NNPCL chief calls for negotiated energy transition
GCEO, NNPCL, Mr. Bayo Ojulari
Abdullateef Fowewe
At the opening of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2025), Engineer Bashir Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, underscored the need for Africa to shape its own sustainable energy future.
Themed “Building A Sustainable Energy Future: Leveraging Technology, Supply Chain, Human Resources, and Policy,” the event assembled stakeholders from across the continent to discuss the next phase of the energy transition.
Ojulari strongly emphasised that Africa’s energy evolution must reflect its unique realities, cautioning, “The energy transition must not be imposed; it must be negotiated, it must be contextualised, and it must be judged.”
In a release shared by the NNPCL, he further urged African leaders to uphold improved governance, contract adherence, and transparent leadership to increase the continent’s relevance on the global energy stage.
Ojulari advocated for natural gas as a transitional fuel, called for scaling up clean cooking technologies, and encouraged channeling hydrocarbon revenues into renewables, infrastructure, and education—actions he said are vital to achieving “energy justice and equity for Africa.”
Highlighting the importance of people-driven progress, the NNPCL chief made a forward-looking appeal to invest in the next generation stressing, “Let us empower our youth to see the energy sector not just as a place of infrastructure but as a space of innovation, inclusion, and global relevance.”
Ojulari’s remarks reflect a growing consensus that Africa’s energy future needs multi-dimensional stewardship, not only to attract investment and spur technological leapfrogging but also to ensure that the continent’s youth are equipped to lead in Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) and green skills development.
