Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum resources (gas), says Nigeria’s energy transition must be guided by national realities, not external pressures that could undermine economic growth.
She spoke on Wednesday at a ministerial panel session on ‘Global Shifts: Navigating an Era of Diverging Priorities’ during the 2025 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference.
Ekpo said Africa must not be cajoled into a transition that leads to poverty.
“Our position is clear: Nigeria and Africa cannot decarbonise to poverty. We must be allowed to use our resources responsibly to provide energy security, drive industrialisation, and ensure sustainable growth,” he said.
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Ekpo said while Nigeria supports global decarbonisation targets, the transition must be “sequential, just, and balanced”, adding that the country cannot abandon development needs in pursuit of climate goals.
He noted that about 80 million Nigerians still lack access to electricity, while more than 600 million Africans live without power.
“Millions also rely on biomass for cooking, which is not clean. Gas remains central to Nigeria’s energy strategy as a low-emission fuel for power generation, industrialisation, transportation, and clean cooking,” he said.
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The minister said Nigeria is also expanding renewable energy projects to complement natural gas and reduce emissions, but emphasised that renewables alone cannot yet meet the country’s industrial and power demands.
“We are taking advantage of our abundant natural gas to power our economy and ensure a just and inclusive energy transition,” he said.
The conference brought together global energy leaders to discuss how countries can balance sustainability with affordability, access, and energy security amid shifting global priorities.
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