Some Nigerians Paid To De-market Country, Discourage Investors, Kyari Laments

Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC), has voiced concerns that Nigeria is facing low investments due to the activities of individuals paid to de-market the country and discourage potential investors.

Speaking as a guest lecturer at the Faculty of Science 2024 Lecture of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Osun State, Kyari addressed the issue, stating, “We do not promote our country in a manner that will encourage investors. It is a huge cultural challenge. The reality is that people are paid to do this.”

Kyari’s comments come amid efforts to enhance energy security, sustainability, and profitability in Nigeria.

His lecture, titled “Energy Security, Sustainability and Profitability in Nigeria: Advances, Challenges and Opportunity,” noted the lack of access to clean cooking fuel and electricity in Nigeria.

He noted challenges such as a lack of access to clean cooking fuel for 75% of Nigerians and 50% lacking access to electricity. Kyari stressed the need to close these gaps for meaningful progress.

“Roughly 75% of the country lacks access to clean cooking fuel,” Kyari stated.

“People rely on charcoal, which involves deforestation, because they have no alternative. Additionally, about 50% of Nigerians lack access to electricity. We cannot discuss sustainability until we bridge these gaps.”

The Dean of the Faculty of Science at OAU, Prof. Olufemi Adesina, said that the university aims to attract and develop expertise in emerging areas of energy science and technology through the Centre of Excellence for Combined Energy Smart Innovations and Technologies (CoE-CESIT).

The Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Prof. Adebayo Bamire, highlighted that CoE-CESIT strives to be at the forefront of new smart petroleum and energy systems technology, offering resources such as training opportunities, cutting-edge research, and industrial partnerships.