SAIPEC 2025: Akobo advocates youth-centered tech innovations

The Chairman, PANA Holdings and Group Chief Executive Officer of PE Energy Limited, Dr Daere Akobo, has called for youth-centred tech innovations.

He disclosed this while delivering an address at the Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (SAIPEC) 2025, recently in Lagos.

According to him, industry leaders should focus on mentorship, innovation, and global competitiveness in technology-driven sectors. “Our policymakers need to understand that policy without people is a fiasco,” he asserted.

He commended the Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPRC) for its mentoring initiatives, highlighting their crucial role in shaping the next generation of industry professionals.

However, he stressed the urgent need to prevent a “youthquake”, a disruptive gap in youth engagement, by equipping young talents with the skills necessary to transform Africa’s economic landscape.

He challenged the current direction of youth engagement in digital platforms, urging a shift from entertainment-focused applications to solutions that address critical sectors as agriculture, energy, and industrial development.

According to him, Africa must prioritise Return on Investment (ROI) in talent development and ensure that policymakers align their strategies with human capital growth for long-term economic success.

The SAIPEC 2025 conference, held at Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, February 11-13, was not only the largest event in the centre of the region’s energy, oil and gas hub, but also the only truly industry-led event, held in partnership with the country’s petroleum sector.

It brings together key stakeholders from the energy, technology, and policy sectors with discussions exploring pathways for Africa’s sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving global economy.

SAIPEC is hosted by the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN); with the strategic partnership of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and NNPC Limited.

PANA Holdings is a diversified global business platform of unmatched enterprise, with a strong presence across key industries, including energy, mining, power, industrial real estate, and agriculture.