The Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG), has called for coordinated action to build a resilient and self-sustaining energy industry capable of delivering long-term national prosperity for Nigeria.

The Chairman of the Group, Adegbite Falade, in his maiden address at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES), emphasized the urgent need for strategic reforms, stronger collaboration, and enhanced value creation within the domestic energy ecosystem.

Addressing global and regional dignitaries, industry leaders, and policymakers, Falade welcomed Adama Barrow, President of The Gambia, and acknowledged representatives of the international energy community, including leadership from the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and the African Petroleum Producers Organisation.

Falade highlighted progress across the value chain, including improved upstream output, expanding gas infrastructure, and rising domestic refining capacity. Average liquids production increased to approximately 1.64 million barrels per day in 2025, with indigenous producers now accounting for more than half of national output, a milestone reflecting strengthened local ownership and supportive policy actions.

In the midstream segment, gas infrastructure projects advanced through targeted funding support, alongside continued work on key pipeline networks and near-completion of major LNG expansion efforts. Domestic refining capability also strengthened as increased operational capacity from Nigeria’s newest large-scale refinery began reducing reliance on imports.

Despite these gains, Falade cautioned that structural challenges remain. He emphasized the need for regulatory and fiscal stability, improved access to affordable long-term capital, stronger security in producing regions, and accelerated infrastructure investment through public-private partnerships. He also called for streamlined administrative costs and competitive frameworks to address operating cost premiums affecting industry participants.

Referencing the summit’s theme, Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing Our Shared Future, Falade underscored energy security as foundational to stability and development across Africa. He urged stakeholders to commit to collaboration across operators, regulators, service providers, and investors to shape a sustainable energy trajectory.

Reaffirming IPPG’s alignment with national policy objectives, Falade pledged continued partnership with government and industry stakeholders to advance sector transformation. He expressed confidence that dialogue and action emerging from the summit would accelerate progress toward a more secure and prosperous energy future.

The Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG) represents indigenous Nigerian exploration and production companies committed to advancing national energy development, encouraging investment, and promoting sustainable growth across the oil and gas value chain.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has recorded a lower oil output in January due to lower supply from Nigeria and Libya, a survey found on Monday, which offset increases in members including Venezuela after the U.S. capture of Nicolas Maduro and the ending of an oil blockade.

Nigeria had OPEC’s largest output decline, and Libyan supply also fell as bad weather impacted loadings, the survey found.

Equally, Nigeria’s crude oil production fell 8.3 per cent year‑on‑year to 1.544 million bpd in December 2025, missing its OPEC quota and budget benchmark. The decline, attributed to insecurity, investment gaps, and policy uncertainty, underscores persistent challenges in the oil sector.

The Organization according to the survey by Reuters pumped 28.34 million barrels per day in January, down 60,000 bpd from December’s total, the survey showed, with Nigeria posting the largest decline.

OPEC+, comprising OPEC and allies including Russia, in January began a first-quarter pause of its monthly output increases amid concerns of a supply glut.

Many members are running close to capacity limits and some are tasked with extra cuts to compensate for earlier overproduction, which has limited the impact of the increases.

Under an agreement by eight OPEC+ members covering January output, the five of them that are OPEC members – Algeria, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – were to keep output unchanged before the effect of compensation cuts totaling 130,000 bpd for Iraq and the UAE.

The survey shows that they increased output by 60,000 bpd month on month, but total output remained below their targets.

Iranian crude supply fell further. Iran is subject to U.S. sanctions that seek to curb its oil exports over its nuclear work, and new measures were announced in January over Tehran’s crackdown on protesters.

Among countries with higher output, Iraq exported more from its southern terminals. Venezuelan crude output increased slightly and exports jumped.

Venezuelan production has risen close to 1 million bpd, Reuters reported on Monday, having earlier reported that Venezuelan exports of crude and refined products rose to some 800,000 bpd in January.

The Reuters survey is based on flow data from financial group LSEG, information from other companies that track flows, such as Kpler, and information provided by sources at oil companies, OPEC and consultants.

