Nigeria To Woo Investors At London Energy Conference

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timpre Sylva, would be leading investment-focused dialogue during the Invest in African Energy Reception set to take place in London on January 26. 

With the Nigerian energy market on the precipice of another transformation on the back of diversification and market-driven policy implementation, the participation of Sylva is key for securing new capital for Nigeria’s rapidly growing market, while enabling new players and financiers to expand their footprint in one of Africa’s biggest oil producing countries.

Nigeria has emerged as one of the most attractive destinations for foreign investment owing largely to the signing into law of the Petroleum Industry Act(PIA) in 2021. 

With the Act, having overhauled the country’s regulation and governance, addressing key growth inhibitors by prioritising transparency, procedural clarity and attractive fiscal terms for regional and international players, the Nigerian energy market is more enabling for business than ever, and the minister will showcase opportunities in the sector during the Invest in African Energy Reception in London.

The Act itself has already unlocked tangible benefits, with the country positioning itself as the biggest oil producer in Africa in 2023, despite a year of production declines owing to challenges associated with oil theft and reduced exploration. 

With the state-owned company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited  identifying and shutting down an illegal pipeline responsible for the loss of up to 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, production has rapidly increased to approximately 1.2 million bpd in December 2022, setting the country up for an exciting year in 2023. 

The country is more ambitious than ever when it comes to expanding the oil and gas market even further, with the government incentivizing E&P activity in a bid to boost production levels further. As such, opportunities for upstream players have opened up and minister Sylva will be making a strong case for hydrocarbon exploration during the reception in London.

Opportunities in the oil industry, over 200 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of proven natural gas reserves and opportunities to increase this figure to 600 tcf with advancements in exploration have positioned the country as the destination of choice for financiers and project developers from across the natural gas landscape. 

“The London event provides financiers and energy players with the unique opportunity to directly engage and connect with a leading government representative from the biggest oil producer in Africa, and the AEC is encouraging all of those interested in expanding their footprint in Africa to join us at this high-level event,” stated the executive chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC), NJ Ayuk.