Firms champion gas investment reform agenda
As Nigeria’s oil and gas sector undergoes transformative policy and regulatory reforms, investor confidence in the country’s energy landscape is rebounding. This optimism formed the backdrop of a high-level dialogue titled “Pitching Nigerian Gas to Global Capital: Structuring for Success — Bankable Approaches for High-Value Gas Projects”, jointly hosted by Capitas Partners in collaboration with […]
As Nigeria’s oil and gas sector undergoes transformative policy and regulatory reforms, investor confidence in the country’s energy landscape is rebounding.
This optimism formed the backdrop of a high-level dialogue titled “Pitching Nigerian Gas to Global Capital: Structuring for Success — Bankable Approaches for High-Value Gas Projects”, jointly hosted by Capitas Partners in collaboration with Savannah Capital (UK) and Good Governance Africa (GGA) as strategic partner.
The event scheduled to be held virtually on Thursday, Oct. 23 is part of the License to Energy Series.
It convened leading figures in energy, finance, and governance including representatives from Aradel Holdings, Vertex Energy, and Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe,
Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The discussions will be centred on how Nigerian operators, particularly marginal field owners and independent producers, can improve governance structures, strengthen project bankability, and attract sustainable investment capital.
“The License to Energy Series provides a collaborative platform for Nigerian oil and gas firms to engage financiers, investors, and transaction experts on building investment-ready operations. The initiative aims to bridge policy reforms with practical financing outcomes, equipping operators to move “from licences to production.
“The purpose of the License to Energy Series is to help Nigerian firms build the governance, corporate structures, and partnerships that steadily turn licences into production,” said Dr. Abimbola Agboluaje, Founder and Managing Partner of Capitas Partners.
“Reform momentum has created opportunity. Now, it’s about ensuring more Nigerian companies are equipped to seize it.”
The forum comes at a defining moment, as the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) intensifies implementation of its “drill-or-drop” policy — a move designed to unlock idle oil blocks and allocate them to capable and investible operators, thereby boosting production and capital efficiency.
He added that while Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), new executive orders on operational efficiency, and recent macroeconomic measures to stabilise the exchange rate have collectively improved policy predictability and investor sentiment, the next step is ensuring that Nigerian licence holders are structured and governed to attract long-term capital.
Earlier in 2025, GGA conducted an Investor Perception Survey on Nigeria’s oil and gas reforms under the License to Energy framework. The findings revealed growing investor optimism and recognition of Nigeria’s progress in strengthening regulatory clarity.
Reflecting on the report, Dr. Oladiran Bello, Executive Director of GGA, noted that “it is very pleasing to see that Nigerian authorities have consolidated policy and regulatory reforms since our survey in April and this has been rewarded with more investment inflows. Nigeria’s experience shows that regulatory improvements and governance consistency can quickly translate into investment.”
Through their partnership, Capitas Partners and Savannah Capital are connecting credible Nigerian operators with international financiers seeking structured, high-impact opportunities. The collaboration merges Capitas Partners’ regulatory insight with Savannah Capital’s global financing expertise, helping Nigerian firms access blended capital and scale responsibly.
“It has been said often enough that Nigeria is a gas nation,” Dr. Agboluaje added. “Now it’s time for both Nigeria and the world to see and feel Nigerian gas as the fuel powering industries and economic transformation.”
Reaffirming GGA’s role in the partnership, Dr. Bello stressed that good governance and transparency are the bedrock of investor confidence.
“The License to Energy Series shows how policy reform and institutional consistency can be converted into real investment,” he said. “Nigeria’s progress demonstrates that the barrel is more than half full.”
In the past 18 months, Nigeria has recorded over $8 billion in new energy project commitments, reflecting strong investor belief in its reform-driven transformation.