Nigeria Must Help Define Africa’s Energy Transition — AEC

 

As African countries race to attract investment into oil, gas, power, renewable energy, and energy infrastructure, Nigeria faces a clear choice: it can either help shape the continent’s energy agenda or allow others to define the conversation without it.

The call was made by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) in a statement signed by the Chamber’s Chairman, N.J. Ayuk, on Monday, ahead of the 2026 Africa Energy Week, scheduled to take place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 12 to 16 October 2026.

He stressed that the conference is not just another international energy conference, but a platform where governments, investors, operators, regulators, financiers, and industry leaders will gather to discuss the future of energy on the continent.

“It is also a place where countries will compete for visibility, capital, partnerships, and influence.

“Nigeria cannot afford to approach that table casually.”

“For decades, the country has been one of Africa’s most important energy producers. Its oil has shaped public revenue, foreign exchange earnings, and international investment. Its gas reserves remain central to the country’s industrial ambitions. Its power-sector challenges have affected households, businesses, and manufacturers across the country.

“But in today’s energy market, history is no longer enough.

“Countries are being judged by the clarity of their reforms, the credibility of their projects, the strength of their institutions, and the seriousness with which they engage investors.

“Nigeria may have scale, resources, and market size, but those advantages must now be converted into confidence.”

 

 

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He called on the country to move from the point of potential to positioning itself as a critical stakeholder.

“Nigeria is often described as a country of enormous energy potential. But potential alone does not attract capital. Investors want to see direction, discipline, and bankable opportunities.

“At a time when several African countries are positioning themselves as attractive energy destinations, Nigeria must be more deliberate in how it presents its story.

“It must show where reforms are working, where new opportunities are opening up, and where private capital can participate.

“The country’s delegation should not attend merely for visibility.

“It should go with a clear message: Nigeria remains one of Africa’s most important energy markets, but it is also a market undergoing change. That change must be explained clearly and credibly.”

He added that government agencies, regulators, oil and gas operators, power companies, state governments, and indigenous energy firms all have roles to play in shaping that message.

He advised the Nigerian government to focus on the development of its gas infrastructure, as they remain critical to the country’s energy security.

“If there is one area where Nigeria should speak with confidence, it is gas.

“Gas is more than a natural resource. For Nigeria, it is a development tool. It is connected to power generation, industrial production, fertiliser, petrochemicals, domestic cooking, exports, and regional energy security.”

The challenge, however, he said, is that the global conversation around fossil fuels has become more complicated.

“Climate concerns, energy-transition targets, and financing restrictions have changed the way investors look at oil and gas projects.

“Nigeria must therefore make its gas argument more carefully and more forcefully.

“The country’s position should be clear: gas is not a rejection of the energy transition. For a country still dealing with energy poverty, weak electricity supply, and industrial constraints, gas can serve as a practical bridge to a more secure and cleaner energy future.

“Nigeria should use Africa Energy Week 2026 to argue that Africa’s transition cannot be copied blindly from Europe or North America.

“It must reflect African realities, including the need for jobs, electricity, industrialisation, and cleaner domestic energy.

“That is a message Nigeria is well placed to lead”, he added.

 

 

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