Stakeholders in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry have said recent fiscal reforms, particularly the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, hold significant potential to unlock value across the country’s energy value chain if effectively implemented.
They made this known at the 2026 Oil and Gas Symposium organised by the Nigerian Institution of Petroleum Engineers in Abuja, where industry players converged to examine how tax reforms, innovation, and engineering efficiency can reposition Nigeria’s energy sector for sustainable growth.
In a statement, the National Chairman of NIPetE, Dr Yetunde Aladeitan, was quoted as saying that Nigeria’s energy future must move decisively away from crude oil dependency towards value-driven, innovation-led growth.
Aladeitan, an associate professor of petroleum engineering and Director of the Energy Research Centre at the University of Abuja, spoke while hosting the symposium, noting that her leadership of the institution had given her deeper insight into what she described as “a promising future” for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
She, however, urged industry stakeholders to align with global trends and best practices in the sector, stressing that innovation and value optimisation must take precedence over reliance on crude exports.
The high-level virtual symposium, themed ‘Beyond the Barrel: Tax Reforms, Value Chain Optimization, and the Future of Nigerian Energy’, brought together engineers, policymakers, fiscal experts, and industry practitioners to interrogate Nigeria’s evolving oil and gas landscape and identify sustainable pathways for long-term value creation.
The Chairman of the occasion and President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ali Rabiu, represented by the Deputy President, Valerie Agberagba, described the theme of the symposium as timely and critical.
He stressed that Nigeria must urgently move away from over-dependence on crude oil revenues and instead pursue an innovation-driven and diversified energy ecosystem anchored on sound fiscal policies, gas development, and value-chain efficiency.
Delivering the keynote address, Abudukerimu Sule, speaking on behalf of Mr Momoh Oyarekhua, provided insights into investment opportunities embedded in the Nigeria Tax Act 2025.
He highlighted how tax reforms could stimulate upstream efficiency, attract both foreign and local investment, and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global energy market.
A panel session followed, featuring industry experts including Ehimhen Okoh-Agunloye, Bukola Olusola, Adesola Adebawo, Mrs Eyono Fatai-Williams, and Mr Abayomi Abiona.
Discussions reportedly covered gas transition strategies, upstream and midstream optimisation, fiscal incentives, and the role of engineering innovation in driving sustainable energy development.
Beyond the technical discussions, participants noted that the symposium reinforced Aladeitan’s long-standing position that Nigeria’s energy sector must focus on translating policy reforms into practical, measurable outcomes.
