Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy company and a prominent voice in the country’s energy transition, reinforced its commitment to responsible leadership and sector transformation through active participation in the 13th Annual BusinessDay CEO Forum Nigeria, held on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

With the theme “Nigeria: From Reform to Recovery,” the 2025 edition of the CEO Forum brought together senior government officials, investors, corporate leaders and experts to discuss Nigeria’s ongoing reforms, and share strategic insights for national renewal and sustainable economic growth.

Seplat Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Roger Brown, represented by the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Samson Ezugworie, was a panelist at one of the high-level sessions with the sub-theme, “Oil and Gas in Transition – Reforms, Recovery and Deals That Matter”.

He shared perspectives on Nigeria’s oil and gas transformation, the increasing role of indigenous companies, and how Seplat has been leveraging technology to enhance operations and build in-country capacity.

“If you look at the trajectory, I would personally say that the outlook is very excellent, and we are well-positioned for a transformative oil and gas industry,” Mr. Brown stated. “Nigeria is rich in both oil and gas resources — with over 200 trillion cubic feet of gas — we are in the right place. We are also seeing international oil companies exiting the onshore and shallow water areas and transferring them to indigenous players. We have demonstrated both the capacity and financial strength to take on these assets and run with them. It’s like the stars are aligning — the outlook is even better than what we had before.”

He also pointed out the rise in rig activity as a strong indicator of sectoral growth. “Rig count in Nigeria was 8 in 2021. Today, it stands at about 46. That tells you a lot about the level of activity, investor interest, and capital flowing back into the country. It is a strong signal of recovery and momentum in the sector,” he submitted.

Earlier, Frank Aigbogun, Publisher and CEO of BusinessDay Media Ltd, welcomed guests with a compelling address that framed the tone of the forum. He noted that the theme of this year’s CEO Forum — “Nigeria: From Reform to Recovery”, as BusinessDay has a duty not only to report, but also to point the way to the future.

The forum featured a distinguished line-up of speakers including Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group; Haresh Aswani of Tolaram Group; Kofo Akinkugbe of SecureID; Ainojie Irune, MD of Oando Energy Resources; Tony Attah, MD/CEO at Renaissance Africa Energy Company; Gbite Falade, MD/CEO at Aradel Holdings Plcand others ably represented.

Seplat Energy’s participation at the event reflects its dedication to shaping Nigeria’s energy future through responsible leadership, innovation, and inclusive growth. As the country navigates the path from reform to recovery, Seplat remains firmly committed to delivering sustainable value to stakeholders, communities, and the broader economy.

There have been testimonies of restored sights as more than 2,000 people accessed healthcare services in an outreach organised in Lagos as part of the Vision First initiative of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo).

“Now I can see clearly, I can see my beautiful wife again, after not being able to see her for some years very well. I am really happy,” a beneficiary, Ademola Alabi Joshua, said after surgery for cataract on his eyes. “When I got here, my first eye was operated, and I discovered that the second day I came, I could see very clearly, so I decided to go for the second eye, which was also operated yesterday, and today I discovered that my sight was regained back to normal. Thank you so much.”

Another beneficiary, Mrs Taiwo Onogu, said she was billed N1.4 million for the eye surgery which was eventually conducted free at the outreach.

The five-day outreach which held in Mushin Local Council Development Area, was the fourth in Lagos since the introduction of the Vision First initiative in 2022. Among other things, the medical team performed 245 eye surgeries, of which 198 were for cataract and 47 for Pterygium. Another 1,992 received laboratory services while the pharmacy dispensed drugs to 1,863 patients. Nearly 1,652 people received general consultation.

The latest milestones mean the programme has reached more than 6,000 people with over 400 eye surgeries and distribution of more than 2,000 eyeglasses since 2022.

SNEPCo Managing Director, Ronald Adams commented on the impact of the programme: “Vision is an important part of life, and we’re pleased at the testimonies from Mushin, which were the same positive feedback from the three earlier sessions. With the support of NNPC and co-venture partners, we will continue to implement impactful social investments which have been an integral part of our operations since we pioneered deep-water oil production at Bonga in 2005.”

