The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, Mele Kyari, has declared war against ‘principalities’ in some oil companies working against the growth and development of Nigeria’s energy sector.
This is just as he charged Oil companies operating in Nigeria to join the national oil company in its quest to boost oil and gas production in the country.
Kyari said these while delivering a keynote address on Tuesday, in Abuja, at the opening session of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Energy Week with the theme, “Showcasing opportunities, driving investment, meeting demand.”
The event was attended by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Heineken Lokpobiri; the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen; the Chairman of Independent Petroleum Producer Group, Abdulrasaq Isa and Chief Executives of international and local Oil companies.
The Secretary General of OPEC Haitham Al Ghais, and the Secretary General of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Engr Mohammed Hamel attended virtually.
The NNPC GCEO warned the oil and gas firms to increase their investments in Nigeria to unlock the potentials of the energy sector, noting that the country’s economy will still grow without them if they fail to play their role in meeting Nigeria’s energy demand.
He said, “This industry is about producing oil and gas. More importantly for all of us our biggest interest is the production of more oil and gas. We do not need to talk about reserves, we have reserves. What we are focusing with our partners today, is the global production of more oil. And this can be achieved with money, the right people to work, right technology, the will to produce it so we can benefit from it.
“What we did very recently was to look at the data for our production line and asset in the last three month without doing anything or organizing any raid, we discovered that we are actually at two million barrels per day.
“We have decided that we will stop the debate and we have declared a war. And our war means war. We have the right troops, we know where to fight, we know what we have to do at the level of access and we will engage our partners. Any partners that do not do well, we will get them to get it done. We can’t wait for anyone; we are moving on and we can’t afford to negotiate further and this is the meaning of the war. From security to access integrity, and the likes.
“As a matter of fact, as we all know, our pipeline network today is the major troubled line for security, as we all know they are all processed in the 1974 and no pipeline can survive this. This is not a debate, and we will not wait for anyone to replace these pipelines. This is a national decision. This country must move forward, and we are very determined to deliver on this. Over time, we keep talking about increasing production
“Every country wants this. Every national oil company needs this, and we are the only exception. The reason is very simple, people have converted procurement to production to business. When it gets to business, we have to be able to produce and I am very sure that all our partners know this and we will agree that this is the best decision for business and we have to do this.”
Kyari said that the NNPCL will henceforth lead the battle in growing crude oil production in Nigeria, adding that the national oil company will no longer allow itself to be delayed in its quest to achieve the vision of President Bola Tinubu for the energy sector.
“We will create resources that will move this country forward. Join us in the war because we will recover the two million barrels as it is practical. Whatever is needed to create the incremental in providing new access, providing investment, we will no longer be hindered. You will need to join us because if you do not, this country will move on without us,” he added.
In his speech at the event, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo said the ministry is at the forefront of steering Nigeria towards a prosperous and sustainable energy future.
He said the mandate involves not only formulating policies and supervising their implementation in the oil and gas industry but also creating an enabling environment that fosters growth, innovation, and investment.
Through strategic initiatives and comprehensive policies, Ekpo said the ministry aims to reveal the untapped potential across the entire value chain.
He said, “We are particularly focused on promoting gas-based industries such as fertilizers, petrochemicals, and methanol. These industries not only diversify our economy but also create significant employment opportunities.
” By showcasing these prospects at forums like this conference, we aim to attract global attention and encourage partnerships that can drive growth and development.
“A key initiative under our investment strategy is the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF). The MDGIF is designed to catalyze investments in critical infrastructure projects in the midstream and downstream value chain. By addressing infrastructure gaps, we can significantly enhance the efficiency and reliability of our gas supply chain.”
The minister said meeting the growing energy demands of the nation and the continent is a priority for the Ministry.