Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has called for a strategic focus on homegrown solutions to significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign refined petroleum products, ultimately helping to lower domestic fuel costs.
The governor made the appeal on Monday while delivering his address as the Special Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony of the 43rd Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos.
Aiyedatiwa used the platform to highlight the state’s crucial role in achieving national energy security.
He stated that the state currently ranks as the fifth-largest hydrocarbon-producing state in Nigeria, contributing approximately 60,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
The governor reiterated that the state possesses the largest deposit of bitumen in Nigeria and the second largest in Africa, a resource that remains largely untapped.
To further boost the country’s domestic refining capacity, Aiyedatiwa recalled that in July 2025, his administration signed a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with Backbone Infrastructure Limited and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
This agreement is for the establishment of a 500,000-barrels-per-day petroleum refinery in the Ilaje Local Government Area of the state.
He emphasised that this refinery project is expected to “create thousands of jobs and support the federal government’s efforts at achieving energy sufficiency.”
The governor stressed that while the oil and gas sector has been a major revenue base for over seven decades, it must now embrace a balanced energy mix that includes renewable energy sources.
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“This is very important as the country strives to diversify its sources of revenue by supporting and funding other sectors to expand wealth creation and ensure sustainability,” he stated.
Aiyedatiwa commended NAPE’s leadership for its commitment, resilience, and purposeful leadership over its 43-year history, praising its role in building a strong professional community that drives innovation and discovery in the oil and gas sector.
He extended congratulations to the incoming President of NAPE, Olajumoke Ajayi an indigene of the state.
The NAPE conference, themed “Revitalising the Nigerian Petroleum Exploration and Production Strategies for Energy Security and Sustainable Development,” was described by the outgoing NAPE President, Johnbosco Uche, as a strategic platform for exchanging insights and innovations for the industry’s future.
Speaking at the same event, the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, affirmed that the narrative of Nigeria’s energy sector has been changing since the administration of President Bola Tinubu began prioritising reforms and investment growth.
Similarly, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, noted that since 2023, the Federal Government has provided a clear direction to strengthen exploration and investment through partnerships with countries that have demonstrated remarkable progress in the industry.
