The maiden CPEEL Annual Regional Conference on Energy, titled “Oil and Gas in the Gulf of Guinea: Development and Management for Inclusive and Sustainable Development”, and which held between 24th and 25th November, 2014 had over 200 people in attendance from countries that made up the gulf of guinea, as well as other parts of the world. Given the increasing important role of energy in achieving sustainable development, the 2014 CPEEL Energy Conference had special significance. The conference provided a platform for researchers, policy makers, and industrial players in the energy sector to critically discuss issues, options and strategies for ensuring sustainable energy development in the gulf of guinea region.
The Keynote Speech, delivered by Professor Isaac Albert, former Director of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, set the tone for the conference. Exploring options and strategies for dealing with oil and gas conflict in the gulf of guinea, Professor Albert highlighted the five key causes of conflict in oil and gas regions to include bad economic governance, elite predation, complicit law enforcement regimes, ecological marginalization and resource capture. He emphasized the need for good governance in the gulf of guinea and the need to adopt human security approach to managing conflict problems as the present state-centric approach has its limitations.
Through the policy round table and thematic sessions, speakers and participants engaged in in-depth analysis of key developments, challenges facing the region’s energy sector, and feasible and pragmatic solutions to identified problems. The event was chaired by Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, former Special Adviser to the President on Petroleum Matters. Also present at the conference were Professor Wumi Iledare, President, International Association of Energy Economics; Professor Soji Adelaja, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE); Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, who represented the Chief of Naval Staff, Nigeria; Dr. John Litwack, Lead Economist for the World Bank Country Office, Nigeria; Professor Yinka Omorogbe, Professor at the National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies; Dr. Patrick Kormawa, Director, UNIDO Regional Office, Nigeria; Dr. Kwame Ampofo, Chairman, Energy Commission of Ghana; Engr Fisoye Delano, Senior Vice President (Gas and Power), CAMAC, USA ; Dauda Garuba, Nigeria Programme Coordinator, Natural Resource Governance Institute; Engr Tony Ogbuigwe, former President of the African Refiners Association; and Dr. Layi Fatona, Chairman, Niger Delta Exploration and Production Plc.