A new chapter opened in Nigeria’s energy industry this week as Green Energy International Limited (GEIL) unveiled the $400 million Otakikpo Onshore Crude Oil Export Terminal – the country’s first fully indigenous onshore export facility in more than half a century.
Located in Otakikpo, Rivers State, the terminal is being hailed as a landmark achievement that underscores Nigeria’s growing capacity to design, finance, and execute major energy infrastructure projects independently.
The project’s completion was announced by Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy, who praised GEIL’s Chairman, Professor Anthony Adegbulugbe, for his “visionary leadership” and technical excellence. Verheijen described the terminal as a milestone that showcases the nation’s deepening expertise and confidence in its energy sector.
At the inauguration ceremony, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri – described the project as a key pillar of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to the President, the Otakikpo terminal strengthens Nigeria’s energy security, promotes local content, and reinforces the continuing relevance of hydrocarbons to national development.
“Oil and gas remain integral to global development,” Tinubu said. “The International Energy Agency has acknowledged that the world must invest over $540 billion annually in upstream operations to prevent an energy crisis. Nigeria will continue to responsibly harness its natural resources for national progress.”
Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to resolving long-standing issues in the Ogoni region, a key oil-producing area historically plagued by environmental and social challenges. The Federal Government, through the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has been directed to engage with Ogoni leaders, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and other stakeholders to restore oil production while promoting peace and inclusivity.
In a related development, the President recently approved the establishment of the Federal University of Environmental Technology in Ogoni, designed to drive re
