SPE, Nigeria council unveils NAICE 2026 schedule of events ahead of official opening, as stakeholders set to discuss global trends in energy sector

The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council has officially flagged off activities for the 49th Nigeria Annual International Conference and Exhibition (NAICE 2026), taking place from August 3rd to 5th, 2026, at the Expo Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

This was disclosed at a media briefing in Lagos on tuesday by chairman, SPE Nigeria council, Engr. Francis Nwaochei.

This year’s theme, “Thriving in the Evolving Global Energy Landscape: Collaborative Growth and Resilience,” according to Nwaochei reflects the structural realities facing the Nigerian sector today.

Speaking further, the Chairman, SPE Nigeria council noted that across the globe, investment flows, technology adoption, geopolitics, and decarbonization strategies are already shifting rapidly, declaring that energy security and environmental sustainability can no longer be treated as distinct agendas, advising that they must advance in tandem.

“For Africa, resilience cannot be a passive defense against market volatility; it must be an active, competitive strategy. Our continent faces the dual imperative of eliminating energy poverty and accelerating industrial growth while managing environmental expectations. These goals cannot be achieved in silos” he declared.

The chairman, SPE Nigeria council also noted that true resilience requires an integrated ecosystem where regulators, operators, service providers, technology developers, and financial institutions align to drive down unit operating costs, de-risk investments, and unlock capital.
“As a neutral, non-political technical body, SPE Nigeria Council provides the definitive platform to convert these strategic imperatives into execution” he said

The press conference according to him is coming at a transformative juncture for Nigeria’s energy architecture.

On the just concluded 2025 Licensing Round in Nigeria’s federal capital, abuja by the NUPRC who awarded 37 oil and gas blocks across mature and frontier basins to 31 preferred bidders, the
SPE Nigeria Council commended the Federal Government, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and the NUPRC for conducting what it says is an automated, market-driven process purely driven by the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“NAICE 2026 will serve as the first major industry platform where the operational and commercial execution of these newly awarded assets will be decoded. Awarding blocks is only the catalyst; converting exploration licenses into daily producing volumes requires rapid technology deployment, reservoir precision, and disciplined capital mobilization”

The 2025 awarded licenses according to Francis Nwaochei will directly support Nigeria’s national target of achieving 3 million barrels per day (bpd) by the year 2030.

“Concurrently, the ongoing portfolio rebalancing by International Oil Companies (IOCs) toward deepwater assets has placed indigenous independent operators at the center of domestic onshore and shallow-water production which is now accounting for roughly 60% of national supply. Indigenous companies must demonstrate both operational excellence and financial bankability as they assume asset stewardship, manage decommissioning liabilities, and drive field optimization”

In the downstream, the scaling of world-scale private refineries alongside modular facilities in his words is already turning Nigeria into a regional refining hub.

​While speaking on expectations at the coming conference, the Chairman, SPE Nigeria council said the NAICE 2026 will offer a comprehensive, outcome-focused program which will include a Pre-Conference Continuing Education: Specialized short courses to be delivered by global domain experts prior to the conference flag-off, including a
Technical Program of Over 600 peer-reviewed technical papers and e-posters covering reservoir management, drilling engineering, AI integration, deepwater operations, and carbon capture.
Expectations at the conference he said will also include Executive Panel Sessions which will border on High-level dialogues focused on “Policy in Practice: Aligning Fiscal Strategy, Foreign Investment and Local Content for Sustainable Growth,” examining actual capital deployment under PIA incentives including
topical Issues Workshop: Dedicated to “The Expanding Role of Independents in Nigeria’s Upstream: Reimagining Ownership, Operations and Financing,” guiding indigenous operators on scaling bankable assets amongsts other focused areas of discussions.

The gathering the SPE, Nigeria council disclosed is expected to attract about 15,000 delegates from across Nigeria.