By Gloria Ikibah
The United States Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) Assistant Secretary, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, will lead the first-ever U.S-Nigeria Strategic Energy Dialogue on September 11-12 in Washington, D.C.
The Nigerian delegation will be headed by the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo.
The U.S. delegation will also include senior officials from key agencies such as the Bureau of African Affairs, the Department of Energy, USAID’s Power Africa, the Development Finance Corporation (DFC), USTDA, EXIM, and the Office of the Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. A public-private session hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will focus on strengthening private sector partnerships between both countries.
During the dialogue, both nations will explore collaboration on improving energy security, transitioning to cleaner energy, and advancing Nigeria’s power sector.
Topics will include decarbonizing the oil and gas industry, boosting electricity production, and expanding energy access. Discussions will support key U.S. initiatives like the FIRST program, Women in Energy, and the Clean Energy Demand Initiative (CEDI). Additionally, participants will assess U.S.-led projects like Power Africa, USAID’s Gas Flare Program, and the Department of Energy’s Net Zero World project.
This dialogue highlights the importance of private sector involvement in achieving the energy and climate goals of both countries. It aims to create new business opportunities for U.S. and Nigerian companies and foster long-term growth in the energy sectors of both nations.
The event builds on previous engagements, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s January 2024 visit to Nigeria, and other high-level meetings in recent months.