“Access to Assets: Empowering Players and Driving Growth” – NAEC 2026 conference to interrogate industry access barriers
…Unviels speakers as Lokpobiri, Ekpo, Tegbe lead
This was contained in a joint statement issued and co-signed by Ugo Amadi, NAEC Chairman and Dr. Adeola Yusuf, Chairman, Conference Organising Committee.
The NAEC Chairman, in his remark, stated that the theme of the 2026 edition, speaks to pressing national priorities and shifts underway in the global energy landscape that call for a united industry response.
He indicated the conference would look at concrete ways indigenous operators can expand operations, attract investment, and grow sustainably.
Amadi added that discussions would also cover frontier exploration prospects, changing investment patterns, and the policy frameworks needed to boost efficiency, scale up production, and rebuild investor confidence in Nigeria’s energy sector — along with ongoing regulatory reforms aimed at clearing bottlenecks, improving transparency, and strengthening Nigeria’s standing in the global energy market.
He further noted that the conference’s high-level panels – bringing together policymakers, regulators, financiers, CEOs, and technology leaders spanning oil, gas, and power – are expected to help shape the industry’s agenda as Nigeria works toward its $1 trillion GDP target by 2030.
Dr. Yusuf, for his part, stressed the growing role indigenous companies play in Nigeria’s energy security and economic development, and said sessions across oil, gas, and power would aim to set new performance benchmarks while offering practical solutions to sector challenges.
He said the conference would focus specifically on removing structural barriers holding back technically capable local companies, with discussions centered on improving their access to high-value oil and gas assets amid shifting investment priorities among International Oil Companies (IOCs).
The Chairman, Conference Organising Committee, further described the growing lineup as a sign of NAEC’s rising profile as a platform for strategic dialogue, policy alignment, and investment facilitation.
He further confirmed that Senator Heineken Lokpobiri Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil); Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) ; and Chief Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power, will headline the event.
Industry speakers and panelists also expected at the conference include Engr. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC); Engr. Rabiu Umar, Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); Bayo Ojulari, Group CEO of NNPC Limited; Engr. Felix Ogbe, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB); and Patience Oyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Others include Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); Mr. Ed Ubong, Coordinator of the Decade of Gas Initiative; Tunji Oyebanji; former 11PLC Managing Director, Engr. Olajumoke Cecilia Ajayi, President NAPE; Jennifer Adighie; MD/CEO NDPHC, Mallam Abba Aliyu; MD REA, Engr. Wole Ogunsanya, PETAN; and Engr. Chichi Emenike, Acting Managing Director and Gas Asset Manager at Neconde Energy.
Dr. Yusuf stated that the NAEC Energy Conference 2026 follows on from NAEC’s 2025 conference, themed “Nigeria’s Energy Future: Exploring Opportunities and Addressing Risks for Sustainable Growth.”
