The Director-General of the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone, Foday Mansaray, has called for stronger cooperation between Sierra Leone and Nigeria in the energy sector.

Mansaray made the call during an official visit to OILDEN Energies in Lagos, where discussions focused on expanding partnerships in the downstream petroleum industry. He said closer collaboration among West African countries is key to improving energy security and supporting industrial growth across the region.

According to him, the visit created an opportunity to explore areas of shared interest, including technology transfer, capacity building and investment expansion. He noted that cooperation built on sustainability and knowledge sharing would bring long-term benefits to both countries.

The Sierra Leonean oil chief praised OILDEN Energies for expanding its operations into Sierra Leone, saying the company’s presence has contributed to job creation and improved technical skills among local workers. He also stressed the importance of strengthening intra-African trade to reduce reliance on imports and promote local value addition in the oil and gas sector.

In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of OILDEN Energies, Oluwatoni Oladiran, described the visit as an important milestone in deepening regional energy ties. He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to high operational standards and supporting industrial self-sufficiency across West Africa.