Oladipupo Awojobi 
President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Margaret Aina Oguntala, FNSE, has said that Africa’s vast natural gas reserves hold immense potential as a transition fuel capable of driving industrialisation, regional integration, and inclusive development across the continent.
Oguntala made the remark on Friday while delivering her keynote goodwill message as Special Guest of Honour at the 2025 Africa Gas Innovation Summit (AGIS), themed “Building a Resilient Africa Gas Economy through Innovation and Collaboration.”
She urged African stakeholders to harness the continent’s gas resources through innovation, collaboration, and sustainable practices to unlock transformative progress.
Organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council, AGIS 2025 convened policymakers, industry leaders, development partners, and engineering professionals from across Africa to deliberate on strategies for building a resilient and inclusive gas economy.
Commending the organisers for fostering meaningful dialogue on energy innovation, Oguntala applauded the summit’s focus on positioning Africa as a key player in the global energy transition.
Reaffirming the NSE’s commitment, she emphasised the Society’s support for home-grown innovation, cross-sector collaboration, and environmentally responsible engineering practices.
She described the summit’s strategic priorities—including boosting domestic gas utilisation, accelerating regulatory reforms, promoting ESG alignment, and establishing practical financing mechanisms—as “engineering challenges” that demand inclusive, ethical, and scalable solutions.
Oguntala called on governments, academia, industry, and civil society to break out of silos and work collectively towards a shared vision.
“Africa’s energy future depends not only on innovation but also on collaboration with intention and action with urgency,” she said, highlighting natural gas as a critical catalyst for the continent’s long-term energy security and economic development.
