‘How Nigeria’s Energy Sector Can Compete More Effectively Internationally’

The China Dongying International Petroleum and Petrochemical Equipment and Technology Exhibition (CDYPE) Organising Committee has said Nigeria’s energy sector can compete more effectively internationally if operators, regulators, technical institutions and financial advisers work together.

Nigeria’s oil and gas operators, regulators, technical institutions and financial advisers are scheduled to present a unified position in China to strengthen the country’s participation, investment links and strategic partnerships in the global energy sector.

A member of the CDYPE organising committee, Tuoyo Memuduaghan, said the initiative will feature at the Nigeria–China Country Focused Session during CDYPE 2026, scheduled for 28–30 September 2026 in Dongying, Shandong Province, China.

According to the committee, the Country Focused Session is intended to provide a platform for Nigerian operators, regulators and project owners to engage with Chinese financiers, engineering companies, petroleum equipment manufacturers, technology providers and potential partners.

The statement noted that the choice of Dongying is significant because the city, built around the Shengli Oilfield, has become one of China’s main centres for petroleum technology, equipment manufacturing and oilfield services.

“Dongying has been described as China’s largest petroleum equipment manufacturing base, with the sector historically accounting for approximately one-third of the country’s petroleum equipment manufacturing output. Its High-Tech Industrial Development Zone alone is home to more than 500 businesses focused on petroleum technology services, petroleum equipment and offshore engineering, accounting for roughly 30 per cent of the Chinese market,” the statement said.

It added that this makes Dongying a relevant location for the Nigerian delegation, as companies will be engaging potential partners within an industrial ecosystem where equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, technology developers and oilfield service providers are concentrated in one location.

At the heart of the initiative, the committee said, is the view that Nigeria’s energy sector can compete more effectively internationally when operators, regulators, technical institutions and financial advisers work in cohesion.

The statement noted that “At the heart of the initiative is a growing recognition that Nigeria’s energy sector can compete more effectively internationally when operators, regulators, technical institutions and financial advisers work in cohesion.”

Leading the effort are Nigerian companies including Lee Engineering, Britannia-U, Waltersmith, Transoceanic, and other participating operators, working alongside regulatory and institutional stakeholders.

“The delegation represents more than attendance at an international exhibition. It reflects a broader effort by Nigerian industry leaders to collectively improve the country’s investment positioning, establish stronger relationships with international energy companies and create a more structured pathway through which Nigerian projects can access capital, engineering expertise, equipment, technology and strategic joint ventures,” the statement said.

The committee stressed that Nigeria must become more structured for serious international participation.

“Nigeria has projects. Nigeria has resources. Nigeria has experienced operators. The next step is ensuring that these opportunities are presented internationally through a coordinated framework that gives potential partners confidence in their technical credibility, regulatory standing and commercial viability,” it said.

A critical component of the initiative, the committee said, will be the review of projects being presented for international partnerships. Relevant Nigerian regulatory institutions will work alongside African Energy Research (AER) and Iron Capital to assess and structure participating projects before discussions with international counterparties.

AER, described as a pan-African research initiative, will provide technical and evidence-based analysis to ensure projects are judged not only by financing needs but also by technical foundations, developmental relevance and contribution to Nigeria’s energy sector.

Iron Capital, an Africa-focused investment banking group, will provide financial advisory, capital markets and transaction structuring support.

“The objective is to create a stronger connection between technical credibility, regulatory compliance, project bankability and international capital,” the statement said.

The Organising Committee also said success should not be measured only by foreign capital attracted or agreements signed, but also by knowledge transferred, Nigerian engineers trained, and local capacity built.

“Engineering partnerships should create more than infrastructure. They should transfer knowledge. Technology partnerships should provide more than equipment. They should build the Nigerian expertise required to operate, maintain and eventually develop those technologies independently.

“The long-term objective is therefore not simply to finance Nigerian oil and gas projects, but to ensure that international participation contributes to building a stronger and increasingly technically self-sufficient Nigerian energy industry.”

The committee said the Country Focused Session is intended to create an environment where Nigerian and Chinese institutions can clarify expectations, identify challenges and establish practical pathways for stronger partnerships based on transparency, mutual respect and shared economic interests.