Over 1,000 Participants, 200 Exhibitors Expected at Solewant’s Energy Summit
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Solewant Group, which provides specialised services to the African oil and gas industry, has announced that over 1,000 participants as well as 200 exhibitors are expected at the 9th edition of its annual Energy Summit.
The event will take place from November 27 to 28, 2025 at the Solewant Industrial Park, Alode-Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the organisers said.
The firm which provides cutting-edge pipe coating, steel fabrication, and specialty paints services, disclosed this during a media interaction in Abuja, where it outlined the objectives and focus of the upcoming summit.
General Manager, Business Development and Strategy, Felix Onyela, said the event themed: “Emerging Technologies and the Future of Sustainable Energy Development in Africa,” will bring together policymakers, regulators, academics, industry players, and investors to discuss ways of advancing technology-driven growth in Africa’s energy sector.
According to him, the summit will focus on domestication, technology transfer, and innovation in areas such as pipeline coating, feed joint coating, and asset protection for oil and gas facilities.
“We need to deploy the best technologies in the world to strengthen our local systems. The goal is to indigenise these technologies, create jobs for young engineers, and build capacity that supports sustainable growth in the energy sector,” he said.
He explained that the summit would serve as a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, chart policy directions, and develop strategies to enhance industrial collaboration, similar to international forums like the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC).
“This is not just about Solewant as an organisation; it’s about African technology and the value we can bring to our oil and gas sector. We are expecting over 1,000 participants and 200 exhibitors, including international and local organisations,” he added.
Besides, he called for stronger partnerships between government and private stakeholders to enable effective gas distribution and infrastructure development across Nigeria.
“In the Western world, gas and water are piped directly to homes. Nigeria can achieve this through proper policy, planning, and network development. It will reduce costs, eliminate road hazards, and make domestic gas supply more efficient,” he noted.
Onyela pointed out that past editions of the summit had already produced tangible outcomes, including the establishment of an automated bend-coating plant developed in response to feedback from international oil companies and industry regulators.
“That innovation came from the engagements during our previous summits. It shows the power of collaboration in driving local solutions. Today, these services are delivered in-country, reducing capital flight and creating jobs,” Onyela said.
He emphasised that this year’s summit would build on previous gains, with a renewed focus on emerging technologies such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance, automation, and other custom-made engineering solutions that address sector-specific challenges.
“The energy sector must evolve with technology. Through partnership and collaboration, we can design solutions that fit our environment and strengthen Africa’s role in the global energy market,” he stressed.
Also, the Executive Secretary of the Solewant Energy Training Institute (SETI), one of the five subsidiaries of the group, Benjamin Ubleble, stated that the company had been in operation for 25 years, especially the oil and gas asset maintenance value chain.
He said the event scheduled for the Solewant Industrial Park, Port Harcourt, will spotlight key technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, robotics, visual reality, augmented reality, and how they can be applied in various aspects of business.
“Businesses have risen to a point where we have precision planning using some of these tools. That is the essence of bringing professionals from the academic sector, from governments at various levels, bureaucratic institutions, financial institutions, not only in Nigeria but across Africa and the rest of the world.
“Last year, we had the opportunity to use some of these technologies. We had participation across Europe, Asia, and most parts of Africa. So we are increasing our tempo because of the achievements of last year,” he added.
Highlighting the importance of partnerships, he stated that at the summit, there will be key presentations on some of these technologies as well as technical sessions to dissect their application and exhibition of the ‘intelligent’ solutions.
“The summit is to let the public know that you can participate by exhibition, sponsorship, or indicating your interest to be there, to learn and partner, then network with the number of persons that will come to grace this occasion,” he stated.
