The African Energy Council (AEC) has cautioned that the increasing focus on media trials, investigations, and public probes in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is distracting from urgent priorities and undermining development in the industry.
In a statement, the council referenced recent allegations involving the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), warning that the situation calls for a national reassessment of focus and strategy. This follows an online report of a protest demanding the investigation and prosecution of the former NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer. The group behind the protest has since withdrawn all allegations.
According to the AEC, Nigeria has experienced repeated waves of high-profile investigations in the petroleum industry over the past two decades;ranging from the case of a former petroleum minister to the arrest of a former NNPC chief. Yet, the council observed that despite the media spotlight, these probes have not meaningfully improved sector performance, governance, or investor confidence.
The Council emphasised that rather than being caught in reactive cycles, Nigeria must now direct its energy toward boosting oil production, stabilising leadership, and delivering on key institutional reforms. Current oil output hovers between 1.4 and 1.6 million barrels per day, falling short of both the budgeted benchmark of 2 million barrels and the OPEC quota. Additionally, the country’s four state-owned refineries continue to operate below capacity, despite over ₦4 trillion spent on rehabilitation efforts.
“The challenge before Nigeria is not just about accountability, it is about delivery,” the statement read. The council stressed that successful implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which remains in its early stages, requires stable leadership, clear policy direction, and effective reform, not headline-grabbing investigations.
AEC urged a national pivot toward actions that generate real value for Nigerians, including restoring oil production above two million barrels per day, completing refinery rehabilitation to cut import dependence, and building investor confidence through regulatory stability and institutional continuity.
The council clarified that it is not opposing oversight or reform. Instead, it called for a more balanced approach that does not sacrifice operational momentum for political theatre. “A sustainable future for Nigeria’s energy sector will not be built in courtrooms;it will be built in control rooms, boardrooms, and drilling fields,” the statement concluded.
