Effiong Okon, the CEO of Seplat Energy Plc, has urged for better teamwork, more investments, and quicker gas development. He wants Nigeria to be a trusted global energy supplier as global energy markets change.
Mr Okon made this call during his speech at the 49th Nigerian Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2026) of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council on Monday in Lagos.
He mentioned that Nigeria should take advantage of global energy supply issues. This can be done by improving production, expanding gas facilities, and boosting investor trust.
Speaking on the conference theme, "Thriving in the Evolving Global Energy Landscape: Collaborative Growth and Resilience", Mr Okon noted that energy is key to economic growth. He said that sustainable development relies on having reliable and affordable energy.
He pointed out that recent geopolitical issues, like problems around the Strait of Hormuz, highlight the need for energy security. The global market is looking for reliable producers who can maintain steady supplies during tough times.
"The world is asking who can deliver energy reliably when the system is stressed. This is Nigeria’s moment to lead by improving uptime, securing routes, delivering more products to the market and deepening gas infrastructure."
Mr Okon pushed for an energy transition that focuses on "energy addition" instead of "energy subtraction". He stated that Nigeria needs more electricity, gas, responsible oil production, and renewable energy that can make money.
He said natural gas is crucial for Nigeria’s move towards industrialisation. It can power industries, fertiliser and petrochemical plants, data centres, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and cleaner cooking options.
He also mentioned that Africa’s huge energy resources can only bring wealth through infrastructure investments, industrialisation, and job creation.
Talking about Seplat Energy’s achievements, Mr Okon shared that the company achieved an average production of 131,506 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2025. This is a 148 percent rise from last year.
He added that the company brought back to life 49 idle offshore wells, which raised gross production capacity by 48,600 barrels of oil equivalent per day.
Mr Okon said Seplat currently provides up to 30 percent of Nigeria’s grid-connected gas for power generation through its Oben, Sapele and ANOH gas facilities. He is confident the company will do even better in 2026, based on strong results from the first half of the year.
The Seplat CEO also restated the company’s support for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s goal of producing 3 million barrels of oil per day and 12 billion standard cubic feet of gas daily by 2030.
He urged industry players to focus on reliable infrastructure, expand gas-to-industry projects, produce cheaper and cleaner energy, strengthen public-private partnerships, and invest in skilled workers.
Mr Okon praised the SPE Nigeria Council for keeping NAICE going for 49 years. He described it as a top platform for technical, commercial, and policy talks in Nigeria’s energy sector.
He noted that his keynote speech marked his first official day as Seplat Energy’s CEO. He felt it was a privilege to start his time in office with the SPE community, which he has been a part of since university.
Mr Okon reaffirmed Seplat Energy’s commitment to responsible oil production, gas-led industrialisation, cleaner operations, and partnerships that will push Nigeria’s energy sector forward.
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