.Marks a decade of driving Africa’s energy future
CHIGOZIE AMADI
The Chairman of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Engr. Wole Ogunsanya, has called for an Africa-led approach to energy development, stressing that the continent’s transition pathway must balance development needs with sustainability.
The association also marked a decade of driving Africa’s energy future, with a call for continued collaboration and investment in the continent’s energy sector.
Ogunsanya made the call while delivering the opening address today at the 10th edition of the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) 2026, themed “A Decade of Driving Africa’s Energy Future.”
He described the conference’s 10-year journey as a defining platform that has reshaped Africa’s energy narrative by deepening strategic dialogue, elevating indigenous participation, and connecting African service companies to global opportunities.
He also highlighted the association’s achievements over the past decade, including driving strategic dialogue on energy policy and investment, elevating indigenous participation and local content development, and connecting African service companies to global opportunities.
According to him “SAIPEC was conceived not just as a conference, but as a movement to amplify African capabilities and redefine our role in the global energy landscape,” Ogunsanya said, noting that the past decade reflects the resilience and innovation of indigenous companies amid global volatility and energy transition pressures.
Ogunsanya emphasized the need for Africa to define its energy future, leveraging its resources responsibly to drive development while integrating cleaner and renewable solutions. He noted that indigenous companies have evolved from service providers to strategic partners, delivering complex projects to international standards.
He called for investment, technology, and collaboration to drive Africa’s energy future, with a focus on regulatory clarity, transparent processes, and competitive fiscal frameworks. Ogunsanya emphasized the importance of partnerships between governments, regulators, indigenous companies, IOCs, financiers, and development institutions.
Addressing Africa’s energy realities, the PETAN chairman said the continent’s immediate priority remains energy access, affordability and reliability, with over 600 million Africans still lacking electricity. He argued that Africa’s transition should not mean abandoning hydrocarbons, but responsibly leveraging existing resources while integrating cleaner and renewable solutions over time.
Ogunsanya highlighted the significant growth in indigenous capacity across Nigeria’s energy value chain, attributing the progress to local content policies and deliberate capacity development. He said indigenous firms now lead in drilling, engineering and fabrication, asset acquisition, field development, and technology deployment.
“PETAN members have evolved from service providers to strategic partners, delivering complex projects to international standards,” he said, while cautioning that sustaining the gains requires policy consistency, access to financing, contract sanctity and stronger collaboration between operators and service companies.
Looking ahead, Ogunsanya said the next decade must focus on investment and execution, stressing that capital flows depend on regulatory clarity, transparent processes, competitive fiscal frameworks and bankable projects. He also underscored the role of technology—digitalisation, automation and low-carbon solutions—in improving efficiency, safety and sustainability.
Calling for deeper partnerships among governments, regulators, indigenous companies, international oil companies, financiers and development institutions, Ogunsanya urged stakeholders to move from dialogue to delivery.
As SAIPEC marks its 10th edition, he challenged participants to accelerate gas development, deepen local content utilisation, create jobs and position Africa as a competitive and reliable energy destination.
“A decade ago, we set out to drive Africa’s energy future. Today, we are at the beginning of a more ambitious chapter,” he said, reaffirming PETAN’s commitment to building a resilient, inclusive and sustainable energy industry across the continent.
The 10th edition of SAIPEC, themed “A Decade of Driving Africa’s Energy Future,” brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss strategies for achieving energy security and sustainability.
