French Week 2026: Energy Roundtable Session Explores Nigeria–France Energy Partnership

Nigeria’s energy future and France’s place in shaping it were the focus of the Energy Roundtable Session held as part of the 2026 French Week Celebration.

The Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) organised the session in partnership with TotalEnergies. It took place on Monday, November 2, 2026, at the TotalEnergies headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos. Regulators, energy executives and representatives of the French business community attended. The aim was to move from principles to bankable projects across decarbonisation, domestic gas utilisation, local capacity building and commercial frameworks.

The roundtable was co-chaired by Matthieu Bouyer, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies Nigeria, and Guillaume Niarfeix, President of the FNCCI.

A Partnership Built Over Decades

Yet close to 100 million Nigerians still lack reliable electricity. He also highlighted TotalEnergies’ $550 million Ubeta gas development project with NNPC Limited. The project is expected to deliver first gas in 2027 and to supply feed gas to NLNG’s Train 7.

Train 7 and the Decade of Gas

Engr. Adeleye Falade, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), delivered special guest remarks. He focused on the “Decade of Gas” initiative and the progress of the Train 7 project.

He noted that Africa’s energy challenges differ from Europe’s, particularly in access to reliable electricity.

Nigeria has an estimated 215 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, and broader resource estimates reach about 600 trillion cubic feet. Train 7 is expected to raise NLNG’s production capacity from 22 million tonnes per annum to about 30 million tonnes per annum. On progress, Falade reported:

• Engineering is 99.5% complete, procurement 99.8% and construction about 94%.
• Operations are expected to begin toward the end of 2027.
• After completion, NLNG’s capacity to supply the domestic LPG market should rise by about 50%.

The project also shows what local participation can achieve. Local content stands at about 95%, and Nigerian firms manufactured components including pressure vessels, cables and valves. About 16,000 people, largely young Nigerians, worked on construction, and the wider project supported an estimated 40,000 jobs.

Balancing Energy Security with Net-Zero Goals

The first area of discussion was how operations under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) can be optimised to support net-zero commitments while keeping the sector attractive for investment.

Participants recognised a central tension: Nigeria must meet its immediate energy needs while pursuing aggressive carbon-reduction roadmaps. Bouyer said the transition must expand energy supply while gradually cutting emissions, through improved gas recovery, methane reduction and energy efficiency.

Stakeholders reviewed progress on speeding up the infrastructure needed to deliver the Decade of Gas. The roundtable agreed that expanding domestic gas value chains is essential to industrial growth. Gas used at home can power electricity generation, support industrial production and reduce dependence on more carbon-intensive fuels.

Pricing remained a major concern. Participants raised the high cost of doing business and the need for a market-driven pricing structure.

Panellists called for strong commercial frameworks that protect investments and also support genuine technology transfer. The goal is for international partners to bring in expertise while Nigerian companies and professionals build the skills and technical capacity to participate more actively in the industry.

Industry Leaders Weigh In

The interactive segment focused on industry readiness, operational efficiency and technical capability.

Agreed Next Steps

The session closed with three resolutions:

1. Strengthen human capital. Stakeholders committed to joint institutional training frameworks to close the specialised skills gap highlighted by operator leadership.
2. Accelerate gas infrastructure. Public-private partnerships will be prioritised to clear the bottlenecks holding back domestic gas distribution.
3. Harmonise PIA implementation. Participants agreed to work with regulators to keep the PIA’s commercial frameworks transparent, predictable and attractive to foreign direct investment.

Conclusion

The roundtable showed that Nigerian and French stakeholders broadly agree on what the sector needs: more gas infrastructure, a skilled workforce, supportive technology, workable pricing and a stable regulatory environment. Nigeria has the reserves, and Train 7 shows what partnership and local participation can deliver. With close to 100 million Nigerians still lacking reliable electricity, the real test is how quickly these resolutions turn into projects.

Follow Amebopreneur for the latest on Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, startup funding opportunities, and the cross-border partnerships shaping Africa’s innovation future.