Africa’s National Oil Companies (NOCs) must unite on shared infrastructure, policy harmony, and smart investments to lock in energy security, NNPC Ltd’s Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari declared Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
Speaking at the 2026 International Energy Week (IEW) in London, United Kingdom, Ojulari shared his blueprint during a fireside chat with Mr. Andy Brown, Deputy Chair of Ørsted and President of the Energy Institute.
Key pillars include cross-border knowledge sharing, technology exchange, an integrated gas market, and ongoing regional diplomacy, he said.
“Coordinated investment frameworks will drive this forward,” Ojulari emphasized, urging NOCs to collaborate for the continent’s energy future.
The event drew global energy leaders amid rising calls for African self-reliance in power.
Addressing the imperative of expanding cross-border energy infrastructure, Ojulari said NNPC Ltd’s ongoing regional gas initiatives demonstrate how shared assets can unlock scale, efficiency, and resilience.
According to a press release signed by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, Ojulari emphasised that accelerated delivery of flagship projects such as the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline and the expansion of the West African Gas Pipeline is critical to strengthening regional integration and advancing cross-border energy trade.
According to him, the continent must move towards aligned pricing frameworks, transit protocols, local content standards, and joint technical regulations, drawing lessons from reforms such as Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), to reduce investment friction, safeguard cross-border infrastructure, and ensure equitable access to shared energy assets.
He further called for structured joint investment platforms among African NOCs, stressing that Africa can attract and deploy capital more effectively when acting collectively rather than individually.
On NNPC Ltd’s ambition to raise oil output, expand gas production, and attract investment, Ojulari said delivery will require a pragmatic, Africa-centric strategy, one that positions energy as both a catalyst for economic development and a contributor to global climate goals.
“Our pathway is clear: grow production responsibly, scale gas as the backbone of Africa’s industrialisation, strengthen environmental accountability, and align with global decarbonisation objectives, while ensuring that Africans are not left behind in the energy transition,” he affirmed.
The International Energy Week (IEW) is a premier global energy leadership platform that convenes policymakers, industry executives, investors, regulators, technology innovators, and thought leaders to shape dialogue on the future of energy security, transition pathways, capital formation, and sustainability.
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