Nigeria Energy Exhibition and Conference: Rekindling Connections in New Energy Value Chain – Ade Yesufu

To celebrate a decade of driving West Africa’s Energy sector growth, the 2023 Nigeria Energy Exhibition and Conference will pull together critical stakeholders from Nigeria’s Energy sector to reconnect the nation’s new energy value chain. In this interview with THISDAY, the Exhibition Director, Energy Portfolio – MEA, Informa Markets, Mr Ade Yesufu, speaks on Nigeria and West Africa’s growing energy sector and opportunities available for participants at the Nigeria Energy Exhibition and Conference from September 19 to 21 at the Landmark Centre in Lagos.

This is the 10th anniversary of the Nigeria Energy Conference and Exhibition. Can you highlight the conference’s impact on Nigeria’s Energy Sector over the years?

Over the past nine years, Nigeria Energy has been the leading platform for energy buyers and suppliers to meet under one roof. Nigeria Energy serves as a platform for senior stakeholders involved in the value chain, including the government, gas-to-power generation companies, independent power producers, generation, distribution, and transmission companies, technology providers, financiers, and agencies facilitating the development of renewable and off-grid solutions, with a mission to find solutions to the most pertinent issues in the sector.

This provides an opportunity for professionals in the energy sector to network and collaborate. By getting a mix of local and international exhibitors, we expose the energy buy side to the latest advancements in energy technologies and solutions. This exposure to innovative technologies has inspired local businesses and entrepreneurs to adopt and integrate these advancements into their operations, potentially increasing efficiency and sustainability.

The presence of international investors and financiers at Nigeria Energy also attracts investments into the energy sector. These investments can support infrastructure development, renewable energy projects, and other initiatives aimed at improving the energy landscape in Nigeria.

The 2023 edition is a remarkable milestone. What added value should attendees expect from this edition?

For this 10th anniversary edition, Nigeria Energy is looking bigger and better than ever. With twice the space, exhibitors, and content this year, Nigeria Energy will provide opportunities to rekindle connections with stakeholders within the new energy value chain. This edition will welcome over 5,000 energy professionals under one roof, featuring over 200 exhibitors, international pavilions including China, Germany, and Turkey, a high-level conference, CPD-certified industry workshops, exclusive matchmaking opportunities, and more.

Participants like stakeholders from investors, multilateral development partners, governments, gas companies supplying fuel, independent power producers, and distribution companies have a crucial role to play in overhauling Nigeria’s energy infrastructure and improving operational efficiencies.

The government recently signed the 2023 Electricity bill into law, authorising states to generate, transmit and distribute electricity. How can stakeholders attending the conference leverage this policy for growth?

The power sector decentralisation bill, which was recently signed into law, permits 36 states to generate, transmit, and distribute electricity in areas that are currently covered by the National grid. The high-level Leadership Summit, part of Nigeria Energy 2023, will give an overview of the new bill and how it will affect the existing system, The impact of the Bill on power sector planning, gas supply, transmission system constraints, and its commercial viability of the Power sector, investor confidence and Foreign Direct Investment.

Under the theme of “Unlocking new value with reforms, investments and technology”, the Leadership Summit will be a scene setter and gathering of various stakeholders, including investors, multilateral development partners, governments, and industry players, who have a crucial role to play in overhauling Nigeria’s failing energy infrastructure, deploying new technology, and improving operational efficiencies.

It is believed that Nigeria has a long way to go in its energy transition journey, mainly because of funding. What is the lineup of speakers, and how can stakeholders and their discussions provide viable solutions to funding?

This year, the conference has a lineup of 70+ high-level speakers, including participation from the Federal Ministry of Power, Transmission Company of Nigeria, Abuja Electricity Distribution PLC, Ikeja Electric, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Electricity Company of Ghana, Rural Electrification Agency, FGN Power, Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria, and many more.

The Leadership Summit will feature a CEO Leadership panel discussing the steps taken by DisCos to encourage investments, particularly climate-driven ones. The program will outline the central challenges faced by DisCos, financial stability and the clean energy pathways adopted to encourage investments.

With the new administration implementing new policies, what gap has been identified in the industry that will be discussed at the conference?

The gaps in Nigeria’s energy industry are multifaceted and have longstanding challenges hindering the sector’s growth and sustainability. Some of the critical gaps that the Nigeria Energy 2023 conference aims to address include lack of energy access, Nigeria’s infrastructure deficiency, energy theft, energy efficiency, availability of funding and investments for energy projects, and policy and regulatory bottlenecks.

The conference will highlight all these issues and help pave the way to tackle these challenges by offering real-time practical solutions from crucial stakeholders and sector players.

With your experience and interaction with potential visitors for the event from around the world, what’s your take on Nigeria’s energy sector being in a bright spot to attract fresh investments despite slow economic growth?

After the ambush of COVID-19, Nigeria Energy was relaunched from Power Nigeria in 2022 to return to the market after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. In the 2022 edition of the exhibition, exhibitors generated 117 million USD in total business.

We also launched the Hosted Buyer and Investor club at Nigeria Energy 2022, where we gathered high net-worth professionals with purchasing power who want to invest in Nigeria’s energy sector. We had over 100 VIPs and investors. We are in our second year of growth and bringing in critical investors in West Africa. We look forward to hosting 200 VIPs and investors this year.

Could you tell us more about the exhibition and partners for the exhibition and conference?

So far, the Nigeria Energy 2023 show floor is 100 per cent sold out, with several vital exhibitors and partners confirmed to participate in this year’s edition. We have officially received the endorsement of the Federal Ministry of Power. Some of our key sponsors include Skipper as the main event sponsor; Host Utilities like Eko and Ikeja; Tetracore, Huawei, and Simba as Platinum Sponsors; Jinko Solar, Okaya, JMG, UTEC, and Ofstar as Gold Sponsors; Unisell Interlinked as Silver Conference Sponsor; and Felicity, Fronius, Lucy, Jubaili, JA Solar, Gil Siemens, Su-Kam, and Powerpro as Silver Event Sponsors.