Stay Competitive For Global Energy Investments, TotalEnergies Urges Nigeria

TotalEnergies has urged Nigeria to stay competitive for global energy investments, reaffirming its commitment to the country’s upstream, downstream, and low-carbon projects while eyeing growth amid the global fight for funds.

The managing director of TotalEnergies EP Nigeria, Matthieu Bouyer, delivered this message during a panel session titled “Capitalising on Africa’s Global Upstream Momentum” at the just concluded Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES 2026) in Abuja.

Bouyer outlined the company’s dual-pillar global strategy—expanding oil and gas production while scaling integrated power solutions—positioning Nigeria at its core.

“Our strategy rests on two core pillars: growing oil and gas production, and expanding electricity generation and integrated power.

In essence, it’s about growing energy as a whole,” Bouyer stated, emphasising that fresh capital flows hinge on Nigeria’s attractiveness compared to global peers.

He highlighted the firm’s focus on optimising value from existing assets, including onshore gas fields and offshore oil developments. “One of our daily challenges is demonstrating that investments in Nigeria represent the strongest opportunities for growth. We are competing with other countries and projects for capital, so it is critical that Nigeria remains attractive,” Bouyer noted.

He revealed proactive sustainability measures, including the complete elimination of routine gas flaring in Nigeria and real-time methane emission tracking via sensors.

The company has also launched a five-megawatt solar plant at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 58, powering one of the nation’s first near-net-zero gas developments.

“We have a portfolio with multiple project opportunities, which we continuously measure to optimise production,” he added, teasing upcoming initiatives to boost output.

The executive stressed the need for stable regulations and strategic divestments that ensure production continuity and operator efficiency.

“We’re more focused on operational efficiency while embedding sustainability into every step of our work,” he said, underscoring the role of a predictable investment environment in sustaining long-term projects.

TotalEnergies’ enthusiasm extends to Nigeria’s downstream sector, as articulated by it’s general manager for Retail and Cards, Abdullahi Umar, during a session on “Driving Domestic Value: Transforming Downstream Markets & Refining.

”As the only multinational remaining in Nigeria’s downstream market post-subsidy era, Umar expressed excitement over the shift to private sector-led growth, fueled by consistent policies and the anticipated full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). “For us in TotalEnergies, we’re quite excited,” Umar said, pointing to the company’s 70-year legacy and network of over 500 fueling stations nationwide.

He highlighted ongoing investments to introduce world-class standards and innovations, with the forthcoming Dangote Refinery poised to enhance supply chains and logistics.

“We believe there’s a lot of value in the downstream,” Umar affirmed, signaling TotalEnergies’ readiness to collaborate in this evolving landscape.

Stakeholders at NIES 2026 view these developments as pivotal for Nigeria’s energy transition, blending upstream expansion with downstream resilience.