CPI marks silver jubilee with launch of ‘Energy Insight Nigeria’

By David Emokpai

THE Centre for Petroleum Information (CPI) celebrated its 25th anniversary on October 17, 2025 in Lagos and launched the volume 2 of its strategy book on the petroleum industry, a selection of essays by different authors on the oil and gas sector, and edited by a retired energy expert, Mr. Victor Eromosele. And for 25 years, the Centre for Petroleum Information (CPI), has adhered to its vision of ‘creating value through knowledge and network.’ The organisation, which has provided knowledge pertinent to the petroleum industry to its members through symposia, lectures, and forums, commemorated 25 years of impact in the energy industry. The event had as theme ‘Reflections: Down the Memory Lane, and featured key industry players and veterans.

The Editor/Secretary to the CPI board, Mr. Eromosele, stated that the launch of the Centre for Petroleum Information’s (CPI) special publication, titled Energy Insight Nigeria (Vol. 2): A Review of Half a Decade, is a befitting way to mark the organisation’s silver jubilee anniversary. While speaking at the programme, which was held at the Lagos Oriental , Eromoele said that CPI “provides a vehicle or platform for people to share knowledge. Today, we can say we are probably the foremost energy think tank in Nigeria. At the centre, we are humbled by the attainment of this unique milestone.”

Eromosele also spoke about the newly released book, saying it contains information on developments in the petroleum industry in the past five years.

“If you want to know anything that has happened in the last five years in the oil and gas industry, there is just one book to read now,” he said. “And every chapter author is a final authority on the subject. So it’s one of the most authoritative books you can read that documents the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.”

Board Chairman of Renaissance Africa Energy Co. Ltd, Dr. Layi Fatona, also spoke at the event, giving instructive lessons about the Nigerian energy landscape, as he spoke on the topic, “2025: Year of Nigeria’s Changing Industry Landscape: Cause to Rejoice?” He said Nigeria’s petroleum industry has faced hurdles to get to where it is today, adding, “The Nigerian petroleum industry has travelled a long and arduous road. We have faced price collapses, militancy, environmental scrutiny and policy uncertainty. Yet, through all this, the indigenous entrepreneurial spirit has endured.”

He also noted that despite the relative success of the industry, there is still work to be done, saying, “But as we rejoice, let us also reflect. The landscape ahead is challenging. The world energy narrative is changing towards carbon neutrality, renewables, and the integration of that into the energy mix and digital transformations. Yet, Africa remains today. Millions still without access to modern energy or clean energy; industries still hungry for power, and economies still reliant on hydrocarbons for survival. Our response must be pragmatic, not panicked.”

Fatona then implored policymakers and industry stakeholders to create situations where the energy industry can thrive in Nigeria. “So I have a call today, to policymakers as well as to practitioners: policy must be predictable, fiscal terms must reward risk and innovation, and regulators must act as enablers, not obstacles.”

Executive Director of Agora Policy, Mr. Waziri Adio, gave a review of the book, giving the audience a glimpse of its content. Edited by Mr. Eromosele, Energy Insight Nigeria (Vol. 2): A Review of Half a Decade has contributions from various industry experts who have had experience in their various fields. For Waziri, Nigerians need to understand more about the petroleum industry to govern their commonwealth better, and that well-distributed knowledge would be indispensable in this task.

“Through these books, CPI has made an immense contribution to improving public understanding of this strategic sector and facilitating better natural resource optimisation in a country that is in dire need of it,” he said, adding, “a delightful blend of explainers, case studies, analysis, and think pieces, the book under review is a selection of the presentations made, and the papers delivered at the various events hosted by CPI between July 2020 and May 2025.”

A business owner, Dr. Titus Okereke, who attended the event, said that he would devote time to read the new edition, stating that he had read the first one, and attested to the richness of the first volume: “I have read volume one, and it’s very rich, in terms of information that is relevant to what I need and what my company requires.”