The new Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Energy Plc, Effiong Okon, has held his first high-level meeting with the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, as both companies seek to strengthen their upstream partnership and increase oil and gas production.
The meeting, held at NNPC Towers in Abuja, came about three weeks after Okon assumed office as Seplat Energy’s CEO on August 1, 2026.
Okon succeeded Roger Brown, who served as Seplat’s Chief Executive Officer for six years after spending 13 years with the company.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the two executives to discuss the companies’ shared upstream interests and explore strategies for improving production across their joint-venture assets.
According to information shared by energy sector public relations and media strategist Emioluwa Ajayi, the discussions focused on current production levels across the joint-venture acreage as well as the technical measures required to increase output.
Seplat Energy and NNPC Limited have significant shared interests in Nigeria’s upstream sector, including their involvement in the ANOH Gas Processing Company Limited, which operates a 300 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) gas processing plant.
The ANOH facility, which commenced operations in 2026, is expected to play an important role in strengthening domestic gas supply and supporting Nigeria’s broader efforts to increase gas availability for power generation and industrial activities.
The meeting between Okon and Ojulari comes at a time when Nigeria is intensifying efforts to increase crude oil and gas production, attract investment into the upstream sector and maximise output from existing assets.
The engagement also highlights the importance of continuity in strategic partnerships despite leadership changes within major energy companies.
For Seplat Energy, the meeting marks an early opportunity for its new leadership to engage directly with NNPC Limited on the priorities and technical challenges affecting their shared assets.
The discussions on production optimisation could have wider implications for Nigeria’s energy ambitions, particularly as the Federal Government seeks to boost oil production, expand domestic gas utilisation and strengthen energy security.
With both Seplat Energy and NNPC Limited pursuing increased production from their joint-venture assets, the outcome of the technical strategies discussed by the two executives could become significant in determining how quickly output can be ramped up.
The meeting therefore represents more than a routine leadership engagement, as both companies seek to align their strategies around shared assets and Nigeria’s broader ambition to increase upstream production.
With new leadership now in place at Seplat Energy, industry observers will be watching how the relationship between Okon and Ojulari develops and whether their renewed engagement translates into higher production and stronger performance across the companies’ joint-venture operations.