Julius Rone joins gas summit at NOG 2025 in Abuja to push collaboration on gas infrastructure and market development across Africa’s energy landscape

[dropcap]J[/dropcap]ulius Rone joins gas summit at NOG Energy Week 2025 in Abuja, highlighting key energy solutions with top experts and government leaders at a critical industry event.

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The Group Managing Director of UTM FLNG, Julius Rone, will take centre stage at the high-profile NOG Energy Week 2025, joining major voices across the energy sector to chart a new path for Africa’s gas future.

Rone will participate in a key plenary session titled “Strengthening Interconnected Gas Markets” at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre on Wednesday.

His inclusion underscores the increasing importance of strategic cooperation in tackling infrastructure and regulatory bottlenecks facing the continent’s gas trade.

As demand for global energy is expected to surge by 30 percent before 2040, experts say that the continent’s readiness will depend on its ability to align upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors.

Rone’s session will explore these interconnected issues and focus on actionable strategies to support cross-border market access.

“This is a moment for shared vision and technical rigour,” said Odey Simon Adamade, General Counsel of West Africa Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCo), who will be representing the company’s MD, Michelle Burkett, on the same panel. “Our role is to strengthen not just systems, but the trust between them.”

The panel features some of the sharpest minds in the field, including Dr. Ransome Owan, Group Managing Director for Power, Infrastructure and Real Estate at Aiteo Global Group; Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, who serves as Programme Director and Chief Executive at the Presidential CNG Initiative; and will be moderated by Dr. Sophia Horsfall, General Manager of External Relations and Sustainable Development at NLNG.

Key conversations are expected to revolve around how strategic investments and regional partnerships can remove trade barriers and unlock Africa’s potential as a global gas player.

Discussions will likely touch on flagship infrastructure projects such as the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline, NLNG Train 7, and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline.

These projects, currently in varying stages of development, are seen as vital arteries for transporting gas and spurring economic activity across borders.

“There’s no overstating the impact of unified infrastructure in shaping a stable and profitable energy future for Africa,” Rone noted in a statement prior to the event. “We are proud to be part of that journey.”

Beyond Rone’s panel, the four-day summit will welcome an impressive roster of stakeholders.

These include Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil); Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas); the Honourable Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Egypt; Senator John Owan Enoh, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment; and Haitham Al Ghais, Secretary General of OPEC.

Also confirmed are Mr. Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive of Oando Group, and Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), among others.

The mix of global executives, regional regulators, and state actors reflects the growing momentum around Africa’s place in the evolving energy equation.

While technical barriers remain, participants hope that coordinated actions and multilateral dialogue at forums like NOG 2025 will accelerate progress.

Stronger networks, better policy alignment, and sustainable market access are themes expected to resonate through the week.

For Rone and his colleagues, the challenge lies not just in boosting gas output, but in ensuring that it reaches the right markets through efficient, reliable and resilient pathways.

With natural gas seen as a transition fuel critical to balancing development and decarbonisation, the stakes at this year’s summit are higher than ever.

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As the continent’s energy narrative shifts from resource abundance to smart utilisation, NOG 2025 could be a defining moment for shaping a more connected, dynamic gas market across Africa.