Dan Kunle Calls for Oil, Gas Wealth to Drive Nigeria’s Prosperity
By Our Reporter
ILORIN — Energy expert and former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dan Kunle, has urged Nigeria to move beyond crude oil extraction and focus on transforming its vast hydrocarbon resources into industries, jobs, infrastructure and sustainable prosperity for its citizens.
Speaking at the 4th Annual Distinguished Lecture and 80th Birthday Celebration of renowned engineer, Engr. Yusuf Lanre Sagaya, in Ilorin, Kwara State, Kunle said the country’s future prosperity would depend not on the volume of oil and gas beneath its soil but on its ability to create value from those resources.
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Delivering a lecture titled “Availability, Accessibility and Sustainability of Oil and Gas Resources for Enhanced Benefits to Nigerians,” Kunle argued that natural resources alone do not guarantee development.
“Resources by themselves do not create development. Human knowledge creates development. Technology creates development. Innovation creates development. Engineering creates development,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria possesses substantial crude oil reserves and one of the world’s largest natural gas deposits, yet continues to grapple with energy poverty, industrial underdevelopment and infrastructure deficits because of its inability to effectively convert resource availability into economic value.
He stressed that while the country is richly endowed with hydrocarbon resources across the Niger Delta, Anambra Basin, Benue Trough, Bida Basin and other frontier basins, prosperity can only come through sustained exploration, investment, engineering innovation and strong institutions.
Kunle described engineers as central to the nation’s economic transformation, noting that accessibility to resources requires geological investigations, drilling, processing facilities, pipelines, storage infrastructure and distribution networks.
“Engineers transform potential into reality. Engineers transform resources into value. Engineers transform opportunities into development,” he stated.
The energy expert cited the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex as a practical example of how resource-rich countries can unlock greater economic benefits through domestic value addition rather than exporting raw materials. He noted that investments in refining, petrochemicals, fertiliser production and gas processing have the potential to deepen industrialisation, reduce imports and create thousands of jobs.
Kunle also called for a strategic shift in national energy policy, arguing that Nigeria should be viewed primarily as a gas nation rather than merely an oil-producing country.
With proven gas reserves estimated at about 210 trillion cubic feet and potential reserves significantly higher, he said natural gas offers enormous opportunities for electricity generation, fertiliser production, petrochemical manufacturing and industrial development.
He described projects such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline as critical national infrastructure capable of driving industrial growth and economic expansion.
Addressing the global energy transition, Kunle acknowledged the growing role of renewable energy but cautioned that developing economies like Nigeria must balance environmental sustainability with the need to address widespread energy poverty.
“The challenge is not whether hydrocarbons should be abandoned. The challenge is how they can be developed responsibly while preparing for the future,” he said.
He warned against leaving Nigeria’s hydrocarbon resources stranded amid changing global energy dynamics, stressing that every year of delay in developing available resources translates into lost investments, jobs and economic opportunities.
As part of a broader roadmap, Kunle urged Nigeria to intensify exploration activities, strengthen reserve replacement efforts, expand refining and processing capacity, accelerate gas development, improve infrastructure and maintain stable investment-friendly policies.
He further called on government to support indigenous entrepreneurs and industrialists capable of undertaking transformative projects, citing business leaders such as Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Abdulsamad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, Femi Otedola and Dahiru Mangal as examples of Nigerians contributing to industrial development.
Earlier, Kunle paid glowing tribute to the celebrant, Engr. Yusuf Lanre Sagaya, describing him as an embodiment of integrity, service and selfless leadership whose contributions to engineering and national development have left a lasting legacy.
He noted that attaining the age of 80 in good health in Nigeria is a remarkable milestone deserving of celebration and gratitude to God.
Kunle concluded by urging Nigerians to act with urgency, warning that future generations would judge the present generation not by the resources it inherited but by what it built with them.
“The opportunity is before us. It will not remain forever. The responsibility is ours. The time to act is now,” he declared.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, JUNE 19TH 2026)
