By Okon Okon
Mr Tony Attah, Managing Director, Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd., says energy insecurity remains one of the biggest challenges affecting development in Nigeria and across Africa.
Attah, represented by Mr Igo Weli, the company’s Vice-President, Relations and Sustainable Development, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at an Oil and Gas Seminar organised by Renaissance Africa Energy Company.
The event was organised in collaboration with the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) and attended by directors and senior government officials.
He said access to reliable energy was critical to industrialisation, economic growth and improved livelihoods, noting that millions of Africans still lacked adequate access to energy.
“Energy security is key. Whether it is a barber, salon owner or small-scale manufacturer, access to reliable power is essential for productivity and competitiveness.
“If you consider how much businesses spend on diesel alone to generate electricity, you will understand the burden energy insecurity places on production costs,” he said.
Attah said Renaissance was committed to supporting efforts to address Africa’s energy challenges and promote industrialisation across the continent.
He described the company as a Nigerian firm with continental ambitions.
“We are made in Nigeria but built for Africa. We want to become the leading energy company in Africa and play a key role in addressing energy security challenges on the continent,” he said.
He said the company was also focused on driving industrialisation through increased energy supply, noting that economic growth depended on the availability of reliable energy.
He expressed concern over rising unemployment among graduates and stressed the need for increased industrial activities to create jobs.
“Every year, thousands of young Nigerians graduate from tertiary institutions. The question is: where will they work?
“We need more industries, more production and more economic activities to create opportunities for our people,” he said.
On domestic gas utilisation, Attah said the company aimed to increase domestic gas supply from about 185 million standard cubic feet per day to one billion standard cubic feet per day by 2030.
He said increased domestic gas utilisation would support industrial growth and complement infrastructure projects such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline.
“Exporting gas earns revenue, but domestic gas industrialises the country. We are committed to ensuring that more gas is utilised within Nigeria to support economic development,” he said.
Speaking on the collaboration with PSIN, Weli said the partnership would strengthen capacity building and promote greater understanding between the public and private sectors.
Earlier, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said collaboration between government institutions and industry stakeholders was essential to national development.
Represented by Mrs Patience Onyekunle, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Walson-Jack said the oil and gas sector remained central to Nigeria’s economic growth, revenue generation and industrial development.
She urged public servants to continuously improve their knowledge and leadership capacity to keep pace with developments in the energy sector.
“The public service cannot remain distant from the realities of critical sectors of the economy.
“We must understand the industries we serve, the reforms we support, the regulations we administer and the national priorities we are expected to deliver,” she said.
According to her, programmes such as the seminar expose public servants to sector-specific realities and encourage collaboration between government and industry.
Also speaking, the Administrator of PSIN, Mrs Imeh Okon, said the seminar was aimed at deepening participants’ understanding of the energy sector and its role in national development.
She said the collaboration with Renaissance would help public servants understand how government policies and administrative processes affect business operations and investment decisions.
“If you notice all the reforms that have been done right now by the head of the civil service, it involves collaboration beyond the public service.
“We see that there’s a lot of innovation out there, and we can’t stay as a public service doing the same thing like before.
“By reaching out to the private sector, where things are done efficiently, we think we are also able to match their own energy to achieve what we want to achieve,” she said.
Okon urged participants to take advantage of the training to enhance their technical and professional competencies.
A participant, Mrs Rofikat Odetoro, Director, Environmental Assessment Department, Federal Ministry of Environment, commended the organisers for bringing together stakeholders from different sectors.
She also called for the introduction of retirement planning programmes for senior civil servants approaching retirement.
According to her, many senior officers face uncertainty about life after service and would benefit from structured retirement preparation and engagement programmes.
The seminar attracted participants from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service and other organisations. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
