Ekperikpe Ekpo says Africa must pursue a just, balanced energy transition based on its realities, warning that Nigeria cannot decarbonise into poverty.

Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), has said that Africa’s energy transition must reflect the continent’s economic and developmental realities rather than externally imposed policies.

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Speaking on Wednesday during a ministerial panel session titled “Global Shifts: Navigating an Era of Diverging Priorities” at the 2025 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), Ekpo warned that Nigeria and other African nations “cannot decarbonise to poverty.”

“Our position is clear: Nigeria and Africa must be allowed to use their resources responsibly to provide energy security, drive industrialisation, and ensure sustainable growth,” he said.

Ekpo explained that while Nigeria supports global climate goals, the energy transition must be “sequential, just, and balanced”, reflecting the continent’s urgent need for growth and energy access.

“For Nigeria today, about 80 million people are without access to electricity, and across Africa, more than 600 million still live without power,” he noted. “Millions also rely on biomass for cooking, which is not clean. Gas remains central to Nigeria’s energy strategy.”

The minister emphasised that natural gas plays a pivotal role as a low-emission fuel for power generation, industrialisation, transportation, and clean cooking.

He also revealed that the government is expanding renewable energy deployment in suitable areas to complement gas use and reduce carbon emissions, but cautioned that heavy industrial and power loads cannot yet be met solely through renewables.

“We are therefore taking advantage of our abundant natural gas to power our economy and ensure a just and inclusive energy transition,” he added.

The global energy industry, Ekpo noted, is now navigating a period of recalibration as countries balance sustainability goals with affordability and energy security.

Analysts at the conference highlighted the growing consensus that energy transition strategies must integrate economic resilience, domestic capacity, and regional cooperation.

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Against this backdrop, Ekpo reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to an energy future that aligns with its development objectives — one where growth, fiscal stability, and social progress advance alongside climate responsibility.

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