The Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Engr. Wole Ogunsanya, has urged governments, investors, and industry stakeholders to deepen collaboration, unlock capital, and strengthen indigenous capacity to secure Africa’s energy future as the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) marks its 10th edition in 2026.
Delivering his opening address at SAIPEC 2026, themed “A Decade of Driving Africa’s Energy Future,” Ogunsanya described the milestone as both a celebration of progress and a renewed call to action for the continent’s energy industry.
He noted that SAIPEC was conceived a decade ago not merely as a conference, but as a strategic platform to amplify African capabilities, promote collaboration, and redefine the continent’s role in the global energy landscape. According to him, the initiative has since driven high-level policy and investment dialogue, strengthened indigenous participation and local content development, connected African service companies to global opportunities, and shaped industry conversations that translate into real projects.
Ogunsanya said the achievements recorded over the past ten years reflect the resilience and innovation of African energy players—particularly indigenous firms that have continued to grow despite global market volatility and the pressures of energy transition.
Looking ahead, he stressed that Africa’s energy future must be defined by Africans, noting that more than 600 million people on the continent still lack access to electricity while industrial expansion remains constrained by persistent energy deficits.
He argued that for Africa, energy transition should focus on responsible utilisation of hydrocarbon resources to drive development, alongside the gradual integration of cleaner and renewable energy solutions.
Highlighting the rise of indigenous capacity across Nigeria’s energy value chain, the PETAN chairman pointed to measurable progress in drilling and well services, engineering and fabrication, asset acquisition, field development, and technology deployment. He added that PETAN members have evolved from basic service providers into strategic partners capable of delivering complex projects that meet international standards.
However, he warned that sustaining this progress will depend on consistent policy implementation, improved access to financing, contract sanctity, timely project execution, and stronger collaboration between operators and service companies.
Ogunsanya further emphasised that the next decade must be defined by investment and execution, stressing that Africa requires both capital and the confidence that attracts it. Such confidence, he said, depends on regulatory clarity, transparent processes, competitive fiscal frameworks, and the availability of bankable projects.
He also underscored the growing importance of technology in shaping the sector’s future, calling for accelerated adoption of digitalisation, automation, data-driven operations, and low-carbon solutions to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
Central to the continent’s long-term success, he added, will be stronger partnerships among governments, regulators, indigenous companies, international oil companies, financiers, and development institutions.
Marking the 10-year milestone of SAIPEC, Ogunsanya called on stakeholders to move from dialogue to delivery by accelerating gas development and infrastructure, deepening local content utilisation, creating jobs, transferring skills, and positioning Africa as a competitive and reliable global energy destination.
He concluded that SAIPEC must remain a platform where ideas evolve into investments and industry conversations translate into tangible projects, reaffirming PETAN’s commitment to building a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable energy sector that delivers prosperity for Africans and value for partners.
Ogunsanya expressed optimism that SAIPEC 2026 would produce meaningful outcomes and wished participants a productive and impactful conference.
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