Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari as well the Publisher, THISDAY newspapers and Chairman, Arise News Channel, Prince Nduka Obaigbena are expected to speak at the second edition of the Seplat Energy Summit (SES) scheduled to hold on Thursday.
The programme scheduled to hold at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, the organisers said, aims to provoke thoughts on perspectives of the energy transition, its economic impact, challenges, prospects, and the changing paradigms to energy politics.
It would feature a panel session of renowned experts to discuss the topic: “Driving Energy Transition in Nigeria, the Change Paradigms,” to be moderated by Oteh, while the executive fireside chat on the topic “Migration from Petroleum to Energy- The Seplat Story,” would be anchored by Obaigbena.
The programme available for free participation online and has as its theme: “Global Trends in Energy Transition and the African Perspective,” according to the hosts, has become timely as the world moves towards energy transition.
The organisers stressed that the discourse would also be dominated by issues on climate change and advocacy as well as policy changes which currently headline most energy conversations with the overall objective of promoting clean energy mix globally.
In addition, it would bring together other reputable international and local experts to speak on the selected theme while the company would also formally provide more information on leading Nigeria’s energy transition with its recent name change from Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc to Seplat Energy Plc.
A statement by the company noted that the name change was in consonance with global trends in the energy transition and aligns with the its renewed focus on the entire energy value chain with an emphasis on cleaner and more sustainable forms of fuels to power Nigeria.
It noted that the 2021 summit would aggregate notable, reputable and dynamic leaders in their respective fields to examine the various aspects of energy transition and also put divergent views on the ongoing transition into proper perspective.
Aside Osinbajo, who would formally kick off the programme, other speakers expected at the hybrid event include the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva; Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr Sarki Auwalu; Managing Director of Total Energies E&P Nigeria Limited, Mike Sangster; Executive Secretary, Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Simbi Wabote and the Group Managing Director/CEO of the Nigeria Exchange Group, Oscar Onyema.
Also expected to speak at the event are the Head, Investment Banking ME&A, Citi Group, Miguel Azevedo and non-Executive Directors at Seplat Energy Bello Rabiu and Arunma Oteh.
The keynote speakers include Daniel Yergin,a Pulitzer Prize winning Author and Energy Commentator.
“Yergin takes the audiences on a riveting and timely journey across this new map, illuminating the great issues of geopolitics and energy in our era of rising political turbulence and pointing to the profound challenges that lie ahead.
“Ms. Damilola Ogunbiyi, the CEO & Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All will focus on ‘Balancing Sustainability Revolution with Energy Poverty- Lessons from around the World,” the statement added.
Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy Plc, Roger Brown, in a recent interview on the importance of the theme said that: “Nigeria will chart its energy transition journey, but improving access to energy will be essential to its economic growth.”
He added: “Given Nigeria’s increasing importance in Africa, the success or failure in addressing this challenge will have global implications”.
Seplat Energy would launch its new energy brand at the summit, and according to Brown, the company was committed to energy transition and intends to be a major player in the renewable energy space, harnessing the abundant renewable energy resources available across Nigeria.
He noted: “The sun is Nigeria’s most abundant natural resource and the advancement in technology is improving its cost competitiveness and efficiency in power generation.
“It is noteworthy that Nigeria’s off-grid solar has an expected market growth capacity CAGR of 26 per cent (2020-2040) and is projected to be worth nearly $17 billion by 2040.”
Brown affirmed that the 2021 Seplat Energy Summit would bring dynamic leaders in their fields to examine the various aspects of energy transition and put divergent perspectives on the subject in context.
“The summit provides the right platform to generate insightful discussion that should offer insights and knowledge to understand energy transition for the continent,” he noted.
