Marking a decade of regional energy diplomacy, the Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Engr. Wole Ogunsanya, opened the 2026 Sub-Saharan African International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) with a firm call for Africa to take full ownership of its energy destiny.
The landmark 10th edition, themed “A Decade of Driving Africa’s Energy Future,” served as both a retrospective of indigenous growth and a roadmap for a continent still grappling with significant energy deficits.
A central theme of Engr. Ogunsanya’s address was the unique nature of the African energy transition. He argued that for a continent where 600 million people still lack basic electricity, the transition cannot mean the abandonment of hydrocarbons.
Instead, he advocated for a pragmatic strategy: leveraging Africa’s oil and gas resources responsibly to fuel industrial growth while gradually integrating renewable solutions.
“Africa’s energy future must be defined by Africans, for Africans,” Ogunsanya stated.
He emphasized that affordability and reliability remain the primary hurdles to the continent’s development.
Reflecting on the past decade, Ogunsanya highlighted the shift of African companies from peripheral service providers to core industry leaders.
In Nigeria specifically, he noted that indigenous firms now dominate high-value sectors, including drilling and well Services, engineering and fabrication and asset acquisition.
However, the PETAN Chairman warned that this progress is fragile. He noted that sustaining this leadership requires strict contract sanctity, improved access to financing, and consistent policy implementation to maintain investor confidence.
The Chairman challenged the gathered ministers, regulators, and industry captains to move beyond dialogue and focus on delivery.
He identified the acceleration of gas infrastructure as a critical priority for the next decade, viewing gas as the essential bridge to both industrialization and a lower-carbon future.
To attract the necessary capital, Ogunsanya urged African governments to provide regulatory clarity and competitive fiscal frameworks.
He noted that while Africa needs capital, global capital requires the confidence that comes from transparent processes and bankable projects.
As SAIPEC concludes its first decade, the focus has shifted toward digitalization and automation.
Ogunsanya concluded that the next chapter for PETAN and its partners will be defined by data-driven operations and low-carbon solutions to ensure that the African energy sector remains globally competitive and sustainable.
“Ten years ago, we set out to drive Africa’s energy future,” Ogunsanya told the assembly. “Today, we stand not at the end of that journey, but at the beginning of a more ambitious chapter.”
