Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd., has called for deeper regional integration and accelerated deployment of technology across Africa’s energy sector, arguing that the continent’s long-term energy security and economic growth depend on stronger collaboration among African nations.
Speaking at the ongoing Africa Technology Conference, ATC 2026, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, said Africa must leverage innovation and cross-border partnerships to unlock its vast energy potential and build a resilient energy future.
Ojulari, who was represented by the Managing Director of NNPC Engineering & Technical Company Limited, NETCO, Salahuddeen Tahir, delivered a keynote address on the theme, “Harnessing Innovation and Technology for a Resilient and Sustainable African Energy Sector.”
A major highlight of the address was the emphasis on regional energy integration as a critical pathway to overcoming the continent’s persistent energy challenges.
According to the NNPC chief, “Africa’s resilience depends on energy abundance. And energy abundance depends on integration and technology.”
He noted that Africa possesses significant hydrocarbon resources and renewable energy potential but requires stronger cooperation among governments, national oil companies, investors and technology providers to fully harness those opportunities.
Ojulari disclosed that NNPC Ltd. has continued to deploy advanced technologies across its operations to improve efficiency, boost productivity and enhance sustainability within the energy value chain.
He stressed that technology-driven solutions would be essential for increasing energy access, strengthening infrastructure, improving operational performance and supporting Africa’s evolving energy transition agenda.
The NNPC boss also called for a pragmatic and just energy transition framework that reflects Africa’s development realities while ensuring energy security and economic growth for the continent’s growing population.
According to him, stronger collaboration among African countries will help accelerate energy integration, attract investments and position the continent as a major player in the global energy landscape.
The Africa Technology Conference, organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers, SPE, brings together policymakers, oil and gas operators, investors, engineers, researchers and technology providers from across Africa to explore emerging technologies and practical solutions for the future of the continent’s energy industry.
The conference is focused on delivering actionable insights, fostering strategic partnerships and advancing innovations capable of transforming Africa’s oil, gas and broader energy sector.
