Nigeria energy sector shifts focus toward execution and reliability

Nigeria’s energy sector is transitioning from a focus on attracting foreign investment to a priority on execution and delivering reliable power. Industry leaders at the AEW2026 summit in Cape Town noted that while Nigeria’s share of sanctioned upstream capital in Africa rose from 4% in 2021 to 38% in 2025, the challenge remains converting these commitments into measurable production.

Key projects driving this momentum include ExxonMobil’s approximately $1 billion Usan Infill campaign, which aims for 40,000 barrels of incremental production per day, and the Ima gas project by TotalEnergies and AMNI. The latter targets 350 million standard cubic feet per day to support NLNG Train 7.

Simultaneously, the upcoming Nigeria Energy 2026 summit aims to address grid reliability and the energy transition. Stakeholders will examine solutions for transmission infrastructure, gas availability, and electricity supply to ensure power becomes affordable and accessible for households and businesses.