SAIPEC 2026: PETAN Calls for Africa-Led Energy Transition, Investment Push

The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has urged stakeholders to prioritise an Africa-driven approach to energy development, stressing that the continent’s transition must balance economic growth, energy access and sustainability.

PETAN Chairman Wole Ogunsanya made the call at the 10th Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC 2026), where industry leaders reflected on a decade of shaping Africa’s energy dialogue and strengthening indigenous participation across the sector.

He described SAIPEC’s 10-year journey as a platform that has helped connect African service companies to global opportunities, deepen policy engagement and support local content development in Nigeria and across the continent.

Ogunsanya emphasised that Africa must define its own transition pathway, leveraging its hydrocarbon resources responsibly while integrating cleaner energy solutions over time. He pointed to persistent energy poverty across the continent, with millions still lacking reliable electricity, as a key factor shaping Africa’s energy priorities.

He also highlighted the growth of indigenous capacity across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain, noting that local firms now play leading roles in drilling, engineering, fabrication, asset acquisition and field development.

According to him, sustaining these gains will depend on policy stability, improved access to financing, contract certainty and stronger collaboration between governments, operators, financiers and service providers.

Ogunsanya stressed that the next phase of Africa’s energy development must shift from dialogue to execution, with greater focus on investment, bankable projects and regulatory clarity to attract capital into the sector.

He further underscored the role of digitalisation, automation and low-carbon technologies in improving efficiency, safety and environmental performance across operations.

Participants at the conference also highlighted the importance of partnerships among governments, regulators, indigenous companies, international oil companies and development institutions to accelerate gas development, deepen local content utilisation and support job creation.

SAIPEC 2026, themed “A Decade of Driving Africa’s Energy Future,” convened policymakers, industry executives and energy stakeholders to examine pathways for strengthening energy security, expanding investment and supporting a balanced transition across Africa’s evolving energy landscape.