Lokpobiri seeks regional energy integration to cut $120bn import bill
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By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has called for deeper regional integration to address Africa’s annual $120 billion energy import bill.
Speaking at the Africa Oil Week (AOW) 2025 Ministerial and CEO Leadership Forum in Accra, Ghana, Lokpobiri said integration remains the most effective strategy to end energy poverty on the continent.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Nneamaka Okafor, the Minister stressed that shared infrastructure, harmonized standards, and technical expertise would secure Africa’s energy future.
He lamented the continent’s heavy reliance on hydrocarbon imports, describing it as capital flight.
“These funds should remain within Africa to fuel our own development priorities,” Lokpobiri said.
He noted that the real challenge was not access to capital but the absence of aligned regulatory frameworks and fiscal regimes across African countries.
“Investors make long-term decisions based on stability and predictability. Africa must harmonize its policies to attract and retain investment,” he added.
As part of Nigeria’s leadership drive, Lokpobiri announced the creation of a West African Reference Market (WARM)—an initiative to leverage Nigeria’s growing refining capacity to supply petroleum products across West Africa and beyond.
On the global energy transition, he clarified that the Paris Agreement does not require abandoning fossil fuels but rather reducing emissions.
“Africa contributes only 3% of global CO₂. We cannot lead an energy transition when we don’t even have energy. Our priority must be to responsibly harness our abundant resources to power growth,” he said.
Lokpobiri concluded by urging African nations to unite around a shared vision: “Africa has the market, the population, and the resources. What we need now is to keep value within our continent and finance our own energy future.”
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