YOUSIF AHMED YOUSIF Managing Director of Higleig Petroleum

A growing oil industry such as Sudan’s requires a wide range of support services, everything from engineering and procurement, to drilling, and infrastructure within the oil blocks.

This is the area in which Higleig Petroleum Services and Investment Company (HPSIC) operates, and finds a profitable demand for its services.

Higleig Contracting, the main arm of the company, has been experiencing huge increases in revenue. In 2004, it registered a 40 percent increase to $120 million annually, while revenue for 2005 was expected to reach $150 million.

Established in 1997, HPSIC is an ambitious private company that holds contracts with all the major oil operators in the country. According to Managing Director Yousif Ahmed Yousif, the firm’s record of forming joint ventures with and working as sub-contractors for renowned foreign companies demonstrates HPSIC’s capability.

The company’s list of completed construction projects includes transportation infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and airports for clients in the oil and gas sector.

HPSIC wants to become more heavily involved in the construction of civil works, given that Sudan is set to experience a huge wave of investment in this area as the economy continues to expand.

Among its most recent projects has been completion of its own new headquarters. Current undertakings include a $5 million project to build two roads for the new Merowe Dam.

HPSIC has regional and international aspirations, notably in Libya, Ethiopia, and Yemen. Mr. Yousif says, “The vision for the group’s future is to move toward international expansion, starting in neighboring countries.

“Our aim is to achieve a turnover of $1.5 billion within the next 10 years, and to be one of the leading companies in the Middle East and Africa.”

Recently a new arm of the company has been formed to provide heavy equipment such as bulldozers for use in large infrastructure projects.

To meet the increasing demands of its clients, HPSIC constantly upgrades its technical know-how through staff training both inside and outside the country.