…calls for urgent action in oil, gas sector

Oredola Adeola

Roger Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy Plc, warned that with Nigeria’s population projected to hit 400 million by 2050 and over 70 million people currently lacking electricity, stakeholders in the oil and gas sector must act with purpose, integrity, and unity to secure the nation’s energy future and drive prosperity.

The charge was delivered by Seplat Energy’s Chief Operating Officer, Samson Ezugworie, speaking on behalf of CEO Roger Brown during his keynote address at the 43rd Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos.

The Seplat COO underscored the urgent need to ensure energy access and sustainability as Nigeria’s population continues to grow.

“Before the end of this year, our population is projected to hit 240 million, and by 2050, about 400 million,” he said.
“Today, over 70 million Nigerians still live without access to energy, and millions continue to cook with biomass. Imagine what this means by 2050 when our population doubles — it is a looming problem.”

He emphasized that no prosperous nation exists without adequate energy supply, stressing that energy access is central to national development.

According to Ezugworie, Nigeria’s energy future depends on collective leadership and strong partnerships across all sectors.

“At the centre stage should be leadership — which is what is being placed upon every one of us here today,” he said.
“We must partner with government agencies, regulators, joint venture partners, and the global industry to attract the funding required to steward our business.”

He added that sustainability and responsible stewardship must guide the industry’s actions going forward.

“Sustainability of our business and our industry is critical. We must learn from the mistakes of the past and build sustainable relationships with our neighbours and host communities,” he advised.

He therefore urged all stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector to act with purpose, integrity, and unity to drive national prosperity.

“The stars are aligning for all of us. Let us seize the moment,” he charged.
“When we seize the moment, we ensure that we lead with purpose, partner with integrity, and steward our resources wisely. Together, we can revitalize Nigeria and power a prosperous future for our country.”

Ezugworie acknowledged that the industry’s transition has not been without challenges, especially in accessing finance for resource development.

“We have a bit of a challenge with transition, globally and in the country, because we are dealing with financial constraints and the difficulty of raising the required capital to resource and develop our enormous hydrocarbon assets,” he noted.
“But for every challenge, there is an opportunity. It becomes an opportunity for us as Nigerians to develop Nigerian resources.”

The COO of Seplat further emphasised that the NAPE conference’ theme: Revitalizing the Nigerian Petroleum Exploration and Production Strategies for Energy Security and Sustainable Development”, could not have come at a better time, given that both the world and Nigeria are undergoing critical phases of energy transition.

“If you look globally, the world is going through a transition. But even here in Nigeria, we are also experiencing our own kind of transition, particularly the shift from international oil companies (IOCs) exiting onshore operations to capable indigenous operators taking over,” he said.