Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria leveraged the just-concluded 2026 Global Energy Show in Calgary, Canada, to deepen international partnerships, promote investment opportunities in its gas sector and explore new regulatory collaborations aimed at strengthening the country’s energy industry.
The three-day summit, held lastweek brought together policymakers, regulators, operators, equipment manufacturers and energy stakeholders from across the world to discuss emerging trends shaping the global energy market, including energy security, investment flows, carbon emissions, pricing dynamics and the future of the energy transition.
Leading Nigeria’s participation was the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, who used the platform to reaffirm the country’s commitment to sustainable energy development and emission reduction.
According to a statement issued at the conclusion of the conference, the minister assured global stakeholders that Nigeria remains committed to developing policies that support cleaner energy production while advancing its vast natural gas resources as a key driver of economic growth and energy security.
“He assured of Nigeria’s commitment to evolving sustainable energy policies that would promote emission reductions across the industry until our net zero targets are achieved,” the statement said.
Discussions at the summit focused on major developments influencing global energy markets, including geopolitical events, changing trade patterns, demand and supply dynamics, energy pricing mechanisms and their implications for global energy security.
Environmental concerns also featured prominently, with stakeholders examining the impact of rising carbon emissions and global warming, while exploring practical pathways to balance energy security with climate commitments.
Beyond policy engagements, Nigeria also explored opportunities for regulatory cooperation and knowledge exchange through the participation of the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Mallam Rabiu Abdullahi Umar.
The statement noted that Umar held peer review sessions with fellow industry executives to broaden regulatory perspectives and identify global best practices that could be adapted to Nigeria’s evolving petroleum regulatory environment.
“The Authority Chief Executive met with other executives for peer review sessions to broaden his scope of expertise in the regulatory process and to determine what is adaptable to the Nigerian environment,” the statement said.
On the final day of the summit, Umar accepted an invitation from the Chief Executive Officer of the Alberta Energy Regulator Core Research Centre, Mr. Rob Morgan, for a tour of the Calgary-based facility.
The research centre, which has operated for over 70 years, houses hundreds of thousands of geological samples and drilling rock formations, serving as a major repository of subsurface data used to support energy exploration and development activities.
During the visit, both parties held discussions on areas of mutual interest, including potential partnerships, technical cooperation and future collaborations that could strengthen regulatory capacity and geological data management.
The statement said the Global Energy Show ultimately provided a platform for knowledge sharing, technological innovation, industry collaboration and investment promotion, while creating opportunities for stronger international partnerships across the global energy value chain.
