SPE Nigeria Council Calls for Collaboration, Resilience as Energy Landscape Evolves.
Council Chair, Engr. Francis Nwaochei, made the call while speaking at the opening ceremony of the 49th Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2026) in Lagos.
Nwaochei described SPE as the world’s largest individual member professional society serving the upstream and broader energy industry, noting that the organisation continues to promote technical knowledge, professional excellence, innovation and the development of future energy leaders.
He said SPE Nigeria Council remains one of the Society’s most vibrant councils globally, with more than 17,000 members, including students, across six sections in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri, Benin, Abuja and Uyo.
The Council is also supported by more than 50 active student chapters across the country, he added.
According to Nwaochei, NAICE has, for nearly five decades, remained the flagship technical event of SPE Nigeria Council and one of Africa’s leading platforms for executive dialogue, policy engagement, technology exhibition, investment promotion, professional development and strategic collaboration.
He said the conference provides an avenue for industry stakeholders to challenge existing ideas, develop solutions, establish partnerships and deliberate on the future direction of the energy sector.
Nwaochei said the global energy system was being reshaped by growing demands for energy security, affordability and sustainability, alongside digital transformation, decarbonisation, artificial intelligence, automation, operational efficiency and responsible resource development.
He noted that countries and energy companies were under increasing pressure to provide reliable energy, reduce emissions, attract investment, deploy new technologies and prepare for a lower-carbon future.
For Nigeria, he said the changing energy landscape presented both challenges and opportunities, given the country’s abundant hydrocarbon resources, expanding gas economy, resilient indigenous operators, skilled professionals and growing technology ecosystem.
He added that ongoing policy reforms were increasingly focused on rebuilding investor confidence and unlocking capital for the energy sector.
Nwaochei said recent industry developments indicated that Nigeria’s energy sector was making progress, pointing to the conclusion of recent licensing and bid rounds.
He cited the 2025 Licensing Round, in which 31 companies emerged as winners of 37 oil and gas blocks, as an indication of renewed investor interest and a more competitive and transparent process.
He also highlighted the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative, saying it continued to position natural gas as a key driver of industrialisation, improved power supply, cleaner energy access and economic diversification.
According to him, the government’s plan to settle verified arrears owed to power generation companies and gas suppliers through a N4 trillion government-backed bond could also help restore liquidity, confidence and bankability across the power and gas value chain.
Speaking on the theme of NAICE 2026, “Thriving in the Evolving Global Energy Landscape: Collaborative Growth and Resilience,” Nwaochei said the theme was both a call to action and a reflection of the challenges facing the industry.
He said the reforms, investments, regulatory measures and industry commitments currently underway could provide the foundation for greater resilience in Nigeria’s energy sector.
Nwaochei said resilience in Nigeria’s energy industry would require the country to increase production responsibly, commercialise gas at scale, improve the ease of doing business, strengthen regulatory coordination, deepen local content and attract long-term capital.
He added that the sector must continue to create value for the wider economy and society.
“Nigeria’s energy future will be determined not only by the resources beneath our soil but by the quality of our leadership, the strength of our institutions, the clarity of our policies, our willingness to innovate and our commitment to collaboration,” he said.
The SPE Nigeria Council Chair also commended sponsors, exhibitors, corporate partners, government agencies, regulators, development partners and other industry stakeholders for supporting the conference.
He acknowledged the contributions of SPE International leadership, the SPE Africa Region, the SPE Nigeria Council Board of Trustees, past Council chairpersons, Section leadership, the Conference Planning Committee, sub-committee chairs and members, technical paper reviewers, authors, speakers, volunteers and Secretariat staff.
Nwaochei urged young professionals and students attending the conference to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.
He encouraged them to participate actively, ask questions, seek mentors, establish professional relationships, explore emerging technologies and prepare themselves for leadership roles in the future energy industry.
