Nigeria and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have signed a Joint Work Programme to strengthen cooperation on energy data for policy formulation, investment, economic growth and energy security.
Vice President Kashim Shettima described Nigeria’s admission as an IEA Association Country as a significant milestone and evidence of the gains of the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Shettima stated this on Thursday at the signing ceremony in Abuja, saying the partnership would enable Nigeria to leverage its abundant energy resources for national development.
“Nigeria’s admission as an association country with the IEA is a significant milestone for our country and it reflects Nigeria’s strategic importance in the global energy landscape and the confidence that IEA has placed in our commitment to constructive international energy cooperation,” he said.
He added that Nigeria would benefit from the IEA’s institutional knowledge, expertise and global reach to support its energy sector ambitions.
The Vice President assured the agency of the government’s commitment to working with stakeholders to contribute to the global energy debate and promote a fair and just energy transition.
Earlier, IEA Executive Director, Dr Fatih Birol, said Nigeria’s admission followed extensive consultations and a unanimous decision by the agency’s Board.
Birol said the IEA would support Nigeria through policy advice, data and technical expertise to improve its energy sector.
“The IEA will accompany the Nigerian energy sector for the next few years to come for a much better energy future.
“We will provide policy advice from clean cooking to gas markets, from gas markets to training Nigerian experts at the IEA on our own,” he said.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said Nigeria’s admission reflected the performance of the Tinubu administration and its economic reforms.
He said the Joint Work Programme would facilitate collaboration between IEA technical experts and their Nigerian counterparts in developing energy data across the value chain.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanoaiye, described the partnership as strategically important to Nigeria.
He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would facilitate efforts to ensure that the country derived maximum benefits from the partnership.
The Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi, said the Commission had previously collaborated with the IEA on Nigeria’s National Energy Master Plan.
He expressed optimism that Nigeria’s formal association with the agency would further strengthen the relationship.
