By Habibat Aliu
Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Nicolas Odinuwe, has called for more collaboration among regions to harness sustainable energy within Africa.
Specifically, the association advocated a unified/integrated African certification/standard as practiced in America, European Union, and Britain among others.
According to PETAN, with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), countries should seriously consider eliminating multiple certifications domiciled outside the continent and the associated huge foreign exchange impact.
Odinuwe made the call at the seventh edition of the sub-Saharan international conference and exhibition (SAIPEC) 2023 hosted by PETA in collaboration with strategic partners NNPC Limited, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and GEP.
According to him, energy is core to the economies of the 55 members’ states that constitute Africa.
He said as part of ways to harness and sustain the sub-Saharan energy market, PETAN has continued to reach out to other regions and bodies for partnerships/collaboration and support.
The collaboration, according to him, includes an African local content business e-platform, an integrated one-skill passport for welding and related practices with TWF, and African local content funding (coordinated by NCDMB).
He said human capacity development is very fundamental to the growth of any economy and local content, adding that as technology is evolving, it is important to constantly acquire new knowledge and skills through training and retraining.
“As we look to the future, we face significant challenges in the ways energy Is produced and consumed, including the effects of geopolitical instability, poverty and energy poverty, economic uncertainties, and the climate songs.
“As a private sector and service companies, we must continually commit to finding collaborative innovative solutions and work with our stakeholders and partners to ensure sustainable and secure energy solutions and supply,” he said.
He emphasized that stakeholders need to chart a way forward on energy availability, energy security, energy sustainability, and affordability within the continent.
