The Federal Government has unveiled plans to establish a world-class energy events centre to host the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) and other global engagements.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, announced the plan at the close of the 2026 edition of the summit in Abuja, noting that the facility would position Nigeria as a hub for international energy dialogue and collaboration. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to leveraging the country’s oil and gas endowments to drive industrialisation, strengthen energy security, and stimulate economic growth.
Lokpobiri disclosed that land had already been secured for the proposed centre, with construction expected to commence under the current administration in collaboration with industry stakeholders. He urged sector players to invest in domestic infrastructure that would attract global energy conversations to Nigeria, adding that the industry would own and build the facility while engaging world-class managers to operate it sustainably in line with international standards.
Expressing satisfaction with the summit’s participation, the minister said its success underscored the importance of high-quality attendance and coordination. He noted that NIES 2026 recorded one of the strongest turnouts at any global energy conference and argued that Nigeria should reduce spending on exhibition spaces abroad by developing its own premium platform for global engagement.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Patience Oyekunle, commended President Bola Tinubu for sustained support for energy sector reforms and acknowledged Vice President Kashim Shettima’s presence at the opening ceremony. She also highlighted the attendance of Gambian President Adama Barrow and Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang as evidence of growing African solidarity and regional cooperation fostered through the summit.
Oyekunle added that over four days of deliberations, NIES 2026 reinforced its role as a leading platform for cross-sector engagement, bringing together policymakers, investors, industry leaders, innovators, and development partners to advance energy security and collaboration.
If you want, I can take this one step further — sharpen the headline variants (hard news vs feature angle) or compress it further for wire/web length.
