Africa must speak with one voice to unlock energy potential – NUPRC CE

2026-02-02 - 18:39

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan has called for stronger continental cooperation and regulatory alignment to unlock Africa’s vast energy and mineral resources and drive inclusive economic growth. Speaking at the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026, Eyesan said Africa’s combination of abundant natural resources and a youthful population positions the continent for accelerated industrialisation if countries act in unity rather than in isolation. She noted that Africa accounts for nearly 30 per cent of the world’s known critical mineral resources, including over half of global cobalt reserves, alongside significant deposits of manganese, graphite and platinum group metals. With a population exceeding 1.5 billion people, she said coordinated policies, integrated infrastructure and aligned regulatory frameworks could transform these advantages into industrial growth, stronger regional value chains and improved energy security. According to her, oil and gas remain central to Africa’s development, supporting electricity generation, clean cooking initiatives, fertiliser and petrochemical industries, as well as government revenues used to fund infrastructure and social services. “Our energy and mineral wealth can either remain fragmented, leaving each nation to struggle alone, or serve as a beacon of a new era of continental prosperity. The difference is unity,” Eyesan said. He stressed the urgency of cooperation, citing data from the International Energy Agency and the World Bank showing that over 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, while nearly one billion rely on traditional cooking fuels, despite Africa contributing only a small fraction of global emissions. Eyesan said a unified African voice has already delivered tangible results on the global stage, including the establishment of the loss and damage fund at COP27, achieved through coordinated advocacy by African negotiators. She argued that similar unity is required to secure a just and equitable energy transition that recognises Africa’s development needs and the role of gas as a transition fuel. Highlighting examples of successful regional cooperation, he pointed to power interconnection projects such as the 1,303-kilometre CLSG transmission line linking Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, which supplies electricity to about 2.8 million people. He also cited the West African Gas Pipeline, which delivers Nigerian gas to Benin, Togo and Ghana, as evidence that shared infrastructure lowers costs and improves reliability. However, Eyesan said Africa has paid a high price for past lack of coordination, stressing that more than 180 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas discovered across the continent remains unsanctioned, while Nigeria alone holds about 210 TCF of proven gas reserves, with over 600 TCF in upside potential yet to be fully unlocked. “For years, gas existed in one country, demand in another and industries in a third, with no connecting pipelines or harmonised tariffs,” she said, adding that projects such as the Nigeria–Morocco Gas Pipeline and the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline are now addressing these gaps. She said harmonised policies would enable Africa to better leverage its own financial institutions, including the African Energy Bank and the African Development Bank, to de-risk projects, attract private capital and accelerate industrialisation. Eyesan disclosed that Nigeria is taking deliberate steps to lead regulatory alignment and gas-driven development, including transparent licensing rounds and reforms aimed at creating a cost-competitive and business-friendly environment for investors. She also announced that NUPRC, working with other regulators on the continent, established the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AfriPET) to drive regulatory convergence through shared standards, data exchange and capacity building. “These are not just national initiatives; they are continental commitments,” she said, stressing that inconsistent regulations, rather than geology, remain the biggest barrier to cross-border energy projects. Eyesan concluded by reaffirming Africa’s commitment to speaking with one voice on global platforms, strengthening regional gas and power networks, and adopting shared sustainability standards. “One Africa, one regulators’ voice, one energy future. Together, we will deliver Africa’s energy promise”, she declared.