Oscarline Onwuemenyi
25 February 2017, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation has said that more than 6,000 delegates, 250 exhibitors and over 20 countries would participate in the 2017 Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and exhibition slated to take place in Abuja.
The event, which is majorly sponsored by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, will begin on February 27 and ends on March 2.
The NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, told a news conference that Nigeria’s Dr. Mohammad Barkindo, OPEC Secretary-General, would be in attendance and would elucidate how he was able to shore up oil prices.
He said, “This year’s event will be unique in several respects. We are expecting about 6,000 conference delegates, 250 exhibitors, over 20 countries will be participating and these countries cut across all continents.
“Many oil and gas experts, thousands of media colleagues and hundreds of government representatives from different countries will also be in attendance.
“NNPC is a major sponsor and we have ensured that adequate preparation is on ground for the conference.”
He also said that over 48 speakers would deliver papers at the event.
“The Minister of State Petroleum Resources will give a keynote address on ‘Repositioning the Oil and Gas Sector’ while the Group General Manager will speak on `Commercialising the NNPC’.
“The climax of the event is the participation by the OPEC Secretary-General. He will be visiting President Muhammadu Buhari, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu and other OPEC stakeholders’ resident in Nigeria.
“His visit is also unique because he will inform the World how OPEC members’ have complied with the outcome of the last conference.
“As you can see, prices have been rising since the last OPEC conference and the bulk of the credit goes to OPEC Secretary-General.
“He will speak on the oil and gas market outlook With his effort, the market trend has been moving toward equilibrium with lower stock and that is why prices have soared and that will be a climax of the NOG meeting.”
The Barkindo’s 10-man delegation would present OPEC Long and Short term views of the market at the conference.
The NOG is an annual event for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry stakeholders to convene and hear announcements on policy, discuss business opportunities and form partnerships.
