14th EELLS: Dr. Egbogah Was a Visionary Technocrat for Development, Dignity, and Destiny – Fatona
Lagos, Nigeria – The 14th edition of the Emmanuel Egbogah Legacy Lecture Series (EELLS) paid glowing tribute to the late Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, with industry leaders reflecting on his enduring impact on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and his visionary approach to national development.
Chairman of the event, Dr. Lai Fatona, Chairman of Renaissance Africa Energy Company (RAE), lauded the efforts of the Emmanuel Egbogah Foundation (EEF) and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council for sustaining the tradition of thought leadership and national reflection. He was represented by Igo Weli, General Manager, Relations and Sustainable Development at RAE.
Dr. Fatona described Dr. Egbogah as a distinguished technocrat, industry icon, and policy innovator, whose wisdom helped steer Nigeria’s oil and gas journey.
“Dr. Egbogah was more than a technocrat; he was a visionary who understood that energy is not merely a commodity—it is a catalyst for development, dignity, and destiny. His legacy reminds us that prosperity must be engineered, not inherited,” Fatona said.
Nigeria’s Gas Opportunity
Speaking on the lecture’s theme, “From Resource Wealth to Energy Equity: Nigeria’s Gas Opportunity in the Decarbonization Era,” Fatona stressed the importance of harnessing Nigeria’s vast gas reserves equitably and strategically in a world shifting toward clean energy.
He highlighted the federal government’s recent announcement to power a planned 4,000-kilometre high-speed rail network with natural gas as a visionary step.
“This is not just infrastructure. It is a vision in motion—a signal that Nigeria is ready to power its future with clean, affordable, indigenous energy sources,” he said.
Fatona added that natural gas, processed into cleaner transport fuels like LNG and GTL, could drive industrialization, power homes, and create jobs—serving as a bridge fuel in Nigeria’s energy transition. But he cautioned that opportunity alone is not enough, urging reforms, infrastructure development, and investments to turn potential into progress.
Renaissance Africa Energy’s Strategic Role
Dr. Fatona also spoke on recent developments at Renaissance Africa Energy (RAE), which in March 2025 completed the acquisition of Shell Petroleum Development Company’s (SPDC) Joint Venture assets, rebranding as RAE JV. The transaction, he noted, marked a new era of Nigerian-led energy leadership.
RAE, alongside partners NNPC, TotalEnergies, and AGIP Energy and Natural Resources, now operates one of the country’s largest portfolios, spanning onshore and shallow-water assets, the Bonny and Forcados export terminals, and complex Niger Delta terrains.
“This strategic direction was not taken lightly. Nigeria holds proven reserves of 31.44 billion barrels of oil and 205.4 trillion cubic feet of gas. With over 600 million Africans lacking electricity and 800 million lacking clean energy, Africa must act bravely to turn resource richness into sustainable access,” he said.
Commitment to Academia and Capacity Building
RAE, Fatona said, is committed to bridging the gap between industry and academia. The company has established three centres of excellence in Nigerian universities, endowed professorial chairs, supported postgraduate research, and funded scholarships ranging from secondary school to postgraduate levels abroad.
He urged collaboration across academia, industry, and government to honour Dr. Egbogah’s legacy through practical action.
“Energy transition is not a threat but an invitation to reimagine, innovate, and lead. At RAE, we reaffirm our commitment to energy for people and planet, and we believe Nigeria’s best energy stories are yet to be written,” Fatona concluded.
