Transformative technologies including Artificial Intelligence, robotics, automation, data analytics, and other digital tools will take centre stage as global oil and gas stakeholders convene for the 9th annual energy summit of the Solewant Group, a leading player in pipe manufacturing and coating services.
The summit consistently draws policymakers, senior energy executives, financiers, development partners, and researchers from across Africa and beyond, creating space for discussion on how to shape a sustainable and technologically advanced energy landscape for the continent.
This year’s edition, scheduled for 27–28 November 2025 at the Solewant Industrial Park in Alode-Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, will run daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. With the theme “Emerging Technologies and the Future of Sustainable Energy Development in Africa”, the gathering will explore how cutting-edge technologies are redefining expectations for Africa’s energy transition.
In a joint statement issued after a world press briefing in Abuja, senior company executives Dr Benjamin Ubleble and Dr Felix Onyela noted that these technologies serve as catalysts for operational efficiency, local content growth, capacity building, and data-driven decision-making across the value chain. They explained that integrating intelligent systems into exploration, production, and distribution could unlock improved productivity, better resource management, and stronger environmental stewardship.
The statement expanded on expectations for this year’s forum, indicating that discussions will examine the role of digital transformation in deepening knowledge transfer, strengthening capacity development, and improving business intelligence. These, the statement added, provide vital conditions for homegrown enterprises seeking global competitiveness, improved investment prospects, and enhanced precision and agility in project delivery.
Policymakers, corporate leaders, financiers, development partners, and researchers are expected to participate in strategic sessions on technology deployment, policy direction, and market advancement. The summit will again serve as a major platform for investment matchmaking, policy dialogue, and knowledge exchange spanning the energy, oil and gas, and manufacturing sectors.
Programme highlights include keynote papers from industry leaders and government officials, panel sessions on technology–energy integration, technical presentations, and new research insights from NNPC, international oil companies, and EPC firms. Exhibitions of intelligent energy solutions, cross-regional case studies, capacity-building workshops, and multiple networking opportunities are also planned.
Speaking ahead of the gathering, the Group Managing Director and CEO of Solewant Group, Mr Solomon Ewanehi, said the summit provides an important platform for collaboration and innovation across the sector. He reiterated the company’s commitment to strengthening the link between policy, investment, and technology as Africa accelerates its sustainable energy ambitions.
A major outcome of the 9th summit is expected to be a renewed drive for strategic investment commitments across Africa’s energy value chain. Organisers anticipate that governments, investors, and private-sector leaders will advance new partnerships capable of unlocking capital for infrastructure, manufacturing, renewable projects, and technology-centric ventures.
A key feature this year will be the launch of the Africa Energy Innovation Network (AEIN), set up as a multi-stakeholder platform for collaboration among innovators, research institutions, financiers, and policymakers. The network aims to serve as a knowledge hub for emerging technologies and sustainable energy practices.
The summit will also concentrate on strengthening local content and capacity development frameworks. Through its policy dialogues and technical discussions, organisers expect to generate practical recommendations to deepen local participation, advance industrial skills, and expand indigenous technology deployment across oil, gas, and renewable sub-sectors.
Business matchmaking will be another focal point, with dedicated sessions designed to link investors, project developers, and corporate leaders. These meetings are expected to stimulate joint ventures, technology transfers, and partnerships that support intra-African trade under the AfCFTA.
Organisers will additionally work towards a policy and regulatory roadmap for energy transition and digital integration. A high-level communiqué will present priority policy directions for governments and regional institutions, with an emphasis on digital adoption, regulatory coherence, and accelerated clean-energy development.
The summit will close with the Solewant Awards & Gala Night Powered by SETI, celebrating outstanding organisations and individuals shaping Africa’s industrial and energy sectors. The awards are intended to inspire further innovation and leadership.
Solewant Group continues to maintain a strong presence in pipeline coating, fabrication, and asset integrity management across Nigeria. Its Alode-Onne industrial park houses one of Africa’s most advanced multi-layer pipe coating facilities, a specialised pipe-bend multi-layer plant commissioned in mid-2025 in partnership with Euro-American OEMs, and full steel pipe milling operations.
At global industry gatherings such as OTC Houston and the IATF 2025 in Algiers, the company has presented a suite of integrated solutions ranging from coating systems and fabrication to specialised coatings, training, and certifications. These engagements have reinforced its reputation as a major African industrial innovator.
Its expanding industrial investments have earned recognition from regulators and industry bodies. The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) recently acknowledged Solewant’s pipe-bend coating plant as an example of the value that empowered local companies can deliver.
This year’s summit builds on a solid legacy: earlier editions stimulated new partnerships, encouraged investment pledges, and influenced policy discussions. The 2025 event aims to push further towards technology transfer, strengthened local capacity, and broader cross-border industrial cooperation in Africa’s evolving energy economy.
For over two decades, Solewant has maintained its position as one of Nigeria’s foremost industrial solutions providers, consistently showcasing new technologies to global oil and gas audiences. The company has made significant appearances at the 2025 Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, NOGOF 2025 in Yenagoa, the Namibia Oil and Gas Conference in Windhoek, and the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 in Algiers.
At OTC, Solewant presented its technological advances to an international audience, and at IATF it highlighted a diverse portfolio including Solewant Nigeria Limited (SNL), Africa’s largest multi-layer pipe coating plant; Field Joint Coatings Ltd. (FJCL); SSPC for specialty protective coatings; Pipe and Metals Industries Ltd. (PMI); and SETI for industry-focused training and certification.
During NOGOF 2025, Ewanehi announced the Solewant Group Roadmap Plus, which outlines the company’s renewed commitment to technological innovation and Nigeria’s industrial development over the next decade.
The group also participated in a high-level roundtable on energy, maritime, and investment opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea, co-convened by The New Diplomat and the Gulf of Guinea Commission during the UN General Assembly in New York.
Ewanehi later joined senior executives including TotalEnergies Nigeria’s Managing Director Mattieu Bouyer, ExxonMobil Nigeria’s Jagir Baxi, and NUPRC’s Commission Chief Executive Gbenga Komolafe at NUPRC’s recent London roadshow. Attendees included Seplat CEO Roger Brown, AA Holdings Chair Austin Avuru, OPEC Governing Board Chair Ademola Adeyemi-Bero, and federal lawmakers.
At the event, Ewanehi identified transparency, innovation, collaboration, and emerging technologies as essential drivers for Africa’s long-term energy growth.
As part of national efforts to strengthen domestic capacity and reduce import dependence, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, recently commended Solewant and other indigenous companies for advancing the objectives of the Nigeria First Policy. During Ewanehi’s courtesy visit in Abuja, Akume encouraged local enterprises to harness the full potential of the initiative, describing it as a strategic lever for economic expansion and industrial resilience.