Author: Sasforde

Shell says it will continue to explore opportunities to invest in Nigeria as the country aims to achieve energy abundance.

Speaking at a panel session at the 2025 Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja , Managing Director, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo) Ronald Adams referred to the expansion of its stake in the Bonga field, the FID on Bonga North and several other projects being considered including Bonga Southwest and HI as Shell’s vote of confidence in the future of Nigeria. But he declined to give specific timing on FIDs including that on HI.

Discussions at the panel session were based on the theme, “Pragmatically Achieving Energy Abundance,” and featured chief executives of oil companies and government functionaries who proposed steps towards achieving energy sufficiency as Nigeria targets net-zero emissions from fossil fuel by 2050.

Ronald said SNEPCo would build on its contributions to energy abundance by becoming more efficient and improve value across the value chain by working closely with the Nigerian Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS) and other stakeholders. “There is a requirement for us to push the envelope. We cannot rest on our oars,” he said.

He explained that Nigeria can achieve the ambition of net-zero emissions and at the same time provide cost-effective and efficient energy for a rising population by optimizing investments in hydrocarbon energy sources and quick renewable opportunities.

On the efforts of Shell towards net-zero emissions, the Managing Director said the company’s refreshed Powering Progress strategy aims to accelerate the transition “purposefully and profitably to low-carbon businesses by the early 2030s.”

He added: “It is important that government continues to support these efforts and those of other industry players through the right polices and creation of a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.”

Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced that Nigeria will soon phase out its dependence on diesel generators and transition to an integrated hybrid energy system, marking a significant step in the country’s drive to cut carbon emissions and achieve sustainable development.

Speaking at the opening of the Decarbonising Infrastructure in Nigeria Summit (DIN Summit) in Abuja on Wednesday, the Vice President emphasised that climate action is no longer a luxury but a critical economic imperative for Nigeria’s future.

“Nigeria can no longer afford to build yesterday’s infrastructure for tomorrow,” Shettima declared, warning that unless the country aligns its climate ambitions with practical development realities, it risks being left behind by a rapidly changing world.

One of the highlights of the summit was Shettima’s announcement of plans to transform the Onne Port in Rivers State into Nigeria’s first fully green port.

Discussions with private investors are already underway to commit nearly $60 million to electrify the port using an integrated hybrid energy system.

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“This is a strategic leap. Through an integrated hybrid energy system, we will phase out diesel dependency, slash carbon emissions, and provide 24/7 sustainable and affordable power to terminal operators and port users”, the Vice President stated.

According to Shettima, the DIN Summit is a product of months of stakeholder consultations and technical evaluations, driven by the realisation that profitability and sustainability must go hand in hand.

In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said, “This summit reflects our belief that the path to net-zero by 2060 must be paved with concrete action, not convenient rhetoric”.

He cited Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and Climate Change Act as foundational tools for building a sustainable future, noting that 75% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions stem from infrastructure-heavy sectors — energy, transport, urban development, and agriculture.

“These sectors are not just carbon-heavy; they form the arteries of our economy,” Shettima said, singling out agriculture, which supports over 70% of rural livelihoods.

“The only way out of the predicted doom is to decarbonise these systems”, he said.

“We are not here to fantasise. We are here to finance, to mobilise, to de-risk, to build. The Nigeria we want cannot be realised on diesel generators and fragile grids. It will not emerge from a model that chokes our lungs while draining our treasury. We must build a Nigeria whose infrastructure heals, rather than harms”, he added firmly.

Shettima further stressed the importance of unlocking climate finance, the summit’s central theme, saying it aligns with the urgent task of decoupling Nigeria’s development trajectory from outdated, carbon-intensive models while ensuring inclusivity.

He called for robust regulatory reforms and cross-sector policy harmonisation, noting the impending launch of a Green Investment Portal to connect capital with climate-smart projects.

“Decarbonisation must not stop at Abuja’s gates. It must reach every local government, every community, every home”, he insisted.

Earlier in the summit, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, Director-General and CEO of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), highlighted Nigeria’s vulnerability to climate change despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions.

“Although Nigeria’s contribution to global emissions is small, we are disproportionately affected due to our geographic location and low adaptive capacity,” Dr. Maduekwe noted.

She identified key transformation areas such as smart agriculture, renewable energy adoption, and improved land management to enhance carbon sequestration.

She also emphasised the need for increased private sector investment in sustainable infrastructure, particularly in overhauling Nigeria’s energy systems and transportation networks.

Also speaking at the event, Musaddiq Mustapha Adamu, Personal Assistant to the President on Sub-national Infrastructure (Office of the Vice President), underscored the federal government’s commitment to supporting state-level innovation in climate adaptation and green growth.

“Today’s summit is not just about emissions. It is about equity, economic survival, and building a future where infrastructure restores hope, uplifts society, and empowers the young, the poor, and the marginalised”, Adamu said.

Tranos, an indigenous engineering and manufacturing company, has begun laying the foundation for an 800-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) panel manufacturing line, signalling a major advancement in the localisation of renewable energy production in Nigeria.

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The new manufacturing campus measuring about 157,440 square metres will include an 800-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) panel manufacturing factory, signalling a major advancement in the localisation of renewable energy manufacturing in Nigeria.

Tranos also plans to move its current factories in Lagos to the new campus and expand their current manufacturing, improving capacity, capabilities and quality. This will address space constraints and position the company to meet growing domestic demand for their products.

Tranos Managing Director, Jude Abalaka, said: “Today’s groundbreaking is more than a construction milestone, it is an investment in Africa’s industrial future. This campus will scale our production, create jobs, and deliver solutions aligned with Nigeria’s energy, industrial and infrastructural ambitions”.

Currently, over 90 per cent of solar PV panels used in Nigeria are imported, which often results in delays and higher costs for solar projects. Tranos, he said, aimed to produce sufficient panels locally to supply the entire Nigerian market, with additional capacity for export, adding that, this localisation is expected to ease supply chain challenges and allow for product customisation suited to local conditions.

The facility, he added, will initially operate one manufacturing line, with the first expected to be operational within 15 to 18 months, producing 400 megawatts annually, even as the full 800-megawatt capacity is targeted for by 2027, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s renewable energy goals.

The expansion is also set to boost employment, with Tranos projecting to increase its workforce from 160 to approximately 400 employees within two years. The project will stimulate the local economy and has already prompted infrastructure improvements, including road repairs to the new site.

Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Energy, Jide Onakoya, praised Tranos for its role in Nigeria’s industrialisation and highlighted the state’s recent electricity law reforms aimed at enhancing energy access.

He noted the success of solar-powered street lighting in reducing energy costs by over 30 per cent and emphasised the importance of affordable tariffs and renewable energy solutions for remote communities.

Managing Director, Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Abubakar Aliyu, underscored the government’s commitment to making Nigeria a renewable energy hub in Africa. He highlighted the DARES Programme and the $750 million World Bank funded initiative dedicated towards catalysing private sector investment in renewable energy financing.

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