The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Ojulari, has outlined critical measures required to secure Africa’s energy future, stressing the need for coordinated infrastructure development, policy alignment and investment collaboration across the continent.
Ojulari spoke during a fireside chat with Deputy Chair of Ørsted and President of the Energy Institute, Mr. Andy Brown, at the 2026 International Energy Week, IEW, in London on Wednesday.
According to a statement by NNPC Ltd spokesperson, Andy Odeh, Ojulari identified key pillars for achieving energy security in Africa, including infrastructure expansion, harmonised policies, coordinated investment frameworks, cross-border technology and knowledge exchange, integrated gas market development, and sustained regional cooperation among National Oil Companies, NOCs.
He emphasized the urgency of strengthening cross-border energy infrastructure, noting that NNPC Ltd’s regional gas initiatives demonstrate how shared assets can unlock economies of scale, efficiency, and supply resilience.
Ojulari highlighted the importance of accelerating flagship projects such as the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline, describing them as vital to deepening regional integration and boosting cross-border energy trade.
He also called for harmonised pricing systems, transit protocols, local content standards and technical regulations across African markets, noting that reforms such as Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, provide useful lessons for reducing investment risks, protecting shared infrastructure and ensuring fair access to energy resources.
The NNPC Ltd boss further advocated the establishment of joint investment platforms among African NOCs, arguing that collective action would enable the continent to mobilise and deploy capital more efficiently.
On NNPC Ltd’s drive to increase oil output, expand gas production and attract investment, Ojulari stressed that success would depend on a pragmatic, Africa-focused strategy that positions energy as both an economic growth driver and a contributor to global climate goals.
“Our pathway is clear: grow production responsibly, scale gas as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, strengthen environmental accountability, and align with global decarbonisation objectives, while ensuring that Africans are not left behind in the energy transition,” he said.
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