By Ayomide Otitoju
The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, has called for stronger alignment of infrastructure, policy and investment frameworks across Africa to secure the continent’s energy future.
Ojulari made the call on Wednesday during a fireside chat with Mr. Andy Brown, Deputy Chair of Ørsted and President of the Energy Institute, at the 2026 International Energy Week (IEW) in London.
He identified shared infrastructure, coordinated investment platforms, policy harmonisation, cross-border technology exchange, integrated gas market development and sustained regional diplomacy among National Oil Companies (NOCs) as critical pillars for achieving long-term energy security in Africa.
Speaking on cross-border energy infrastructure, Ojulari said NNPC Ltd’s regional gas initiatives demonstrate the potential of shared assets to drive scale, efficiency and resilience. He stressed the need to fast-track flagship projects such as the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline to deepen regional integration and boost cross-border energy trade.
According to him, African countries must align pricing frameworks, transit protocols, local content policies and technical regulations—drawing lessons from reforms such as Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)—to reduce investment bottlenecks, protect shared infrastructure and ensure equitable access to energy resources.
Ojulari also advocated the establishment of structured joint investment platforms among African NOCs, noting that collective action would enhance the continent’s capacity to attract and deploy capital efficiently.
On NNPC Ltd’s production targets, he said increasing oil output, scaling gas production and attracting new investments would require a pragmatic, Africa-focused strategy that positions energy as both an economic growth driver and a contributor to global climate objectives.
“Our pathway is clear: grow production responsibly, scale gas as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, strengthen environmental accountability, and align with global decarbonisation goals—while ensuring Africans are not left behind in the energy transition,” Ojulari said.
The International Energy Week is a global platform that brings together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, regulators and technology innovators to discuss energy security, transition strategies, capital mobilisation and sustainability.
