Nigeria May Meet OPEC Targets… If Key Gaps Are Closed – Expert Predicts
An expert in sustainable oilfield development and energy infrastructure has predicted that Nigeria may soon meet its long-standing OPEC production targets—if critical reforms and investments are prioritized.
This, he said in an interactive session with newsmen at the company’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following the commissioning of a new modular gas processing unit by one of our sister affiliate companies.
According to him, Nigeria’s downstream sector has the human capital, market demand, and geological resources to thrive, but continues to be held back by regulatory inertia, aging infrastructure, and limited adoption of modern production techniques.
The expert, Akeni Kingsley, who is the founder and CEO of Expertlands Construction Limited, noted that the country’s oil and gas industry is undergoing a quiet but powerful revolution—led not by foreign multinationals, but by indigenous firms that are raising the bar on global standards.
“When we began operations in our technical engineering and production-optimization services, it wasn’t about profit,” Kingsley said. “It was about proving that a Nigerian company could operate with global standards and provide real value, both economically and socially.”
Established in 2015, Expertlands quickly grew from a little-known service provider to a key player in the industry, securing contracts with the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and other government-backed operators.
Their rise, Kingsley explained, was driven by a deliberate strategy to recruit some of Nigeria’s top talents, including engineers and technicians previously working with global oilfield service giants like Baker Hughes and Halliburton.
Beyond corporate growth, Expertlands has made a name for itself in community development. In oil-rich but economically challenged areas like Egbema in Rivers State, the company’s presence has translated into jobs, training, and local entrepreneurship.
“We have a policy: hire, train, and empower at least one person from every host community,” Kingsley said. “Some of them have gone on to start their own service companies, and we still do business with them.”
At the core of Expertlands’ success is its technological edge—built through strategic partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Europe, Asia, and North America, bringing innovations like AI-driven well stimulation and real-time production analytics to Nigeria’s oilfields.
However, Kingsley was quick to caution that indigenous companies still face enormous hurdles. “There’s a limit to how far you can go when the roads to your sites are impassable, or when clearing a piece of equipment at the port takes months due to bureaucracy,” he stated.
He emphasized that solving infrastructure and policy delays is key to unlocking Nigeria’s full potential. “The government needs to treat energy logistics with the same urgency it treats election logistics,” he quipped.
Looking ahead, Expertlands is shifting focus from crude oil to natural gas, aligning with global energy transition goals and Nigeria’s own Decade of Gas policy. “Gas is the future,” Kingsley said. “It’s cleaner, more scalable, and more adaptable to both domestic and export markets.”
The company is currently developing gas processing and compression facilities across the Niger Delta, with plans to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) mini-plant tailored to local power and industrial needs.
Kingsley also stressed that while Nigeria is rich in hydrocarbons, it must now be rich in innovation. “It’s not enough to pump oil. We must process, innovate, and compete. That’s how we’ll meet the OPEC targets—and more.”
In a sector long dominated by foreign companies, Expertlands Construction Limited is quietly rewriting the rules, one oilfield at a time. With companies like this leading the charge, Kingsley believes Nigeria might not only meet—but eventually exceed—its OPEC production quota.