The Group Managing Director of NNPC Ltd., Bayo Ojulari, has reaffirmed the company’s commitment to strengthening partnerships, building indigenous capacity, and promoting gas as a key driver of Africa’s industrialization.

Ojulari gave the assurance on Tuesday in Lagos at the 10th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC 2026).

The conference, with the theme, “A Decade of Driving Africa’s Energy Future,” marks a decade of convening energy stakeholders across the continent.

According to him, NNPC Ltd is focused on ensuring that Africa’s energy narrative is defined by creation, responsibility, and opportunity, with indigenous participation positioned at the heart of sustainable growth.

“NNPC Ltd remains committed to playing its part in strengthening partnerships, supporting indigenous capacity, and advancing gas as a catalyst for industrialisation,” Ojulari said.

He commended the organisers of SAIPEC for their vision and consistency, noting that the conference had evolved within a decade into one of Africa’s most respected energy platforms.

Ojulari said NNPC Ltd was proud to be a strategic partner of SAIPEC, describing the partnership as a reflection of a shared conviction that Africa’s energy future must be shaped by Africans.

He expressed confidence that SAIPEC 2026 would be ambitious and impactful.

He noted that discussions on gas development, investment resilience, local content inclusion, and youth development directly addressed Africa’s energy realities, saying, “These are not abstract debates.”

“They reflect confidence in Nigeria’s capability, belief in Africa’s potential, and ambition without apology.

He added that Africa must move beyond being a follower in global energy conversations and assert itself as a credible leader.

As the conference marks its 10th edition, Ojulari urged stakeholders to use the milestone to renew their collective commitment to Africa’s energy future.

“As we celebrate and look ahead, I encourage all stakeholders to recommit to the future we must build together,” he said.

Also speaking, Felix Ogbe, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), called for deeper continental collaboration as the foundation for building a resilient and competitive African energy sector.

Ogbe made the call in his keynote address, delivered on his behalf by Dr Abdulmalik Halilu, Director of Corporate Services, NCDMB.

“At the continental level, our drive for Africa must be anchored on collaboration,” Ogbe said.

“We must collectively leverage the Brazzaville Accord to promote regulatory harmonisation, sectoral cooperation, and an Afro-centric approach to local content development.

He said aligning regulatory frameworks and reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks would enhance the competitiveness and economic viability of African energy projects, positioning the continent to attract global investment.

Ogbe described the establishment of the Africa Energy Bank, under the African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation in partnership with Afreximbank, as a strategic milestone.

“The bank is designed to mobilise capital for African energy projects, provide access to affordable financing, strengthen industry players, and build capacity across the continent,” he said.

He urged governments, regulators, investors, and industry leaders to support the bank’s successful take-off.

He stressed that access to finance remained critical to unlocking sustainable growth.

In his address, the Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Mr Wole Ogunsanya, said that in spite of the evolving global energy transition, Africa’s most urgent challenge remained energy access, affordability, and reliability.

According to him, more than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, while industrial growth continues to be constrained by persistent energy deficits.

He described the rise of indigenous capacity across Africa’s energy value chain as one of the most profound achievements of the past decade.

He cited Nigeria’s success with deliberate local content policies.

“In Nigeria, indigenous companies now lead in drilling and well services, engineering, fabrication and construction, as well as asset acquisition and field development,” Ogunsanya said.

He noted that PETAN members had evolved from service providers into strategic partners, delivering complex energy projects to international standards.

According to him, the platform has driven strategic dialogue on policy and investment, elevated indigenous participation, connected African service companies to global opportunities, and translated conversations into real projects.

Looking ahead, Ogunsanya stressed that Africa’s energy future must be defined by Africans, for Africans, and driven by investment and execution.

He urged stakeholders to embrace digitalisation, automation, data-driven operations, and low-carbon solutions to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability.

He added that PETAN would continue to accelerate gas development and infrastructure expansion, deepen local content utilisation, create jobs, transfer skills, and position Africa as a competitive and reliable energy destination.