Uche Cecil Izuora
The Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria (HBSAN) will host
its flagship Oil & Gas Event on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The landmark gathering will bring together senior government officials, industry leaders, regulators, and financiers to transition Nigeria from fragmented sector operations toward a unified, interconnected energy economy.
The conference is founded on the proposition that Nigeria’s vast energy resources deliver maximum economic value only when oil, gas, and power operate as a coherent ecosystem.
Through deliberate dialogue on governance, policy convergence, bankable infrastructure, and operational efficiency, the event will produce an actionable white paper to assist government implementation.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos ahead of the association’s oil and gas event, themed “One Energy System: Integrating Oil, Gas and Power for National Transformation,” HBSAN Vice President, Niyi Omojala, said Nigeria had developed its individual energy sectors but needed to move beyond operating them in silos.
Omojola said the conference would examine the policy, regulatory, operational, infrastructure and financing challenges that must be addressed to achieve greater integration, with a white paper to be produced for government implementation.
He said a manufacturer currently relying on diesel had to contend with high and volatile operating costs, while greater access to domestic gas could provide a cleaner and more consistent power source.
”If we can create clarity around the cost of power to people, whether it’s self-generated as redundancy or ultimately grid power, if there’s clarity around price and around consistency,” he said, there would be greater investment.
Omojola said consistency in the cost of power and gas supply could create a cycle of lower costs, increased production and demand, leading to more investment, employment and economic growth.
HBSAN Programme Committee Chairman, Dr Blessing Ayemhere, said the high cost of power is undermining industrial competitiveness, despite Nigeria’s abundant gas resources.
HBSAN President, Mr. Collins Onuegbu, will open the event, followed by a keynote address delivered by Engr. Adeleye Falade, FNSE Managing Director of NLNG, titled “From Resource to Prosperity: Unlocking National Growth through Integrated Energy Systems – Oil, Gas and Power. The African Perspective”.
The Association also called for greater integration of Nigeria’s oil, gas and power sectors, saying fragmented policies and weak coordination are limiting the country’s ability to turn its energy resources into economic growth.
The integrated energy system would provide businesses with cheaper and more consistent power, improve investment certainty and support industrial development.
The day’s agenda features four focused sessions:
• Governance, Policy, and Regulatory Convergence: Moderated by Mr. Adedotun
Sulaiman (Chairman, BOT, HBSAN), this panel addresses the cross-sector
regulatory architecture needed for system-wide reform. Speakers include Mrs.
Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan (CCE, NUPRC), Hon. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe (Federal Min.
of Power), Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo (Min. of State for Petroleum Resources – Gas), Mr.
Bayo Ojulari (MD, NNPCL), Engr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar (ACE, NMDPRA), and Mr.
Osa Igiehon (MD, Heirs Energy).
• Infrastructure and Finance: Led by Prof. Hakeem Belo-Osagie (Harvard Professor
and BOT Member, HBSAN), this session examines project bankability and capital
mobilization to close Nigeria’s critical infrastructure gap. Panelists include Mr. Jim
Swartz (MD, Chevron Nigeria), Mr. Olusegun Alebiosu (MD/CEO, First Bank), Mr.
Gbite Falade (Chairman IPPG and MD/CEO Aradel Holdings Plc), Senator Heineken
Lokpobiri (Min. of State for Petroleum Resources – Oil), Mr. Dele Kuti (Global Head,
Energy & Infrastructure, Standard Bank Group), Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe (MD/CEO,
Fidelity Bank Plc), and Mr. Oscar Onyema, OON (Chairman, JEX Markets).• Industry Fireside Chat: Moderated by Prof. Prisca Ndu, Dr. Layi Fatona (Chairman,
ND Western and Renaissance Energy) will share pragmatic operational solutions for
driving efficiency across power and hydrocarbon supply chains.
• Case Study – From Explorer to Owner: Dr. Austin Avuru (Chairman, AA Holdings)
will detail his entrepreneurial trajectory from Seplat to AA Holdings, providing a
blueprint for scaling resilient, homegrown energy companies in Africa.
The event will conclude with closing remarks by Dr. Mayowa Afe, Chairman of the HBSAN
Energy Conference, consolidating the forum’s key findings.