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NAPE urges increased exploration, local capacity to boost Nigeria’s oil reserves – EnviroNews
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The Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) has called for intensified exploration, stronger indigenous technical capabilities and the adoption of appropriate technologies to unlock additional hydrocarbon reserves and strengthen Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry.
The association said the three priorities were essential to increasing oil and gas reserves, sustaining production, improving energy security and attracting fresh investments into the country’s petroleum sector.
President of NAPE, Mrs. Cecilia Olajumoke Ajayi, made the call in Lagos on Friday, October 16, 2026, during a media parley to announce the association’s 44th Annual International Conference and Exhibition, scheduled to hold from November 8 to 12, 2026, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The conference, themed “Unlocking More Barrels: Driving Reserves Growth through Exploration, Local Capabilities and Adaptive Technologies,” is expected to attract explorationists, geoscientists, engineers, industry executives, policymakers, regulators, investors, technology providers and local and international oil and gas companies.
Ajayi said Nigeria’s substantial hydrocarbon potential could only translate into increased reserves and sustainable production through renewed exploration efforts, appropriate technology deployment and stronger indigenous technical and entrepreneurial capabilities.
According to her, the future of the petroleum industry depends not only on the volume of oil and gas beneath the ground but also on the country’s ability to discover, develop and commercialise these resources efficiently and competitively.
She described exploration, local capacity development and adaptive technology as interconnected priorities that must be pursued simultaneously to expand Nigeria’s resource base and improve the competitiveness of its upstream sector.
On indigenous capacity development, Ajayi said Nigeria needed to strengthen its technical, professional and entrepreneurial expertise to enable local companies and professionals to participate more effectively across the petroleum value chain.
She added that developing local capabilities would help retain greater economic value within the country while creating opportunities for indigenous businesses to contribute more meaningfully to the industry.
On technology adoption, the NAPE president emphasised the need for solutions suited to Nigeria’s geological, operational and economic realities rather than the indiscriminate deployment of imported technologies.
She explained that appropriate technologies could improve exploration success, reduce operating costs, increase operational efficiency and make previously uneconomic or technically challenging petroleum resources commercially viable.
Ajayi said combining renewed exploration with stronger local capabilities and fit-for-purpose technologies would help Nigeria expand its reserves, optimise existing assets and attract investment in an increasingly competitive global energy market.
Conference to Address Nine Industry Subthemes
The 44th NAPE conference will examine nine subthemes covering critical technical, commercial, regulatory and policy issues affecting Nigeria’s energy industry.
The areas include energy security and policy implementation; modern technologies for sustainable energy development; emerging geoscience concepts and methodologies; petroleum studies and reservoir characterisation; and new technologies and applications in exploration and production.
Other subthemes are energy business management and financing, geoscience education and human capital development, health, safety, security and environmental management, host community relations, and the relationship between the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and local content development.
According to the association, the programme will provide a platform for stakeholders to explore how investment, technology, regulatory reforms, exploration and human capital development can contribute to long-term energy security and sustainable petroleum production.
Investment Confidence, Energy Security in Focus
Ajayi disclosed that the conference would feature management and executive sessions, a Techbusiness Forum, technical and professional engagements, exhibitions and networking opportunities.
The management session, themed “Energy Security in an Era of Global Disruption: Positioning Nigeria for Resilience, Competitiveness and Prosperity,” will examine strategies for strengthening the country’s energy security, improving industry competitiveness and supporting sustainable growth.
The executive session, titled “Strengthening Industry Confidence: Fiscal Stability, Governance Reforms and Investment Growth Across Nigeria’s Energy Value Chain,” will focus on the policy, regulatory and investment conditions needed to attract more capital into the sector.
The discussions come as Nigeria seeks to expand upstream investment, sustain production and improve the development of its hydrocarbon resources amid changing global energy market conditions.
The Techbusiness Forum will bring together technology companies, original equipment manufacturers, operators and other industry participants to showcase innovations for improving exploration, drilling, production and asset management.
It will also examine solutions for reducing operating costs, enhancing efficiency and unlocking additional opportunities across the oil and gas industry.
Pre-Conference Workshop Holds October 21
As part of activities leading to the main conference, NAPE will organise a pre-conference workshop on October 21, 2026.
The workshop, themed “Navigating Nigeria’s Upstream Future: Exploration and Development Approaches versus Energy Security Demand,” will provide an early platform for technical discussions and knowledge exchange on issues shaping the country’s upstream petroleum industry.
The association said the workshop would examine the relationship between exploration and development strategies and Nigeria’s growing energy security requirements, setting the stage for discussions at the main conference.
The conference will also feature an All-Convention Luncheon, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, corporate executives and other stakeholders for networking and discussions on the future of the sector.
Exhibition to Showcase Indigenous Capabilities
The exhibition component will feature indigenous and international oil and gas companies, technology providers, service companies, equipment manufacturers and other industry players.
It is expected to showcase solutions for exploration, drilling, production, asset management and operational efficiency while providing Nigerian companies with opportunities to demonstrate their capabilities and establish partnerships with investors and technology providers.
In line with the conference theme, emphasis will be placed on technologies and services capable of unlocking new reserves, optimising existing assets, lowering operating costs and improving the competitiveness of Nigeria’s upstream sector.
Other activities scheduled for the conference include the NAPE Golf Tournament, African Night and Awards Night.
Focus on Young Professionals, Industry Collaboration
Ajayi said the conference was designed not merely as an annual professional gathering but as a platform for developing practical ideas, partnerships and solutions to advance Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry.
She said the association would use the event to facilitate discussions on exploration-led reserves growth, investment, technology deployment, indigenous capacity development, energy security and industry competitiveness.
The conference will also provide opportunities for young professionals and emerging Nigerian companies to engage with industry leaders and international technology providers.
According to Ajayi, the initiative aligns with NAPE’s commitment to developing the next generation of petroleum exploration professionals and promoting technical advancement within the industry.
For more than five decades, NAPE has promoted professional excellence, knowledge exchange and technical development in petroleum exploration in Nigeria.
The association said the 44th edition of its annual conference would build on that tradition by mobilising industry expertise to address challenges relating to reserves replacement, exploration investment, technology adoption and sustainable production.
Ajayi called on the media, policymakers, investors, industry operators, academics and other stakeholders to participate in the conference and contribute to discussions on the future of Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry.
