Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has urged the international community—especially developed nations—to invest more in Africa’s energy sector, saying the continent must be part of the global energy transition.

He made the appeal while speaking at the 9th OPEC International Seminar in Vienna, Austria. The event, which brought together key players in the energy industry, focused on the theme “Oil Markets: Energy Security, Growth and Prosperity.”

Lokpobiri emphasized that Africa needs significant investment to fully participate in ensuring global energy security. He said it would be unfair for Africa to be excluded from energy solutions when it is among the regions most affected by energy-related challenges.

He also highlighted the progress Nigeria has made under President Bola Tinubu, pointing to recent legal and regulatory reforms that have made the country’s oil and gas sector more transparent, stable, and attractive to investors.

According to the minister, Nigeria has the capacity to lead in the oil and gas space—especially in refining—but requires more capital across all stages of the industry: upstream, midstream, and downstream. He noted that Nigeria’s infrastructure supports not just local demand but also neighboring countries in West Africa.

Lokpobiri called on developed nations to see Africa as a key partner in the global energy shift, stating that true progress can only happen when the continent is given the tools and opportunities to grow.

His remarks were well received at the seminar, reinforcing Nigeria’s stance on regional cooperation and its commitment to creating an investor-friendly environment in the energy space.