CEO influences the energy industry in Nigeria

With an awareness of how quickly Nigeria is growing and changing, Emeka Iheme sought a way to provide his country with the means to meet modern energy demands.

As founder and CEO of Gasavant Africa, Iheme works closely with petroleum company executives and government leaders in Nigeria to produce the vital natural resource in-country and distribute it around the globe.

“Oil and gas are the dominant sectors in my country. And it is all over; it is almost inescapable. I had my mind set on this,” said Iheme ’13 (chemical engineering), ’13 MS (public policy).

Iheme has come a long way since starting at RIT in 2008 as one of the first students in the chemical engineering program. He was curious about how the industry worked and sought courses and opportunities to answer his questions about the supply side, as well as technical, manufacturing, and production aspects. One of those opportunities came through co-op work with the engineers at Dresser Rand, an equipment provider for extracting natural gas.

When he returned to Nigeria after graduation, he used the public policy angle of his academic work as a consultant with a smaller gas subsidiary of Shell Corp. At the time, Shell was expanding sales of upstream assets to Nigerian companies and Iheme negotiated and advised the startups about providing needed resources.

“With each job that I took, it kept bringing me closer and closer to the companies that produce and explore the resources from the ground, like Shell and Chevron,” said Iheme. “I was basically in the room where those businesses were starting and that is when my entrepreneurial hunger exploded.”

Nigeria, a longtime member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), produces approximately 1.43 million barrels of oil per day and has an estimated 206.53 trillion cubic feet of oil resources not yet tapped. As the sixth largest exporter of petroleum, according to the International Trade Administration, exporting and increasing production are key governmental initiatives.

Gasavant, established in 2021, provides gas storage infrastructure, advocates on behalf of the private sector for sale of natural gas and equipment, and works closely with the government about policies needed to move the industry forward, especially in Nigeria.

Furthering his country also means making connections across the globe, including partnerships with those at RIT. Iheme offered ideas for design projects for master’s students during a 2025 presentation when he received recognition as one of Kate Gleason College of Engineering’s distinguished alumni.

“I gave them 10 possible project problems that are nagging the industry today that, if solved, would each be a billion-dollar opportunity. We have to solve today’s problems for a better tomorrow.”