The Country Chair and Managing Director, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Matthieu Bouyer, has challenged the Federal Government to move beyond policy reforms and translate them into concrete oil and gas projects, higher production and long-term value for Nigeria.

Bouyer, who spoke yesterday at the fifth PENGASSAN Energy and Labour Summit (PEALS) 2026 in Abuja, said the country had the resources, talent, industrial history, entrepreneurship and energy demand required to remain a major energy country, but warned that execution remained the critical test.

The summit, which runs from August 19 to 21, is themed: “Strengthening Regulatory Frameworks as a Catalyst for Stability and Growth in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry.”

Delivering a keynote address, titled: “Removing Barriers to Business Growth in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry: TotalEnergies as a Case Study of E&P Expansion Amid Bureaucratic Bottlenecks and Regulatory Uncertainties,” Bouyer said the industry could no longer afford to measure progress mainly by the reforms introduced, but by the projects, investment and production they unlock.

“Nigeria does not lack potential,” Bouyer told government officials, regulators, operators, labour leaders and industry executives at the summit. “The real challenge is conversion.”

According to him, barriers that delay or prevent projects extend beyond individual companies, affecting government revenue, employment, local content development, host communities, workers and the confidence of prospective investors.

He identified stability as the first condition required for sustained growth in the oil and gas industry, saying government had a role to play through clear policies and effective regulation, while regulators must ensure predictable implementation.

He added that operators must demonstrate disciplined investment and safe operations, labour must promote constructive engagement and industrial harmony, while host communities must contribute through trust and shared responsibility.

Bouyer described industrial harmony as more than a labour issue, calling it “a business enabler” capable of supporting safety, production, investment and people development.

“If Nigeria wants long-term jobs,” he said, “it must create the conditions for long-term projects, a competitive industry and a stable environment in which investors, workers and communities can see a future.”

The TotalEnergies chief said Nigeria was now competing with other oil-producing jurisdictions for global capital, noting that investors assess fiscal terms, regulatory stability, project execution timelines, security, emissions intensity, cost structure and the likelihood of project delivery before committing funds.

He said recent government reforms, including the Petroleum Industry Act, fiscal incentives for non-associated gas and deepwater developments, measures aimed at reducing contracting timelines and initiatives to improve cost competitiveness, indicated recognition of the need to attract investment and accelerate project execution.

Bouyer also cited the 2024 and 2025 exploration licensing rounds as significant steps towards reopening exploration and attracting fresh capital into the sector.

He described exploration as “the renewal engine” of the industry, warning that without continued exploration, resources would decline, with implications for future production, investment, employment and Nigeria’s relevance in the global energy market.

For TotalEnergies, he said Nigeria remained strategic and “home”, noting that the company had operated in the country since 1956.

Bouyer said the company’s strategy was focused on operated assets where it could apply its technical expertise to drive safety, operational excellence, emissions reduction and project execution, while creating value for Nigeria, its partners and other stakeholders.

He cited the Final Investment Decision (FID) taken by TotalEnergies and its partner, NNPC Limited, on the Ubeta gas development in 2024 as evidence of what could be achieved when policy, partnership and project maturity aligned.

“In 2024, TotalEnergies and our partner, NNPC Limited, took FID on the Ubeta gas development,” he said. “Reform becomes real when it unlocks projects.”

On gas, Bouyer said the resource remained central to Nigeria’s economic and energy future, given its potential to support power generation, industrial development, domestic energy access, LNG exports and lower-emission production growth.

However, he said gas projects required supporting infrastructure, bankable contracts, credible offtake arrangements, payment discipline, timely approvals and commercial frameworks capable of attracting long-term investment.

He also linked emissions reduction to economic value creation, saying reduced gas flaring, gas recovery, methane reduction and improved emissions measurement could preserve gas molecules for domestic consumption, exports and integration into the wider gas value chain.