NIPITECS 2026 to Drive Investment in Pipeline Infrastructure, Unlock Nigeria’s Marginal Fields Potential

Funmi Ogundare

The President of the Pipeline Professionals Association of Nigeria (PLAN) and Convener of the Nigeria International Pipeline Technology and Security Conference (NIPITECS ), Ngozi Adeleke, weekend, stated that Nigeria must urgently expand its oil and gas pipeline infrastructure to unlock the full value of recently awarded marginal fields and achieve the Federal Government’s target of producing three million barrels of crude oil per day by 2030.

Speaking during its 2026 pre-conference webinar series themed ‘Unlocking Development Finance for Nigerian Pipeline Project’, Adeleke explained that the country’s growing production potential would remain stranded value without adequate evacuation infrastructure to transport crude oil and gas to the market.

She noted that while the award of marginal fields by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) presents a significant opportunity to boost production, the absence of pipelines and other supporting infrastructure could undermine the expected gains.

“The recent award of marginal fields has given Nigeria an opportunity to unlock a new wave of production potential. But if we have the potential without evacuation infrastructure, what we have is stranded value. We may have impressive figures and colourful presentations, but there will be no real value,” she said.

Adeleke explained that the webinar was convened to address the critical question of how Nigeria can finance and develop the next generation of oil and gas pipeline infrastructure capable of moving increased production safely, efficiently and profitably.

According to her, the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s aspiration to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production to three million barrels per day by 2030, adding that achieving the target would require contributions not only from major oil operators but also from marginal field operators.

The president said the webinar was designed to move discussions beyond theory by connecting project developers and operators with development finance institutions (DFIs), investors, financiers and strategic partners capable of making projects bankable.

“We want to move from theory to practical pathways. We want to connect developers and operators with DFIs, financiers and partners who can actually make projects bankable and move them from paper to reality,” she stated.

She expressed optimism that the panel discussions would provide participants with practical insights into accessing project financing, understanding international standards and structuring projects that meet investors’ requirements.

She identified inadequate information and limited understanding of financing requirements as some of the barriers preventing indigenous operators from attracting investment for critical infrastructure projects.

The president added: “The conference would serve as a platform for stakeholders across the oil and gas value chain to forge partnerships that would accelerate infrastructure development and unlock the country’s production potential.”

In his remarks, the Head, Energy Division, Providus Unity Bank, Mr. Olusegun Oladipo, underscored the critical role of collaboration between commercial banks and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in unlocking long-term financing for strategic sectors such as oil and gas, saying such partnerships are essential for driving national economic growth.

He stated that while commercial banks are primarily driven by profitability and returns to shareholders, DFIs are established to support sectors that promote economic development, often providing concessionary financing for projects that commercial lenders may be reluctant to fund.

Oladipo, who has over 30 years of experience in commercial banking, said the newly formed Providus Unity Bank emerged from the merger of Providus Bank and Unity Bank, creating a stronger institution with more than 230 branches nationwide and enhanced capacity to finance strategic sectors of the economy.

According to him, development finance institutions focus on interventions that stimulate growth in critical sectors such as healthcare, energy and infrastructure, offering longer tenors and lower interest rates than conventional commercial banks.

He noted that while DFIs also seek financial sustainability, their primary objective is developmental impact rather than maximising profits.

“The basic difference is that a commercial bank is strictly profit-focused, while development finance institutions are more socially driven. Their goal is to ensure growth and development in the country, the region or the continent,” he said.

Oladipo explained that commercial banks and DFIs frequently work together to finance large projects through various funding structures.

The Group Head, Oil and Gas, Bank of Industry (BoI), Gabriel YemiDale, explained that BoI’s comparative advantage as a development finance institution lies in its ability to provide “patient capital” through long-tenor financing at competitive interest rates.

According to him, unlike commercial banks, DFIs are structured to support projects that require long-term funding while also promoting risk sharing through syndication.

He illustrated the concept with the example of a hypothetical 100-kilometre pipeline project valued at about $100 million, noting that BoI would typically invite other development finance institutions to co-finance such a project rather than shoulder the risk alone.

YemiDale identified institutions such as Afreximbank, the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as potential partners that could participate in such financing arrangements where projects meet their investment and risk criteria.

“We engage other development finance institutions because our objective is to maintain similar interest rates and provide long-term funding. The whole idea of a DFI is patient capital, longer tenors and better funding rates,” he said.

He explained that BoI could serve as the lead arranger where it originates a project, bringing together interested DFIs that consider the investment viable and bankable.

He, however, emphasised that commercial banks remain indispensable to the process, particularly in providing guarantees and meeting regulatory requirements.