Oil & Gas

Stakeholders in Africa’s oil and gas sector gathered at the 8th Energy Summit of Solewant Group in Alode Eleme, Rivers State, to call on the Nigerian government and other African nations to invest heavily in clean energy solutions, including Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The summit, themed "Pioneering Technology and Innovation for Transition to Sustainable Energy Development in Africa," emphasized the need to leverage the continent's hydrocarbon resources for a smooth transition to cleaner energy sources.

Key figures at the summit expressed concern over the ongoing flaring of gas by oil companies in Nigeria. Wendell De Landro, the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago to Nigeria, argued that Nigeria must stop gas flaring and invest in gas-gathering stations, following Trinidad's successful model of using its gas resources for clean energy. De Landro stressed that the Nigerian government’s failure to prevent gas flaring stemmed from a lack of political will, hindering efforts to promote clean energy.

Prof. Remigius Uche, Dean of the School of Engineering Technology at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), highlighted the failure of continued fossil fuel reliance in Africa to address the continent's energy challenges. Despite Africa's vast oil and gas reserves, Uche noted that the continent's per capita energy consumption remains below the global average, underscoring the importance of adopting clean energy solutions such as LNG, CNG, and carbon capture technologies to meet energy demands sustainably.

Mr. Solomon Ewanehi, Group Managing Director of Solewant Group, emphasized the summit's role as a platform for driving innovation and collaboration in Africa’s energy sector. He reiterated that the summit aimed to explore solutions to Africa’s energy challenges while advancing global sustainability goals. Ewanehi called for forward-thinking solutions and collaboration between stakeholders to transform Africa’s energy landscape and secure a sustainable future.