My name is Massah Mumuina Allieu. On March 12, 2018, I received an offer to transfer from Access Bank to NP, where I was to take up the position of Sales Supervisor, joining a new environment and new colleagues. It was a challenge, but despite this, I did not relent in my efforts or services, as I believe that women can thrive in any situation.
Before joining NP, I thought the office did not have much work and I wanted to change jobs to have a little more relaxation. This idea only lasted until I joined NP, where I realized that being part of it brought much more work, exposure, and challenges than Access Bank. Having joined NP while pursuing my master’s degree, I was a little discouraged by the pressure of having to balance work and studies. Sometimes, I had to miss classes because of work. However, I had someone who served as my guide and helped me both pursue my studies and my job until I succeeded in both.
My interaction with clients led my superiors, including Mr. Walker, Mr. Vandi, and Mr. Mansaray, to praise me. Even during my vacations, clients would call me to have their problems properly resolved, and I would take the opportunity to call Linda to do the work for me. During my vacations, Linda didn’t want me to worry, but I believed that being on vacation didn’t mean not following through with her work. After all, I loved my job, and it wasn’t as if I was gone forever, but rather that I would return to it. These things motivated me because I believed that one day, I would reap the rewards.
In June 2023, the Human Resources Director, Ms. Georgina Williams, informed me that the company wanted me to spend three months in Conakry. Hesitantly, I asked for time to obtain my husband’s consent, hoping he would accept the offer. Knowing that my husband does not usually stay in the country during the rainy season, Ms. Williams convinced me that I would be back before he even returned, but I knew I still needed to discuss it with him. Finally, he agreed, thinking I was only going for a short stay.
I went to Conakry, completed my tasks, and submitted my report. Upon my return, in my first week back, I was summoned to a meeting by the Executive Chairperson and the Managing Director, Mr. Saidu Sesay, who informed me that the company wanted me to manage its branch in The Gambia. I didn’t know the reason for this promotion, but technically, how could it not have reflected my performance during the stay in Conakry?
Given what my husband had told me before I left for Conakry, I was a little nervous about discussing this long-term transfer with him, thinking he would object. It took me a lot of time and effort to convince him. He finally agreed, stating that he neither wanted to hinder my progress nor discourage me from becoming the wife he wanted me to be.
Having started our work in The Gambia on October 15, 2023, we encountered difficulties in obtaining stock during the second half of October. We had to purchase products from other OMCs until we resumed properly in the first week of November. When I took office, the company was making approximately 16.3 million dalasis.
In November, I called the accountant, sales assistant, and technician into an emergency meeting to tell them that I didn’t want to fail in my mission and that we only held these positions because our superiors trusted us. Reminding them that a leader is someone who guides, mentors, and trains, I suggested we needed to find suppliers who could help us obtain sustainable products. This way, we could sign customers and maximize profits for the company.
We agreed, spoke to several people, and visited the warehouse in search of reasonable suppliers. We had no direct contact with ADAX, so we were only vaguely informed about their products when we asked the warehouse about their estimated arrival date. With this in mind, we promised to redouble our efforts to increase sales while generating profits.
During this process, we met a supplier named PSTV (now closed) and asked to collaborate with them. Claiming that they did not lend their products, Martin, the supplier, agreed to work with us on the condition that we obtain our financial information from headquarters and that we purchase the products we could afford. Having no other option, we considered his offer and accepted. Asking for some time to prepare our financial statements, which were not yet ready, we asked him to help us obtain the product, as we were about to start a new month and did not want to run out of stock.
He sent me his offer, which we forwarded to the group’s headquarters. In Gambia, pricing structures are published monthly, and the premium is the difference that maximizes profits. The first thing we did after receiving the offer was to compare their premium prices with those of ADAX. Noticing a significant price difference between the two, we asked for a discount on the premium, and he finally agreed. Thanks to this, we were able to close the deal, which allowed us to earn a good margin on the sales made.
The Gambian oil market is very volatile, and it is only possible to make sales by offering a slight discount on prices. Customers only buy from those who give them a discount. In such a situation, we were able to compete with other OMCs by offering a slight discount to our customers.
Since November, our sales have gradually increased, and to this day, I am proud of the progress my team and I have made. I’m not the only one who goes to the warehouse, makes visits, and calls customers; we do it as a team, and so we all deserve credit for how far we’ve come. I’m proud to announce that, as of the last report, my team and I have managed to reduce the loss recorded in October from 16.3% to 3.2%. We hope to start making a profit by 2025. I’m not a failure, so I’ve informed my superiors that, rain or shine, I’ll do my best to ensure the success of this mission.
What challenges do you face in your daily operations?
Since Gambia has only two depots—one government-owned and the other privately owned—the depot is one of the main challenges we face. Referred to as CASOL, the private depot is sometimes where we store our products. CASOL not only offers a storage service, but also supplies products, operates its own stations, and seeks to generate sales. When we send our customers with their delivery notes, instead of making the delivery, they tend to promote their own products and cut prices to attract our customers.
At the same time, if we run out of stock and negotiate with suppliers for more while we try to gather foreign exchange, they delay the availability of our products, forcing customers to switch to their offerings.
Challenges are inevitable, but despite everything, we will strive to persevere and ensure the success of our mission.
You don’t run a business to operate at a loss. Women, in particular, often lead businesses to drive growth. By promising to make the company proud, we must all strive to succeed, adhere to the core principles of our mission, and achieve our goals. NP has been around for over 40 years, long before we were born, and people were already running it effectively, so we can’t ruin their efforts. Just as the foundation has been laid for our progress, we must also set a benchmark for our successors. My contribution to the company is to give my best and ensure that my colleagues do the same, in order to achieve the company’s goals.
My message to the new sales staff team
is clear. At this stage, they must use their youthful energy wisely, leaving an indelible mark on the industry. In the oil sector, they must be diligent at their jobs, not worry about what people say or do, arrive at work early, and focus solely on their tasks.
For salespeople, their space is on the street. Approach your customers to understand their needs, place their orders, and provide them with services as quickly as possible. You will definitely see beneficial results. I believe in good customer service. If you maintain a good relationship with your customers, they won’t leave you over a price difference. This relationship will help you retain them for a very long time.
Furthermore, seeking promotion too early is useless. Since they have been recruited, they should focus on their roles and responsibilities, bow down, and master their work. They will eventually be promoted without even having to ask. I didn’t know I would reach this level at NP. I didn’t know our superiors were watching us and that clients were providing feedback on our performance. My humility has led me to where I am today. I believe that if it worked for me, it will work for them too.
