IGU’s Secretary General delivers the Keynote Address at SAIPEC 2025

Yesterday, February 11th 2024, the International Gas Union’s (IGU) Secretary General, Mr Menelaos (Mel) Ydreos, delivered the Keynote address at the 2025 Sub Saharan Africa International Petroleum and Conference Exhibition (SAIPEC) taking place in Lagos, Nigeria.

Mr Ydreos’ keynote was delivered during the Strategic Conference on Unleashing Africa’s Potential, and it highlighted IGU’s perspective on the African energy and gas sector.

In his opening remarks, Mr Ydreos argued that “Gas has long been fundamental to human progress and global growth in both mature and developing energy markets. Its abundance, multiple applications, from heat to power to transportation, and role as a key feedstock to industries have enabled economies worldwide to grow and improve people’s lives”.

Joining IGU’s Secretary General on SAIPEC’s stage were H.E. Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, Secretary General, African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) and H.E. Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as other notable figures in the African energy industry.

Mr Ydreos further remarked that “we need to have tough conversations about the reality of the energy transition and decarbonisation, as well as about meeting the current climate targets on the path to net zero. Gas is an enabler of renewable energy and has a direct role in tackling its intermittency and reliability.”

Given that the IGU Council has recently elected the Union’s first African President, the Chairman of the Egyptian Gas and Energy Association – Mr Khaled AbuBakr, Mr Ydreos’ keynote address highlighted the critical importance that Africa has not just for the International Gas Union but, fundamentally, for using its abundant Gas resources as an energy poverty-break for the 56 countries across the African continent.

In particular, the IGU’s Secretary General emphasized IGU’s unwavering support of the African Gas industry and for Africa energy transition and decarbonisation journey:

“Leveraging natural gas is the first, the most important, or the fundamental first step towards solving Africa’s energy crisis and its path towards a more sustainable future.  Simply switching from coal to natural gas can result in as much as 50% CO2 emissions reductions.

We are never going to tell Africa what it needs; we are only asking Africa one question: what can we do to help?”