At the 2026 International Energy Week (IEW) in London, NNPC Ltd’s Group CEO, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, laid out a bold roadmap for African energy independence.
During a fireside chat with industry veteran Andy Brown, Ojulari argued that the continent’s path to prosperity lies in radical collaboration between National Oil Companies (NOCs).
Ojulari identified six critical areas that will define the continent’s energy resilience:
Shared Infrastructure: Building physical links to move energy across borders.
Policy Alignment: Creating unified rules to reduce business friction.
Coordinated Investment: Using joint platforms to attract global capital.
Technology Exchange: Sharing cross-border knowledge and innovation.
Integrated Gas Markets: Developing gas as a regional industrial backbone.
Sustained Diplomacy: Maintaining strong political ties to protect energy assets.
A major focus of the discussion was the “unlocking” of scale through shared assets. Ojulari emphasized that the timely completion of the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline are not just infrastructure projects—they are the keys to regional trade.
To ensure these projects succeed, Ojulari called for:
Aligned Pricing: Standardized costs for transit and supply.
Unified Regulations: Adopting frameworks similar to Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to safeguard investments.
Local Content: Ensuring African workers and companies lead the development.
Addressing the global shift toward green energy, the GCEO made it clear that Africa’s transition must be pragmatic. He noted that while NNPC Ltd is committed to global decarbonization, energy must first serve as a catalyst for African industrialization.
”Our pathway is clear: grow production responsibly, scale gas as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, and ensure that Africans are not left behind in the energy transition.” — Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari
By acting as a collective rather than individual nations, Ojulari believes African NOCs can more effectively deploy capital, increase oil and gas output, and meet environmental goals without sacrificing economic growth.
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