By Danjuma Amodu | February 2, 2026
Nigeria’s 9th Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES 2026) has kicked off in Abuja today, focusing on shaping Africa’s energy future. The summit, themed “Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing Our Shared Future,” brings together policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to discuss local content development, gas-led industrialization, and regional energy security.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, emphasized that Nigeria’s oil and gas sector can accommodate both international and local companies, highlighting the need for collaboration to drive growth, he said.
“Our objective now is to bring everybody together, indigenous companies, local firms, and international partners, so that there is real value retention, capacity building, and sustainability.”
Lokpobiri noted that the country’s Nigerian content policy aims to build the capacity of local firms to compete effectively with foreign EPC companies.
“We found this unacceptable and resolved to address it. A country should not have higher project costs than foreign jurisdictions. Upon careful review, we discovered that the challenge stemmed largely from the misapplication of the local content policy,” he said.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, stressed that gas is central to Nigeria’s industrial future, describing it as the country’s most immediate and scalable pathway to prosperity.
“The gas sector is not only critical to energy security and a pragmatic transition to lower-carbon systems; it is fundamentally the backbone of industrialisation and economic resilience,” Ekpo said.
Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Patience N. Oyekunle, highlighted the importance of collaboration in achieving Nigeria’s energy goals.
“We are committed to creating an enabling environment for investors while ensuring that our local content policy benefits Nigerians,” she said.
The official opening ceremony is tomorrow at the State House Banquet Hall, featuring a welcome address by Dr. James H. Shindi, Project Director-NIES/CEO, Brevity Anderson, and addresses from Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, GCEO, NNPC, H.E. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, President and Head of State of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, and H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Energy Giants Spotlight session will feature Engr. Tony Attah, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, and Mr. Roger Brown, focusing on mega investments and integrated energy strategies.
The Ministers and International Partners Panel will discuss policy, risk, and competitiveness, exploring how Africa can optimise its energy value chains.
The event aims to attract investment in gas, renewables, and infrastructure, with a focus on local content development and gas-led industrialization. Panel discussions will focus on local content, pipeline, power and peace, and regulatory protocol, exploring how strategic cross-border gas and oil infrastructure can strengthen energy security, reduce import dependence, and deepen regional integration.
Earlier today, the Summit kick start with panel sessions focusing on “Pipelines, Power & Peace: Unifying Africa’s Energy Diplomacy,” to explore how strategic cross-border gas and oil infrastructure can strengthen energy security, reduce import dependence, and deepen regional integration.
The summit is expected to conclude with outcomes that will shape Nigeria’s energy future and contribute to the country’s economic growth and development. The event will feature various panel discussions and sessions, including the Energy Giants Spotlight and the Ministers and International Partners Panel, sponsored by Nembe Exploration and Production Company Limited.
The discussions will centre on how Africa can optimise its energy value chains while responding to global demand and geopolitical dynamics, with a focus on policy alignment, risk mitigation, cross-border infrastructure, refining, trade, and market access.
