Nigeria's PETAN Calls for Stronger Local Capacity to Secure Africa’s Energy Future

Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Wole Ogunsanya, has urged African countries to deepen local capacity and make better use of natural resources to strengthen long-term energy security.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Offshore Technology Conference 2026 in Houston, Ogunsanya said Africa must move quickly to secure its place in a rapidly changing global energy landscape.

He noted that shifting energy priorities in the United States, Europe and China were reshaping global markets, adding that African countries must use their oil and gas resources to drive industrial growth and economic development.

According to him, Africa holds more than 120 billion barrels of oil reserves and significant gas deposits, while Nigeria alone has over 200 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves.

Ogunsanya linked limited energy access across Africa to poverty, weak industrialisation and poor living conditions, stressing that reliable power remains central to economic progress.

He said PETAN has continued to support indigenous participation through collaboration with the African Local Content Association, adding that Nigerian firms now possess the technical expertise required to support projects across the continent.

Ogunsanya credited the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010 with helping local companies build capacity over the years, allowing them to compete in technically demanding projects.

He also welcomed plans to launch the African Energy Bank in July 2026, describing it as an important step towards financing indigenous energy development.

The PETAN chairman said member companies are increasingly involved in major upstream developments, including the Bonga North, Ubeta gas project and other deepwater operations previously dominated by international firms.

He added that PETAN members now provide specialised services covering subsea operations, drilling, rig supply and underwater engineering.

Ogunsanya also called on the federal government to reduce delays affecting the importation of critical oil and gas equipment, warning that prolonged port clearance and customs bottlenecks continue to increase project costs and slow execution.

He said reforms aimed at easing equipment access and reducing operational delays would help Nigeria improve production capacity and strengthen energy security.