As Africa’s most populous nation with over 200 million people, one of the continent’s largest proven gas endowments, and an energy system under intense global and domestic scrutiny, Nigeria’s energy future sits at the intersection of security, reform, and capital confidence.
Against this backdrop, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Mr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, will headline a high-level, investor-focused fireside chat at the 9th Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) 2026, reinforcing Nigeria’s push to reposition its energy sector as commercially credible, reform-driven, and investment-ready.
The session, titled “Securing Nigeria’s Energy Future,” will take place at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja, under the NIES 2026 theme: “Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing Our Shared Future.” It will be moderated by respected energy and investment broadcast journalist Ms. Vimbai Mutinhiri-Ekpenyong and attended by a curated audience of chief executives, institutional investors, financial institutions, regulators, and energy service providers from Africa and global markets.
According to James Shindi, Chief Executive of Brevity Anderson, organisers of NIES 2026,
“This fireside chat reflects Nigeria’s deliberate effort to position itself as a reform-oriented energy market—one where policy clarity, commercial discipline, and global capital can align for long-term value creation.”
Positioned as one of the Summit’s flagship engagements, the fireside chat comes at a time when Nigeria’s energy sector is navigating heightened investor scrutiny, global market volatility, and accelerating energy transition expectations—while remaining central to Africa’s energy security and economic growth.
The discussion is expected to provide a candid, forward-looking examination of Nigeria’s evolving energy strategy, with particular focus on how NNPC Limited, now operating as a fully commercial national oil company, is responding to:
- Production stability and asset integrity challenges in a complex operating environment
- Refining and supply system reforms aimed at reducing import dependence and strengthening domestic market confidence
- Gas supply dynamics, balancing domestic power and industrial demand with export commitments
- Indigenous operator support amid international oil company divestments
- Governance, capital discipline, and transparency imperatives shaping investor confidence
At the core of the conversation will be Nigeria’s role as a keystone energy supplier in Africa, and the policy, fiscal, and commercial signals required to attract patient, long-term capital in a transitioning global energy market.
The session will also examine how NNPC Limited is advancing a commercially driven transformation agenda, aligned with global best practices, while operating under the weight of national revenue expectations, energy affordability pressures, and security considerations.
By bringing NNPC’s leadership into direct dialogue with global investors and industry leaders, the fireside chat aims to move beyond narrative reassurance toward practical clarity on reform execution, risk management, and value delivery.
As Kunle Odusola-Steveson, Conference Producer, noted:
“Direct engagement between NNPC’s leadership and international investors is essential to deepening trust, improving transparency, and unlocking long-term partnerships across Africa’s energy value chain.”
The session will conclude with an interactive question-and-answer segment, offering participants a rare opportunity to engage directly with NNPC’s leadership on Nigeria’s energy outlook, reform priorities, and investment landscape.
The Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) remains a premier global platform convening policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and innovators to advance dialogue, partnerships, and policy-driven solutions shaping Africa’s energy future.
