The Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) hosted its African Night on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, as part of the 43rd Annual International Conference and Exhibition at Harbour Point, Lagos.
At the event, organisers recognised veteran actor Afeez Oyetoro, popularly known as Saka, and actress Tina Mba for their exceptional contributions to the entertainment industry.
Reacting to his award, Saka expressed gratitude and surprise, stressing the importance of humility, dedication, commitment, and prayer in achieving success in the creative sector.
He also urged the association to help ensure that premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly called petrol, becomes more accessible to ordinary Nigerians.
Saka said: “I never knew that they would come and invite me and honour me today. It is a great honour to be a NAPE recipient of an award. Well, I just want to say that NAPE is doing well.
“And I want to encourage them to ensure availability of petrol, the situation of petrol in Nigeria has a very positive impact on the masses. But with this, I guess, the future is bright.
“I want to thank NAPE. It’s another sign that I’ve been recognised by this international association. And I feel so honoured. And I want to thank NAPE for this privilege and honour me today.”
He further emphasised the value of humility among creatives, noting that respect enhances rather than diminishes a person.
He said: “Humility does not remove anything from you. It doesn’t remove anything.
“It only increases you as a matter of fact. My people believe that prostrating for a dwarf does not reduce your height. So if you do that, you only get more honour, more blessing to yourself. Humility has played a very great role in my life.”
The 43rd conference brought together industry operators, analysts and stakeholders to discuss strategies for revitalising Nigeria’s petroleum exploration and production sector to ensure energy security and long-term sustainability.
The event also marked a leadership transition, as Mrs. Cecilia Olajumoke formally assumed office as NAPE President, succeeding Mr. Johnbosco Uche.
Olajumoke, who had served as president-elect for the past year, became the substantive president after overseeing a successful conference.
Ahead of the African night, Olajumoke explained that Nigeria’s high operating expenditure (OPEX) stems from elevated transportation costs, significant security spending, and reliance on diesel-powered operations.
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She highlighted a case where a Nigerian oil company drastically reduced transportation costs by switching from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG).
She said: “The game changer was that all their barges were converted from diesel to CNG. Since CNG is gas, they now use gas to power the means of transporting their oil to the point of sale. That single move drastically reduced cost.”
At African Night, she reaffirmed NAPE’s visibility and outlined her priorities.
She said: “NAPE is not hidden it is out there, you can’t hide it anymore.
“Under my leadership, NAPE should expect capacity building and we’re also looking at exploration. We are going to advocate for more exploration, so that we can bring in more barrel. One other thing I’ll focus on is unprofessionals and students because we must plan for them.”
A member of the Conference Planning Committee, Alakuko, Emmanuel Olukorede , praised the success of the event, especially the African Night celebration.
He said: “As one of the Conference Planning Committee members for the 43rd NAPE AICE, I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to a conference that continues to set the standard for excellence in our industry. African Night, for which I was one of those responsible, was a remarkable success. I must also acknowledge that none of these achievements would have been possible without the exceptional leadership and organisation of our now President, Mrs. Olajumoke Ajayi, who is also my mentor.”
The conference, which also celebrated NAPE’s 50th anniversary, explored avenues to strengthen Nigeria’s oil and gas industry under the theme “Revitalising the Nigerian Petroleum Exploration and Production Strategies for Energy Security and Sustainable Development.”
Shell’s Executive Vice President Nigeria and Country Chair, Marno de Jong, reaffirmed the company’s long-term commitment during the exhibition.
He stated: “Shell has powered progress in Nigeria for over 60 years through our businesses and social investments… Our exhibition tells this story of progress and partnership.”
The Shell stand attracted several dignitaries, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, and Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, who served as Special Guest of Honour.
Governor Aiyedatiwa who was personally invited to the conference by the now-President Olajumoke, used the opportunity to advocate for local solutions that would reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel and lower domestic costs. He noted that Ondo State, which produces roughly 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily, also holds Nigeria’s largest bitumen deposit, the second-largest globally yet remains underdeveloped.
He also highlighted a landmark agreement signed in July 2025 between his administration, Backbone Infrastructure Limited, and NNPCL to build a 500,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Ilaje Local Government Area.
The facility is expected to enhance national refining capacity, create employment and support federal efforts toward energy sufficiency.
