Dr. Uche Ogah has urged pragmatic reforms and sustained policy consistency to secure Nigeria’s energy transition. Speaking at the NAEC Energy Conference 2025, he outlined pathways for gas, renewables, and innovation. Read full story inside.
… Former Minister urges alignment of government, industry, and investors to secure Nigeria’s energy future at NAEC Energy Conference 2025
Nigeria’s path to a sustainable energy future depends on pragmatic reforms, policy consistency, and coordinated innovation, according to Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, President of Masters Energy Group and former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development.
Speaking as Conference Chairman at the 2025 NAEC Energy Conference held in Abuja, Dr. Ogah stressed that the nation’s success in energy transition lies in harmonizing policy direction, private investment, and technological innovation to drive sustainable growth.
The event, themed “Nigeria’s Energy Future: Optimising Opportunities and Addressing Risks for Sustainable Growth,” brought together energy experts, policymakers, and business leaders to examine how Nigeria can balance its traditional hydrocarbon strengths with emerging renewable opportunities.
“Nigeria’s energy future is not a choice between opportunity and risk; it is a challenge to navigate both dynamics together,” Dr. Ogah declared. “Success demands a multi-pronged strategy that leverages our strengths while confronting our vulnerabilities head-on.”
He acknowledged the transformative potential of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and the Electricity Act 2023, but warned that these reforms would only succeed if effectively implemented through deliberate coordination between government and industry stakeholders.
Citing a Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) report, Dr. Ogah lamented that the country’s power generation still operates below 50% of installed capacity due to persistent gas supply constraints and transmission bottlenecks.
He outlined three critical challenges facing Nigeria’s energy reform agenda:
- Ensuring reforms produce measurable results.
- Maximizing the value of hydrocarbon assets before the global shift away from fossil fuels intensifies.
- Delivering affordable and reliable power to every Nigerian household.
Dr. Ogah emphasized that oil and gas remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 70% of export earnings and providing millions of direct and indirect jobs.
The Masters Energy boss identified gas commercialization as a major lever for sustainable growth, describing it as Nigeria’s “strategic bridge fuel” that can power industries, enable clean cooking, and strengthen the country’s position in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports.
He referenced successful gas projects such as the Utorogu Gas Processing Facility and warned that underinvestment, insecurity, and oil theft continue to undermine full implementation of the PIA.
“We must not allow underinvestment and insecurity to sabotage our future,” he warned. “Gas is our bridge to a cleaner, more prosperous Nigeria.”
Dr. Ogah maintained that the global energy transition represents the “greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century” for Nigeria, urging the nation to exceed its 30% renewable energy target by 2030.
He cautioned that failure to act decisively could turn Nigeria into a dumping ground for imported technologies, insisting that the nation must evolve from a consumer to a creator in the global green economy.
“We must not be consumers of the green economy; we must be creators within it,” he declared passionately.
Dr. Ogah pinpointed three key growth frontiers — gas, renewables, and innovation — and called for investment in utility-scale solar farms, mini-grids, and local solar manufacturing through the Nigerian Solar Manufacturing Initiative.
He further identified blue hydrogen, biofuels, and critical minerals exploration as new avenues for industrial diversification, noting that every solution — “from solar in Olorunsogo to blue hydrogen in the Delta” — must align with growth and sustainability.
Highlighting policy inconsistency, infrastructure deficits, security issues, and skills shortages as key risks, Dr. Ogah proposed a set of practical solutions including:
- Creation of a single-window licensing system.
- Modernization of the national grid.
- Benefit-sharing frameworks to boost investor confidence and community trust.
“Policy certainty attracts capital; community trust protects it,” he said.
He also called for the establishment of a National Energy Transition Academy to strengthen local expertise, warning against industrial disputes that threaten productivity, citing the recent PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery conflict as an example.
Dr. Ogah concluded by urging government, private sector, and media stakeholders to unite around a shared energy vision anchored on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles and sustainable development.
“Energy reform is a national project,” he said. “By optimizing today’s hydrocarbon assets and building tomorrow’s clean-energy ecosystem, we can fuel sustainable growth for every Nigerian.”
He commended the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) for its consistent role in fostering constructive dialogue and policy engagement across sectors.
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