The federal government has reiterated its commitment towards harnessing the oil and gas industry for national development, despite the global move to cleaner energy sources.
Emeka Vitalis Obi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources stated this at the 8th lecture series of Valuechain energy magazine, held in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to Obi, the President Tinubu-led administration, is focused on repositioning the oil and gas sector, with the belief that gas is Nigeria’s transition fuel. He also added that Nigeria is moving from being an extractive economy to a value-driven energy economy.
”The world is changing, but Nigeria is not abandoning oil and gas but we are actually repositioning them. Our government, the government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, strongly believes that gas is Nigeria’s transition fuel. It is cleaner, it is abundant, and it is central to generation of power, production of fertilisers, mobility of the compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas, as well as powering industries and exports.
“Aligned with the Decade of Gas initiative and the National Energy Transition Plan, Nigeria is building a new identity. Not just as an explorer of oil, but as an energy solution hub for Africa. This definitely does align with job creation, industrial competitiveness, climate commitment, and regional energy security,” he said.
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Speaking further, Obi noted that with the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, the energy sector has moved from being a cause of conflict to becoming a tool of peace, dignity, and social transformation.
Citing Chapter 3, Sections 234 to 257 of the Act which focusses on host communities, Obi said that the Act has brought a shift in host communities, stressing that the Act recognises that development must be participatory, inclusive, and that social peace arises from ownership and shared prosperity.
He explained that host communities are no longer passive observers of extraction but stakeholders in the value chain.
“When implemented with integrity, the Host Community Development Trust Fund can fund the schools and hospitals in the region. It can improve water and sanitation, it can support local enterprises, it can also reduce that restlessness and vandalism that we know has occurred.
“This is how energy moves from being a cause of conflict to becoming a tool of peace, dignity, and social transformation,” he added.
In his remarks, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, noted that Nigeria’s economic revival depends heavily on a stable, modern, and efficient energy sector.
Idris explained that the Tinubu-led administration’s push for compressed natural gas, CNG, is part of a broader strategy for the evolution of a sustainable and affordable energy mix ecosystem that provides for cleaner fuel affordability, cleaner fuel option and a plan to actively situate and support Nigerian citizens and businesses.
“This is not just an energy policy, it is an economic and social intervention that directly affects transport, manufacturing, and household budgets. Also, through the Electricity Act and enhanced collaboration with states, the government is unlocking new opportunities for private investment of green solutions and improved service delivery.
“The goal is simple, reliable power for homes, industries, and economic growth. And by strengthening regulatory clarity, deepening local content, and encouraging innovation, the administration is reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a top destination for energy investments across Africa. These reforms are bold, sometimes challenging, but essential for the stability and prosperity of our nation,” he said.
Also speaking, Musa Bashir Usman, Publisher/Editor-in-chief of Valuechain Magazine, explained that Nigeria’s energy landscape is shifting technologically, economically, socially, and politically thus the need for discussion and recommendations in investments, regulation, technology adoption, human capital, and environmental stewardship that will define the prosperity of generations to come.
He noted that the PIA is redefining governance and operations, the global energy transition is challenging traditional models, adding that the urgency to maximise the nation’s resources’ for the benefit of all Nigerians has never been clearer.
“This moment forces us to confront essential national questions such as, how do we unlock the full potentials of natural gas as a catalyst for industrialisation and power generation.”
