Editor

Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) said its fully ready and committed to partnering more players in the energy industry to drive Africa’s oil sector sustainable growth.

NNPCL Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari called for partnership among African countries to continue to explore for more crude oil discoveries.

Kyari canvassed this position at the 7th, Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference, SAIPEC, held last week in Lagos.

The GMD was represented by the Group General Manager, Upstream, Adokiye Tombomieye. He stated that the  7th edition of SAIPEC with the theme “Harnessing a Sustainable African Energy Industry through Partnerships” is coming at an opportuned time when the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry is experiencing a significant transformation following the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021).

“As you are all aware, the Act has provided role clarity in Governance, Rule based Administration, Attractive and Flexible Fiscal Terms and Direct benefits for the Host communities”, he said.

All these according to him are targeted at creating enablers for investor confidence in the Nigerian Oil and Gas sector, where ample opportunities exist.  “Ironically, our restructuring is happening at a time when the Energy transition discussion is gaining momentum, and major fund providers for petroleum upstream investment are now activists and anti-fossil fuel. As I have always canvassed, decreasing investments in hydrocarbon ventures cannot guarantee global energy security in the near future. Rather, an inclusive policy that guarantees access to finance and low-carbon technologies are key to sustaining global energy security and equitable growth”, he added.

“Nigeria, being geographically situated in the sub-African region and also a foremost leader in the oil and gas industry in sub-Saharan Africa, we must now capitalize on the advancements we have made in the industry to meet our energy demands, guarantee energy supply, expand our economies and overall build a sustainable future for millions of people beyond our shores”, maintained the GMD.

“In the next 20 years, energy demand in Africa is expected to increase in the order of 30-35% to support the projected increase in population and industrialization. This presents an enormous opportunity for us to form partnerships across the continent and build a sustainable future. The need for partnership is more reinforced as more African countries continue to make hydrocarbon discoveries. We should collaborate and share knowledge and help each other in critical areas including technology, exploration and production, research and development, technical expertise and human capacity development to spread the wealth within the continent”, he advised.

This according to him would in no small measure assist in achieving energy independence and also aid the transition to cleaner energy sources such as gas to sustain the region. At NNPC Limited, we understand the importance of partnerships in achieving a sustainable energy industry in Africa.

“This is why we have been working closely with countries, companies and other stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that meet the energy needs of the continent. We must acknowledge that this new era of automation and artificial intelligence is focused on the application of cutting-edge technologies, such as the use of robotic drilling systems for unmanned operations, the deployment of cognitive computing in upstream operations, super- specialized sensors for real-time monitoring and maximization of reservoir yields”, stressed the NNPC boss.

“Our survival instincts showed that we have the requisite knowledge and skills to sustain our industry and take it to the next level. However, we know we cannot do it alone; thus, we call on your support at this forum to latch on to the gains made so far, interact, and provide meaningful solutions that will promote the sector and make our lives better”, he stated.