Diezani leads Nigeria delegates to World Petroleum Council

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke will lead Nigerian delegates to Moscow, Russia to participate in the 21st World Petroleum Congress holding from 15th to  18th June.

 Leader of the Nigerian delegation, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke will present the Nigerian country paper at the conference.

This year’s theme is “ Responsibly Energising a Growing World” . Nigeria will be participating under the theme “Harnessing Nigeria’s Gas Resources for Sustainable National and Regional Development” in its exhibition and country presentation. The exhibition, which is being arranged jointly by the Nigerian oil and gas industry, will highlight the nation’s gas potentials, achievements, current activities and plans in the upstream, midstream and downstream sub sectors of the gas industry.

 Her paper will enunciate government’s policy initiatives and  incentives to encourage investment in the entire value chain of the gas industry. The Minister will also participate in focus discussions by women in the industry and address investors and friends of Nigeria at the Nigerian Investment Dinner being organised by the Nigerian oil and gas industry as an important side event during the conference.

  Hosted every three years by a member country, the World Petroleum Congress (WPC) is widely recognized as the “Olympics of the oil & gas industry” which brings together the largest gathering of policy makers, operators, technology developers and academics in world oil and gas industry and is organised around a thematic focus that benefits the industry.

The World Petroleum Council is the only international organization representing all aspects of the petroleum sector. It was established in 1933 with the intent to promote the management of the world’s petroleum resources for the benefit of mankind. The World Petroleum Council’s prime function is to catalyse and facilitate dialogue among stakeholders – both internal and external to the petroleum industry – on key technical, social, environmental and management issues in order to contribute towards seeking solutions to those issues.

The Congress in Moscow is expected to attract 5,000 delegates, 600 speakers and over 500 Ministers and CEOs from around the world who will come together to discuss and exchange ideas on how to ensure that the petroleum industry continues to galvanize world development and growth  in a responsible way.

Highlights of the Congress will include the Opening Ceremony at the Kremlin Palace and the Russian Night in Gorky Park, together with regular features such as the Global Business Opportunities Centre with country stands from the 70 WPC member countries, the interactive digital Poster Plaza, the Global Village showcasing social responsibility projects, the Youth Lounge with a full engagement programme and many more.

 Established over 75 years ago, the World Petroleum Council continues to grow with new member countries. There are at the moment, over 60 member countries representing over 95% of the World’s major oil & gas producing and consuming countries. Nigeria joined in 1973 and has attended all the congresses since, the last three being in Doha in 2011, Spain in 2008 and South Africa in 2005 which Nigeria co-hosted.