Delegates and panelists at the 5th edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit (N.I.E.S.) were of the consensus that, in the quest for energy transition, Nigeria and the continent of Africa should develop a home grown agenda with timelines that best suits our peculiarities.
This was made known by the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva in his address at the final day of the summit, held at the Abuja International Conference Centre on Thursday, 3rd March, 2022.
The Minister stated that, gas, with its enormous potentials and possibility of linkage with the economy would play a pivotal role in solving the energy, industrial and hunger problems plaguing Nigeria and indeed the continent of Africa.
Sylva opined that the summit stirred a series of lively and stimulating debates on energy matters. “Our minds have been overwhelmed with torrents of ideas, information, statistics, interpretations, visions and different perspective to different issues”, he added. He also said he expected the outcomes of the debate to contribute practically to the task of surmounting the enormous energy challenges bedeviling Nigeria and the continent of Africa.
The Minister noted that, all through the summit, delegates, panelists and participants were enmeshed with the best strategy for the continent to confront the energy transition to net zero emissions.
On the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Minister said the summit took a look at the extent of implementation so far. He added that the two regulatory bodies established on the back of the PIA signing, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) used the platforms provided by the summit to interact with key stakeholders. “It was a huge opportunity which helped the stakeholders to gauge the policy direction of the industry in the coming years”, he noted.
The N.I.E.S., according to Sylva also provided a window to reexamine the roadmap to a gas powered economy by 2030. He enthused that; “it is important that we continually maintain our focus on how the country can optimize and leverage on its key strengths towards achieving a set of objectives for the decade of gas”.
The highlights of the summit were the signing of historical deals at the summit. Notable amongst these was the deal signed by NNPC Limited and its Joint Venture partners-Shell Petroleum Development Company, ENI, TotalEnergies and Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria (GACN) with Dangote Group. The deal involve the supply of 70 million standard cubic feet per day to Train 2 of Dangote Fertilizer Ltd. This will enable the company to ramp up production and increase export of Fertilizer.
Other deals signed are the one between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria on gas supply from Nigeria to Equatorial Guinea, and the one between the Arab Institute of Leadership and development with the Strategic Women and Youth Institute, Nigeria.
In his closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Nasir Sani Gwarzo, mni, was full of praise for all those who contributed to the success of the summit.
The Permanent Secretary said, the Ministry was looking forward to receiving the final communiqué of the summit. “It will help us in our ongoing efforts towards realizing and ensuring an enabling environment to improving Nigeria’s energy value chain driven by modern technology, Industry best practices, stakeholders engagement and innovations in alternative energies”, he surmised.
Dignitaries on the last day of the event were, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State. The Governors of Rivers State, Bayelsa State and Ondo State were represented by their respective Commissioners of Energy.
Signed:
Enefaa Bob-Manuel (Mrs)
Director (Information)
MPR
