Lagos, Nigeria – The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has pledged to strengthen partnerships and build indigenous capacity as part of its commitment to positioning gas as the primary driver of Africa’s industrial transformation. The declaration came at the 10th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, marking a decade of continental energy discourse.
Speaking at the milestone event in Lagos on Tuesday, NNPC Group Managing Director Bayo Ojulari emphasized that Africa’s energy narrative must be shaped by Africans themselves, with indigenous participation forming the cornerstone of sustainable growth. “NNPC Ltd remains committed to playing its part in strengthening partnerships, supporting indigenous capacity, and advancing gas as a catalyst for industrialisation,” Ojulari stated.
The company’s strategic alignment with SAIPEC reflects its broader vision of elevating Africa beyond a follower in global energy conversations to a credible leader. Ojulari commended SAIPEC’s evolution into one of Africa’s most respected energy platforms within just ten years, noting that discussions on gas development, investment resilience, local content inclusion, and youth development directly address the continent’s energy realities.
Felix Ogbe, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, called for deeper continental collaboration through the Brazzaville Accord to promote regulatory harmonization and an Afro-centric approach to local content development. He highlighted the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank under the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation in partnership with Afreximbank as a strategic milestone designed to mobilize capital and provide affordable financing for African energy projects.
Wole Ogunsanya, Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, emphasized that despite the global energy transition narrative, Africa’s most urgent challenges remain energy access, affordability, and reliability, with over 600 million Africans still lacking electricity. “For Africa, energy transition is not about abandoning hydrocarbons. It is about leveraging our resources responsibly to drive development while gradually integrating cleaner and renewable solutions,” Ogunsanya explained.
The conference theme, “A Decade of Driving Africa’s Energy Future,” reflects the rise of indigenous capacity across the continent’s energy value chain, with Nigerian companies now leading in drilling, engineering, fabrication, and field development.
Source: gazettengr.com