14th Emmanuel Egbogah Lecture Calls for Gas Equity and Sustainable Energy Future
The 14th Emmanuel Egbogah Legacy Lecture Series (EELLS) convened at the Emerald Energy Institute, University of Port Harcourt (UniPort), bringing together academics, policymakers, industry leaders, and students to reflect on Nigeria’s energy future while honouring the legacy of the late Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah.
Organised annually by the Emmanuel Egbogah Foundation (EEF) in partnership with the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council, the lecture series was established in 2019 to celebrate the life and vision of Dr. Egbogah, a renowned scholar, technocrat, and one of the architects of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and national content framework.
This year’s theme, “From Resource Wealth to Energy Equity: Nigeria’s Gas Opportunity in the Decarbonization Era,” explored how Nigeria can harness its vast gas reserves to drive equitable, sustainable development amid global energy transitions.
In his welcome address, Prof. Joseph Ajeinka, Emmanuel Egbogah Chair for Petroleum Engineering and former Vice Chancellor of UniPort, praised Dr. Egbogah as a scholar, philanthropist, and patriot whose vision attracted global attention to the university. He also commended Prof. Wumi Iledare for his sustained role in driving the lecture series.
Dr. Emeka Egbogah, Chairman of EEF, expressed gratitude to partners and participants who have supported EELLS over the past 14 years, noting the wide physical and virtual attendance from across the world.
Delivering remarks on behalf of UniPort’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Georgewill Owunari, Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration Prof. Onyeasor described Dr. Egbogah as an icon of the oil and gas industry whose contributions enriched both academia and industry. Prof. Owunari called the lecture “a gathering not only to celebrate the legacy of a patriot and scholar but to confront urgent economic and environmental issues of our time.”
He highlighted the paradox of Nigeria’s energy landscape—a country rich in oil and gas resources yet plagued by energy poverty and environmental degradation. Millions of households, schools, and small businesses remain in darkness, he noted, while communities continue to bear the brunt of environmental damage.
“This is the serious contradiction in Nigeria: wealth without equity, abundance without sustainability,” Prof. Owunari said.
The Vice Chancellor stressed that energy equity must be treated as a question of justice—justice for resource-hosting communities, for citizens excluded from energy access, and for future generations who must inherit a livable planet.
He urged participants to look beyond problems toward solutions that integrate governance, social responsibility, and ethical development.
“The knowledge shared here must translate into action and reforms to ensure that Nigeria’s gas opportunity is not squandered but invested in equity, sustainability, and transformation,” he said.
The lecture reaffirmed EELLS as a platform where academia, industry, and government converge to generate solutions for Nigeria’s energy challenges, while inspiring the next generation of leaders to build on Dr. Egbogah’s enduring legacy.
