The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, has identified shared infrastructure, policy alignment, coordinated investment frameworks, cross-border technology exchange and sustained regional diplomacy among National Oil Companies, NOCs, as critical pillars for securing Africa’s energy future.
Ojulari spoke during a fireside chat with Mr. Andy Brown, Deputy Chair of Ørsted and President of the Energy Institute, at the 2026 International Energy Week, IEW, in London.
Speaking on the need to expand cross-border energy infrastructure, he said NNPC Ltd’s ongoing regional gas initiatives illustrate how shared assets can deliver scale, efficiency and operational resilience across the continent.
He stressed that fast-tracking major projects such as the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline would strengthen regional integration and boost cross-border energy trade.
According to him, African countries must move towards harmonised pricing systems, transit protocols, local content standards and joint technical regulations, drawing lessons from reforms such as Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, to reduce investment barriers, protect infrastructure and ensure fair access to shared energy resources.
Ojulari also advocated structured joint investment platforms among African NOCs, noting that the continent stands a better chance of attracting and deploying capital efficiently when it acts collectively rather than individually.
On NNPC Ltd’s production targets and investment drive, he explained that achieving higher oil output, expanding gas development and unlocking new financing would require a pragmatic strategy tailored to Africa’s realities, positioning energy as both a development driver and a contributor to global climate objectives.
“Our pathway is clear: grow production responsibly, scale gas as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, strengthen environmental accountability and align with global decarbonisation goals while ensuring Africans are not left behind in the energy transition,” he said.
The International Energy Week is a global energy leadership platform that brings together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, regulators and technology innovators to shape discussions around energy security, transition pathways, capital mobilisation and sustainability.
