Sahara Group will utilise the 9th edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES 2026) to advance discussions on energy security, policy alignment, and gas-led industrialisation, as stakeholders gather in Abuja from February 2 – 5, 2026.
The energy and infrastructure conglomerate confirmed its participation ahead of the summit, themed “Energy for Peace and Prosperity: Securing Our Shared Future.”
The event brings together policymakers, operators, regulators, and investors to deliberate on the future of Africa’s energy systems.
For Sahara, the focus is clear: resilience, competitiveness, and collaboration.
Energy Security Takes Centre Stage
With more than three decades in Africa’s energy landscape, Sahara Group says its presence at NIES 2026 reflects its commitment to expanding access to reliable and cleaner energy solutions while strengthening operational efficiency.
Bethel Obioma, Head of Corporate Communications at Sahara Group, noted that the summit offers an opportunity to advance coordinated reforms.
“Africa can utilise platforms such as NIES to accelerate dialogue and coordinated actions aimed at transforming and guiding the continent’s energy sector towards global competitiveness, sustainability, and shared prosperity,” he said.
The company intends to emphasise regulatory alignment, local enterprise growth, and human capital development, particularly within the upstream segment.
Aligning Policy for Continental Competitiveness
Sahara executives will participate in several high-level panels addressing structural challenges in Africa’s energy ecosystem.
Dr Tosin Etomi, Head of Commercial & Planning at Asharami Energy, is scheduled to speak at the session titled “One Africa, One Regulatory Voice: Aligning Policies for Continental Prosperity and Investment.”
His intervention is expected to highlight the importance of predictable fiscal regimes, cross-border regulatory coordination, and harmonised policy frameworks to attract long-term capital.
Regulatory fragmentation across African jurisdictions remains a constraint for investors seeking scale and certainty. Industry analysts argue that harmonisation could reduce compliance complexity and enhance regional competitiveness.
Local Content and Indigenous Capacity Expansion
Leste Aihevba, Chief Technical Officer at Asharami Energy, will contribute to discussions on “Empowering Local Services, African Entrepreneurs & Multinational Partnerships.”
His focus will centre on strengthening indigenous service ecosystems, reducing operational bottlenecks, and fostering partnerships that enhance resilience in exploration and production activities.
Local content development remains a core pillar of Nigeria’s upstream strategy under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act.
Industry stakeholders continue to advocate for capacity deepening alongside improved technical standards.
Gas as Catalyst for Industrial Growth
Mariah Lucciano-Gabriel, Head of Integrated Gas Ventures at Asharami Energy, is set to participate in the session “Gas for Growth: Milestones, Momentum and the Road Ahead.”
Her remarks are expected to highlight how natural gas can act as a transition fuel. Supporting industrialisation, expanding energy access, and stabilising power generation systems.
Nigeria holds one of the largest proven gas reserves in Africa, yet domestic utilisation and infrastructure gaps persist. Gas-led industrial strategies remain central to policy debates on economic diversification and export competitiveness.
Broader Industry Context
The Nigeria International Energy Summit has evolved into a strategic platform for shaping continental energy narratives.
Key thematic priorities for 2026 include:
Focus Area | Strategic Objective |
|---|---|
Energy Security | Strengthen supply reliability and resilience |
Regulatory Alignment | Enhance investment certainty |
Local Content | Scale indigenous participation |
Gas Development | Support industrialisation and transition |
Sahara Group operates across upstream, midstream, downstream, power, trading, and infrastructure segments, with a presence spanning Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Implications for Africa’s Energy Trajectory
Industry observers note that collaboration between operators, regulators, and financiers will be essential to navigating Africa’s evolving energy transition landscape.
Energy security remains very critical for economic stability. Regulatory predictability, local capacity scaling, and infrastructure expansion are recurring themes in investor risk assessments.
Sahara’s participation at NIES 2026 positions the company within broader continental efforts to strengthen responsible resource development while maintaining competitiveness across global value chains.
As deliberations begin in Abuja, the summit will test whether dialogue translates into coordinated execution.
