Three ministers in the energy sector will headline the 2026 yearly energy conference of the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC) in Lagos on October 8.

‎They are Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo; and Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe. They are expected to join senior energy-sector officials, including regulators and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, at the conference to be held at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island.

‎The conference, themed “Access to Assets: Empowering Players and Driving Growth,” will examine investment trends, regulatory reforms and structural barriers limiting the growth of indigenous operators in Nigeria’s energy sector. It follows the 2025 edition, themed “Nigeria’s Energy Future: Exploring Opportunities and Addressing Risks for Sustainable Growth.”

Other expected participants include the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan; Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Rabiu Umar; Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Ogbe; and Managing Director of LNG Limited, Olaleye Falade.
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The lineup was confirmed in a statement jointly signed by NAEC Chairman, Ugo Amadi, and Conference Chairman, Adeola Yusuf, which was released on Saturday.
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Amadi said the conference would explore ways for indigenous operators to scale operations, attract investment and drive sustainable growth. ‎He said discussions would also cover frontier exploration opportunities, changing investment trends and policy frameworks needed to improve efficiency, scale production and restore investor confidence.
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”Discussions will further interrogate ongoing regulatory reforms aimed at removing bottlenecks, strengthening transparency, and improving Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global energy market,” Amadi said.
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‎The conference’s panel sessions are expected to feature policymakers, regulators, financiers, chief executives and technology leaders across the oil, gas and power value chain, to set the industry agenda as Nigeria pursues its $1 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) target by 2030.
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Yusuf said indigenous companies were playing critical roles in advancing Nigeria’s energy security and economic development.

He said the conference would focus on dismantling structural barriers limiting the growth of technically capable indigenous companies and improving their access to high-value oil and gas assets amid shifting investment priorities by international oil companies.