Godwin Eni Aigbokhan, Trade Commissioner | Délégué Commercial, Canadian Deputy High Commission, gives an account, apparently excited as he says: “It was a privilege supporting the delegation.”
One of my personal objectives for 2024 was to establish the Global Energy Show (GES) as a significant event on the calendar of Oil and Gas executives in Nigeria. It was a privilege to represent the Deputy High Commission of Canada to Nigeria and to support a delegation from Nigeria in attending GES 2024 in Calgary, Alberta (my second home) from June 11 to 13. And by creating an engaging program, we were able to open new vistas for Nigerian and Canadian companies to explore the potential for future commercial collaborations – and it was a great success! The programme included site tours, side-events, a welcome reception hosted by the Nigeria High Commission, B2B meetings, and much more. A key focus area for this trip was methane emissions reduction solutions and this was reiterated throughout the programme, the site tours, side-events, B2B meetings, and the first-ever Nigerian pavilion at the event.
Key highlights
Prior to start of the event, on 10 June, the delegates visited the Petroleum Technology Alliance of Canada (PTAC), Qube Technologies, Global Power Technologies and the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) as part of the TCS Methane Emissions Programming for GES 2024. These site tours gave us the opportunity to learn what Canadian companies are doing in the area of methane mitigation.
On the opening day of GES 2024, 11 June, the Nigerian High Commission, represented by His Excellency, Ambassador Obioma Nzewuji, hosted the delegates to a welcome reception at the venue. We were also delighted to have His Excellency, the Honorable Minister of State for Petroleum (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, address the delegation. The minister also paid a visit to the first-ever Nigerian pavilion at GES, where he was given a tour of the Nigerian exhibition booths. Fun side note: this pavilion was put together in only two weeks, and I cannot express enough gratitude to Ms. Jumoke Oyedun for her exemplary and magical work that made this happen. The opening day’s programme was concluded with a dinner organized by the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT))
On 12 June, the delegation attended the West Africa Energy Opportunities Forum at the McDougall Centre. The purpose of the event was to showcase the emerging opportunities across the energy landscapes in Nigeria and Ghana to stakeholders from Alberta. The event featured Dr. Ben Asante, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana National Gas Company Ltd., Egbert Faibille Jnr. CEO, Ghana Petroleum Commission and Mr. Bashir Sadiq, the Executive Director, Corporate Services of NMDPRA. The event was a resounding success, with one person remarking that they have never seen the room so full! Introductions were made, meetings were had, business cards were exchanged, and the work of the Trade Commissioner was done. This event also highlighted the remarkable teamwork and dedication of colleagues across the Federal and Provincial governments in Canada.
On 13 June, the delegation attended a panel session on the international perspectives and opportunities for Canadian methane emissions reduction technologies in key export markets. I had the honour of presenting a market overview for Nigeria along with my esteemed colleagues, Sally Koornrief (UAE) and Mohammed Zaituni (Saudi Arabia). The session was hosted by the Methane Emissions Leadership Alliance and moderated by the amazing Nicole Harbauer, a shining example for all trade commissioners worldwide.
On June 14, the delegates visited Propak where they were conducted around the company’s world class facility in Airdrie. Thereafter, they visited PTAC’s office for a strategic session on Nigeria-Canada collaboration on digital oil and gas and emissions reductions technologies. More to come soon…
Overall, the Global Energy Show (GES) 2024, was a successful event filled with networking, business opportunities, introductions, connections, and everything in between. As the Oil and Gas Trade Commissioner, I am thrilled to see the potential for new bilateral collaborations and partnerships between the Nigerian and Canadian companies forged at the event. GES 2025 promises to be even bigger and better, with golf, hiking, a larger Nigerian pavillion, and more to be added. Stay tuned.