Onome Amuge
Sahara Group, one of Africa’s largest energy and infrastructure conglomerates, has launched a new graduate programme designed to cultivate a new generation of data-savvy professionals as the continent’s energy sector sees digital transformation and the global shift to cleaner, more efficient systems.
The Sahara Graduate Business Analyst (GBA) Programme, unveiled recently, marks a shift towards data-driven decision-making and insight-led growth across the group’s businesses, spanning upstream oil and gas, power, midstream operations, and energy infrastructure.
Executives say the initiative is part of Sahara’s long-term plan to embed analytics and performance intelligence at the core of its operations. “The Graduate Business Analyst Programme gives young professionals the opportunity to decode data, drive change, and make a difference through insight-led impact. It is an investment in the future of business intelligence, equipping tomorrow’s leaders with the tools to strengthen Africa’s competitiveness in the evolving global energy landscape,” said Bethel Obioma, head of corporate communications at Sahara Group.
The programme will recruit recent graduates into four key workstreams including market research, data analytics, performance monitoring, and stakeholder engagement, offering practical exposure to financial modelling, strategic planning, and operational efficiency. Applications for the inaugural 2025 cohort opened on October 20 and will close on November 1, 2025.
Emilomo Arorote, group head of human resources, described the GBA initiative as an evolution of Sahara’s two flagship entry-level schemes: the Graduate Management Trainee (GMT) and Graduate Engineer Programme (GEP). Both have been instrumental in developing a generation of professionals who now lead operations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
“As we approach Sahara Group’s 30th anniversary in 2026, we are reinforcing our culture of excellence through a sustainable talent pipeline. The GBA programme focuses on building analytical thinkers who can transform complex data into actionable insights, a skill that’s now central to the energy transition,” Arorote said.
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