Stakeholders and youth leaders from across the North-West gathered in Kaduna on Monday to discuss Nigeria’s economic future and the role of ongoing reforms in the oil and gas sector. The event was organised under the First Citizens Connect Conference themed: “Amplifying President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda through Regulatory Excellence and Upstream Oil and Gas Performance.”
In his keynote address, Professor Usman Mohammed of Kaduna State University described reforms in the sector as central to Nigeria’s economic recovery, urging citizens to support transparency, efficiency and national self-reliance. He said Nigeria’s vast energy resources — 37 billion barrels of crude oil and 209 trillion cubic feet of gas — remain underutilised due to inefficiency, weak oversight and persistent leakages.
Mohammed highlighted the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 as a landmark achievement that created dedicated regulators — NUPRC and NMDPRA — but stressed that effective implementation remains the real challenge. He noted that despite reforms, crude-oil production averaged just 1.4 million barrels per day in 2024, far below Nigeria’s OPEC quota, due to theft, vandalism and decaying infrastructure.
“Regulatory excellence must go hand in hand with fiscal discipline, macroeconomic stability and anti-corruption efforts,” he said, warning against foreign interference disguised as partnership.
Co-convener of the conference, Mallam Nasir Abdulquadri, said the programme was designed to deepen participatory governance across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. He described Kaduna as a symbolic venue, representing the political and intellectual heart of the North-West.
Abdulquadri commended President Tinubu’s reform efforts, including subsidy removal and deregulation, saying they were difficult but necessary steps toward long-term stability. He cautioned against divisive politics and external manipulation, noting that Nigeria must strengthen itself from within. “Governance is the responsibility of all who call Nigeria home,” he said.
