Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair, NOGOF in Yenago, Bayelsa State, Dr. Ibrahim urged the Nigerian government and private sector players to look beyond national interests and embrace a continental outlook in developing Africa’s energy sector.
The APPO Chief said Nigeria’s leadership role should not end at policy or production, but must translate into strategic expansion into other African markets.
“Nigeria can do even better, much better. When I was an advisor to four successive Ministers of Petroleum Resources between 2009 and 2020, I witnessed how ministers from other African countries were writing to our ministers, seeking to send delegations to Nigeria to learn about our oil and gas industry. Nigeria was a model then, and it can be again, but on a much larger scale.
“Why do you limit your production capacity and innovation to Nigeria? Why not extend it to Gabon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Angola, or Mozambique? You have the capacity, don’t box it within borders.”
Ibrahim also challenged Nigerian entrepreneurs to rethink ownership models if they aim to compete globally.
“If you want to expand to Zimbabwe, why not cede 5% of your company’s shares to Zimbabweans to help you gain market access? This ‘I own it all’ mentality will not take us far. Even Shell, Total, and BP don’t have majority ownership from their home countries. Yet in Africa, we still think national instead of continental.”
He emphasized that APPO’s current strategy includes building an integrated African oil and gas market, anchored on regional cooperation, innovation, and shared resources.
“We are working to establish regional centers of excellence across the continent,” he announced, naming Nigeria as a “great potential candidate” for one of the centers due to its track record in training and capacity building.
Dr. Ibrahim also highlighted the forthcoming launch of the Africa Energy Bank, a joint initiative with AfreximBank, which he said would free African nations from dependence on Western financing for energy projects.
“This bank is being launched here in Abuja in the next two months. We have the charter, the agreement, the treaty, and most importantly, the capital,” he revealed. “For 70 years, Africa has produced energy for others. Now is the time to produce energy for ourselves, for our people.”
He praised Nigeria’s Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, for its leadership and influence across the continent, disclosing that due to its performance, a special request was made for the NCDMB to join the steering committee of the Africa Local Content Roundtable holding in September 2025.
“I feel proud as a Nigerian that Congo’s government made this request. The world sees you as a leader, please sustain that perception. Africa cannot move forward without energy, and Nigeria must lead from the front.”
Secretary General of APPO, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, with Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr Felix Omatshola Ogbe at NOGOF 2025 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Wednesday
This article was originally posted at sweetcrudereports.com
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