Nigeria, Senegal Forge Energy Alliance to Tackle Africa’s Power Crisis

Nigeria is doubling down on its vision to becoming West Africa’s safest and most reliable energy supply hub, as high-level talks with Senegal signal a bold push for continental partnerships to combat energy poverty.

Minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made this known while hosting Senegal’s ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Nicolas Auguste Nyouky, and minister of Energy, Petroleum and Mines, Birame Soulèye Diop, in Abuja.

The discussions centered on securing crude oil supplies for Senegal’s Société Africaine de Raffinage (SAR) and charting broader collaborations to empower African nations against international oil giants.
Lokpobiri emphasised Nigeria’s pivotal role in Africa’s energy future.
“Nigeria is uniquely positioned by virtue of experience, history, and capacity to lead the African drive toward sustainable energy solutions,” Lokpobiri stated.

He highlighted how collective action could transform indigenous firms into global players: “Driving energy solutions collectively as a continent empowers indigenous companies to compete with International Oil Companies (IOCs) and evolve into IOCs themselves as they expand beyond national borders, ensuring greater in-country value retention.”

Ambassador Nyouky underscored the historic ties between the two nations. “It’s about the relationship that Senegal shares with Nigeria since a long time ago, and it covers business relationship as well as political relationship.

The Senegalese delegation praised Nigeria’s progress under President Bola Tinubu’s mandate. Minister Diop noted, “We have to thank your ministry and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the mandate that he gave to the ministry and the NNPC in particular, to ensure that production is ramped up. We have seen a steady growth and steady increase in that.”

We are here to discuss with you about the possibility of securing the supply that Société Africaine de Raffinage (SAR) has already had with the Nigerian counterparts.”

Lokpobiri detailed Nigeria’s transformative reforms amid oil sector challenges. “When I became minister, the rigs actively working in Nigeria were maybe about 10. Today we are having over 60 rigs actively working,” he revealed, pointing to surging interest from global refineries in India, Spain, and Venezuela.
These investments aim to boost production, enabling sustainable crude supplies to neighbors rather than distant Western markets. “Instead of us to sell our crude to those in the West, we better sell to our African brothers who are going to refine it and then ensure that there’s energy security within the continent,” he added.

The minister stressed collaboration as key to Africa’s self-reliance. “The problems of energy poverty in Africa can’t be solved by one country alone… Nobody will solve our problems except Africans,” he said. Nigeria committed to sharing expertise, building local capacity, and partnering with Senegal to create a reliable supply corridor across West Africa and beyond.
This meeting aligns with Nigeria’s aggressive production upscaling and reform agenda, positioning the country to meet domestic needs while exporting to regional allies.