Nigeria has renewed its call for continental cooperation to end Africa’s dependence on costly fuel imports, which drain more than $120bn annually. Speaking at the Africa Oil Week 2025 Ministerial and CEO Leadership Forum in Accra, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, said regional integration was the continent’s strongest path to energy security.
In a statement issued by his media adviser, Nneamaka Okafor, Lokpobiri stressed that shared infrastructure, harmonised standards and technical collaboration would help African countries secure their energy future. “Integration remains the most effective strategy to end Africa’s energy poverty,” he said.
Highlighting the continent’s heavy reliance on hydrocarbon imports, the minister described the annual $120bn fuel import bill as “capital flight,” insisting the funds should stay within Africa to drive development priorities. He disclosed that Nigeria is spearheading a West African Reference Market, leveraging the country’s expanding refining capacity to supply petroleum products regionally and beyond.
Lokpobiri further argued that Africa’s challenge is not a lack of capital but the absence of unified policies that inspire investor confidence. “Investors make long-term decisions based on stability and predictability. Africa must harmonise its policies to attract and retain investment,” he noted.
Rejecting suggestions that the Paris Agreement requires Africa to abandon its oil and gas reserves, the minister maintained that responsible exploitation was crucial. “Africa contributes only 3 per cent of global CO₂. We cannot lead an energy transition when we don’t even have energy,” he said.
Domestically, Nigeria continues to grapple with rising petrol import costs. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the country spent N2.3 trillion ($1.53bn) on petrol imports in the second quarter of 2025, up from N1.76 trillion in Q1. This brought total first-half spending to N4.06 trillion, with petrol ranking among the top five imported commodities.
