By Abasi Ita
Nigeria has intensified efforts to attract global partnerships in the energy sector, calling for stronger collaboration with African countries, international stakeholders, and the private sector to deliver cleaner, affordable, and reliable energy.
The call was made at the ninth edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit 2026, held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared the summit open through his representative, Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The Nigeria International Energy Summit is the official energy forum of the Federal Government and is recognised as a major platform for policy dialogue, investment engagement, and innovation within Africa’s energy landscape.
Addressing participants, Vice President Shettima described energy as central to peace, prosperity, and global stability, noting that it remains a driving force for economic growth and social cohesion.
He said energy must serve as a unifying factor that stabilises economies, powers industries, lights homes, drives innovation, and builds trust between governments, investors, and citizens.
According to the Vice President, Nigeria is ready to partner with African nations, global investors, and the private sector to provide energy solutions that are secure, affordable, cleaner, and inclusive. He added that despite inheriting an energy sector affected by inefficiencies and prolonged underinvestment, the present administration has introduced reforms to reposition the sector as a pillar of national security, industrial expansion, and regional cooperation.
Shettima stated that consistent implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act has strengthened regulatory institutions, enhanced transparency, and boosted investor confidence. He disclosed that Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector has recorded notable growth, with a significant increase in rig activities and Final Investment Decisions valued at over eight billion dollars in recent years. He also said crude oil theft has reduced due to improved security measures, surveillance, and regulatory enforcement.
On the issue of energy transition, the Vice President said Nigeria is leveraging its vast natural gas reserves as a transition fuel while expanding renewable energy capacity to support sustainable development goals.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources Upstream, Senator Eteng Williams, representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, stressed the need for full and effective implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act to consolidate recent gains and attract sustainable investments.
Senator Williams described the Act as a vital reform instrument capable of repositioning Nigeria’s oil and gas industry when properly applied. He emphasised that strong, transparent, and predictable regulatory institutions are essential for building investor confidence and ensuring long term growth in the upstream sector.
The summit, themed Energy for Peace and Progress Securing Our Shared Future, attracted heads of delegation and senior government officials from various countries, leaders of international energy organisations, chief executives of global and indigenous energy companies, development finance institutions, and representatives of host communities.
Other prominent personalities at the event included the President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Ministers of State for Petroleum Resources, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and Ekperikpe Ekpo, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari, and leaders of the Independent Petroleum Producers Group.
Participants at the summit underscored the importance of regional cooperation, value addition, policy reforms, and strategic partnerships in strengthening Africa’s energy security and promoting economic growth across the continent.