Clariant has appointed Gapuma Group as a distributor of its Well Service Additives (WSA) portfolio across Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, strengthening its distribution and customer reach in key West African markets.
The partnership brings together Clariant’s specialty chemical expertise and Gapuma Group’s established regional distribution network and customer relationships. Through the agreement, Gapuma will distribute Clariant’s WSA portfolio through its affiliated companies across the three markets.
The portfolio includes Clariant’s HOSTADRILL™, HOSTAMER™, and HOSTASTIM™ product families, which are designed for a range of upstream oil and gas applications, including drilling, cementing, stimulation, and deliquification.
According to Clariant, the appointment forms part of its broader route-to-market strategy in West Africa and is intended to make its specialty chemistry more accessible to service companies and formulators in the region.
“Gapuma Group’s strong customer relationships and regional expertise provide an important opportunity to further extend access to Clariant’s Well Service Additives portfolio across West Africa,” said George Nunes, Head of Clariant Oil Services.
“This partnership advances our route-to-market strategy in a region where we see growing demand for upstream well service solutions. Through our Wholesale channel, we can reach service companies and formulators who may not typically engage with Clariant through our direct operator business, supporting our ambition to serve a broader customer base while bringing Clariant’s specialty chemistry closer to customers across the region.”
Jack Bardakjian, Founder and CEO of Gapuma Group, described the appointment as both an honour and a responsibility, highlighting Clariant’s standing in the specialty chemicals industry and the importance of the partnership.
Gapuma Group has an established business presence across West Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and other international markets. The company further expanded its profile in the global chemical distribution sector in 2026 when it entered the ICIS Top 100 Chemical Distributors ranking at No. 36.
The new distribution agreement is expected to strengthen the availability of Clariant’s Well Service Additives in three important West African markets while supporting the company’s strategy of reaching a broader network of customers through wholesale distribution.
