acting as the principal investment arm of ABC Orjiako, Ordrec Group anchors his diverse commercial interests in oil, pharmaceuticals, and logistics. Headquartered in Lagos, the company has come under scrutiny over a $101 million bankruptcy suit filed by Access Bank in 2023 but remains a core part of his business architecture. It holds oversight functions across Seplat Energy, Neimeth Pharmaceuticals, Helko Marine, and more.

Seplat Energy Plc

Co-founded in 2009 by Orjiako, Seplat is one of Nigeria’s largest independent oil and gas producers, listed on both the NGX and LSE. Though he stepped down as chairman in 2022, Orjiako retains a 6.43 percent stake—roughly 37.8 million shares—making him one of its top shareholders. In 2024, Seplat posted a 163 percent rise in profit, with net earnings hitting N214 billion ($134 million).

Shebah Exploration & Production Company Limited (SEPCOL)

Once a flagship E&P company, SEPCOL is now in receivership due to unpaid loans totaling $150 million, including one led by Afreximbank. It holds a 40 percent stake in OML 108, home to the now-destroyed FPSO Trinity Spirit. Orjiako personally guaranteed the loans, placing him at the center of its financial woes.

Abbeycourt Energy Services Limited (AESL)

Headquartered in Lagos and chaired by Orjiako, Abbeycourt operates in EPIC and dredging services for the oil and gas sector. While less prominent than Seplat or Shebah, it represents Orjiako’s continued interest in support services within Nigeria’s energy supply chain.

Salvic Petroleum Resources Limited

Salvic operated OML 30 on a technical services basis between 2017–2018. Under Orjiako’s direction, it successfully restored the Trans Forcados Pipeline, raising output to 75,000 barrels/day in three months—without drilling new wells. Though the contract ended amid protests, the company remains a proven operator.

Allenne Ltd

Registered in the British Virgin Islands, Allenne Ltd served as a shareholder in SEPCOL and played a key role in securing the $150 million loan for OML 108. Both Allenne and Orjiako personally guaranteed the loan, prompting the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to seek asset seizures in 2019.

Zebbra Energy Limited

Founded in 1998, Zebbra was one of Orjiako’s earliest upstream ventures. It holds OPL 248, a deep offshore asset, and was involved in a major court case in the early 2000s, where its rights to the block were upheld. It remains a key part of his oil-focused portfolio.

Helko Marine Services Limited

Established in 2001, Helko provides maritime logistics and vessel management, supporting offshore oil operations. The company was named in a $101 million debt suit filed by Access Bank, reflecting its entanglement in wider financial disputes linked to Orjiako.

Cardinal Drilling Services Limited

Co-founded with Austin Avuru, Cardinal Drilling supplies rigs for Seplat’s operations. It defaulted on a loan from Diamond Bank (now Access Bank) to finance four rigs, sparking a legal battle that at one point saw Access Bank temporarily seal Seplat’s headquarters in 2021.

Amaze Limited

A consultancy firm personally controlled by Orjiako, Amaze was engaged by Seplat in 2022 to handle stakeholder relations after his board exit. The company was sued by Seplat in 2023 for $5 billion for allegedly misrepresenting its mandate and using Seplat’s name in unauthorized communications.

Pursley Resources Limited

A private investment company tied to Orjiako’s family, particularly his wife Henrietta Orjiako, Pursley purchased 900,000 Seplat shares for N639.9 million ($1.77 million) in 2018. It represents the family’s continued financial interest in Seplat post-chairmanship.

Abbeycourt Company Limited

Abbeycourt Company Limited operates as a diversified entity within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, encompassing multiple subsidiaries and business interests. Its UK-registered arm, Abbeycourt Trading Company Limited, is based at 9 Appold Street, London, and provides oilfield services with active operations in Nigeria, notably at Plot 1034B Ologun Agbaje Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. The company is primarily controlled by A.B.C. Orjiako, who also serves as a director and person of significant control.

Abbeycourt Petroleum Company Limited

Abbeycourt Petroleum Company Limited is a Nigerian oil and gas enterprise founded by Ambrosie Bryant Chukwueloka (ABC) Orjiako. Abbeycourt Energy Services Limited, a subsidiary of the Ordrec Group Limited, was incorporated in July 1999. It specializes in engineering, procurement, installation, construction, and dredging services within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

Berwick Nigeria Limited

Berwick Nigeria Limited is a private engineering and construction firm based in Abuja, offering services in engineering, construction, and consultancy. Incorporated on January 27, 2000, the company operates from Kaura Modern Market, opposite Prince and Princess Estate in Duboyi District. In August 2023, Berwick was named in a Federal High Court order that froze the assets and bank accounts of A.B.C. Orjiako, co-founder and former chairman of Seplat Energy, over a debt dispute with Access Bank.

Helko Nigeria Limited

Helko Nigeria Limited, a private investment vehicle linked to Nigerian tycoon A.B.C. Orjiako, holds a 10.11 percent stake in Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals and owns the lease to Seplat Energy’s headquarters at 25A Lugard Avenue in Lagos. Registered in 1997 as a subsidiary of Orjiako’s Ordrec Group, Helko is effectively controlled by Orjiako and his wife, Chioma, both listed as directors. Court filings and Seplat’s 2017 disclosures confirm Orjiako’s deep ties to the firm, which has been cited in high-value debt disputes and transactions including receipt of funds from the controversial Malabu oil deal. Though described as a real estate and investment company, Helko functions chiefly as a holding entity, consolidating Orjiako’s minority stakes and property interests under a single corporate structure.

Crédito: Link de origem