Nigeria’s Energy Future: Balancing Growth, Security, and the Low-Carbon Transition
In a significant call to action, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council has urged the Federal Government to harmonize economic growth, energy security, and the ongoing global shift towards low-carbon solutions. The society emphasised the need for a delicate balance amidst transforming energy systems influenced by both climate imperatives and technological advancements.
This call was made at a press conference held on Thursday, at which the SPE announced the Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE) for 2025. Scheduled to take place from August 4th-6th in Lagos, the event is set to chart a course for Nigeria’s energy future.
Dr. Amina Danmidanmi, chairman of the SPE Nigeria Council, laid out the conference’s theme, ‘Building a Sustainable Energy Future: Leveraging Technology, Supply Chain, Human Resources, and Policy’. She underscored that the conference arrives at a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s energy industry—one of transition, opportunity, and responsibility.
To navigate this pivot, the conference challenges stakeholders to interconnect four critical pillars: technology, supply chain, human resources, and policy. Nigeria, currently producing around 1.75 million barrels per day of crude oil and condensates, aims to reach 2.7 million barrels per day (mbpd) by 2030. To achieve this, Dr. Danmidanmi noted that the country must enhance field recovery, monetize its vast gas reserves, ensure infrastructure reliability, and bolster pipeline security.
SPENAICE 2025, as the event is known, promises to showcase technical insights and practical solutions that support Nigeria’s energy security and economic growth objectives. The conference comes amidst a backdrop of historic divestments by international oil companies from onshore and shallow water assets, marking a defining chapter in Nigeria’s energy story. These divestments testing indigenous operators’ capacities and demanding the retention and redeployment of human capital. However, they also present opportunities for deepening local content and fostering technical independence.
The event will bring together regulators, operators, financiers, and innovators, aiming to devise a cohesive energy roadmap for Nigeria. It will also feature youth and family programs, including mentorship initiatives, to nurture the engineers and innovators of tomorrow.
Addressing the critical issue of gas monetisation for power generation and industrial use, Dr. Danmidanmi highlighted the need to expand pipeline infrastructure and processing capacity to capture flare gas, enable exports, and support the domestic market.
SPENAICE 2025 is shaping up to be an unparalleled platform, slated to feature over 80 exhibitors showcasing solutions in areas such as digital energy, enhanced recovery, and low-carbon operations. The event underscores the petroleum industry’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s energy future towards sustainability and prosperity.
