Success Nwogu and Regina Otokpa 
Disturbed over the infrastructure, security and transportation issues bedeviling the energy sector, the Federal Government has said it is open to adopting modern approaches, especially technology, in stabilising the nation’s energy sector. Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, disclosed this at the 2024 annual Oloibiri Lecture and Energy Forum (OLEF) series, organised by the Nigerian Council of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) with the theme, ‘Stability in the Nigerian Energy Sector: Integrated Strategies for Infrastructure, Transportation and Security,’ in Abuja yesterday.
Represented by the Director, Upstream, Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, he gave assurances of ongoing efforts to address inefficiencies and bottlenecks stifling socioeconomic development and sustainable stability of the sector. According to him, there is an ongoing robust approach by the government to revamp the energy sector through friendly competitions of energy supply to the international market, thus strategies are in place for a more friendly environment to ramp up oil and gas investments for better revenue generation and economic stability.
He said: “Government will continue to look for better methods and take advantage of modern technological approaches in resolving some of the bottlenecks we have in the sector.” Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mr. Mele Kyari, emphasised the critical importance of bridging the energy access gap to the creation of economic prosperity of the country. To bridge the energy access gap in Nigeria, Kyari said NNPC Ltd was working on developing the right infrastructure to deliver oil and gas to drive prosperity for Nigerians.
“We are committed to developing gas infrastructure across the country,” Kyari said. He stressed that the company’s commitment was not just a statutory requirement of the Petroleum Industry Act, but a pledge to ensure energy security beyond fuel supply. “We are dedicated to investing in critical infrastructure to enhance economic prosperity by supplying gas to the domestic market, targeting at least 8 billion cubic meters,” Kyari added.