The Vision First initiative aims to combat avoidable visual impairment through early diagnosis and treatment, against the background of a report in the National Eye Health Policy 2019 that, blindness in three out of four people in Nigeria, is preventable.

Woodhall Capital in partnership with Polaris Bank, Lagos and UK governments have announced the launch of a ₦1.5 billion Creative Sector Fund aimed at expanding access to structured financing for creative entrepreneurs meant to scale their output across fashion, film, music, and digital content.

The fund was unveiled during the launch of the Creative Currency Podcast, an initiative designed to foster collaboration between creatives, financiers, policymakers, and global stakeholders. The platform will serve as both a podcast and policy engagement forum, tackling long-standing challenges such as limited access to finance, weak Intellectual Property(IP) enforcement, and the absence of scalable business infrastructure within the creative ecosystem.

In May 2022, Polaris Bank partnered with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to establish a ₦1 billion funding initiative targeted at artisans in Lagos State.
The objective of the partnership was to deliver critical financial support to empower skilled artisans and entrepreneurs within the MSME sector who had maintained active business operations for at least one year ultimately fostering wealth creation and economic inclusion across the state.

At the launch event held on Thursday evening at the Ikoyi residence of the British Deputy High Commissioner, Polaris Bank’s Executive Director, Abimbola Ozomah, who sat on a panel at the launch, emphasized that the fund is a long-overdue response to the structural exclusion of creatives from formal financing systems. She described the initiative as a deliberate attempt to recognize creative endeavours, intellectual property as a bankable asset and to build a framework where creatives are treated as serious entrepreneurs capable of generating significant economic value.

“This fund represents more than capital, it reflects our belief in Nigerian creativity as a global force,” said Polaris Bank’s Executive Director, Abimbola Ozomah. “We’re not just exporting talent. We’re exporting ownership, structure, and long-term value.”
Founder and CEO of Woodhall Capital, Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, reiterated the urgent need to redefine how the financial system engages with the creative sector. She committed to providing bespoke financial products, advisory services, and investor-matching support tailored specifically for the needs of creative MSMEs.

The UK Government, through the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Jonny Baxter, highlighted its longstanding commitment to Nigeria’s creative economy. The UK-Nigeria Creative Industries Partnership signed in 2024 was cited as a milestone in unlocking trade, investment, and collaborative opportunities between both countries. The Deputy High Commissioner praised the initiative as a blueprint for global creative cooperation.

The Lagos State Government, a key driver of the initiative, reaffirmed its ambition to cement Lagos as Africa’s creative capital. According to the Governor’s representative, Representing the Governor, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, highlighted the state’s efforts in supporting the sector through progressive policy reforms, infrastructure development, and the provision of zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million via the Lagos Creative Fund. These measures are designed to empower creatives to scale operations, access markets, and formalize their business practices.

The newly launched Creative Currency Podcast is positioned to be more than a media channel. It is a knowledge-sharing ecosystem that brings together local talents, international investors, legal experts, and cultural stakeholders to explore opportunities, identify risks, and share solutions that will elevate Nigeria’s creative industries to global standards.
Throughout the panel sessions, panelists emphasized the need for deeper structure, transparency, and professionalism in the sector. Creators were encouraged to develop clear business plans, maintain accurate financial records, formalize their operations, and assert their rights to royalties and IP protection.

As conversations deepened, financial institutions acknowledged the need for a mindset shift. Traditional risk models, they agreed, must be reimagined to reflect the unique nature of creative enterprises many of which are driven by intangible assets, flexible revenue models, and export potential.

The event concluded with a call to action: invest in the systems, not just the stories. Stakeholders were unanimous in their belief that a more structured, collaborative, and well-capitalized creative economy will deliver jobs, exports, and global relevance for Nigeria.

Polaris Bank has built a strong footprint in financing MSME by committing billions of naira in loans to support MSME operations in Nigeria, with huge lending portfolio dedicated to empower micro, small, and medium businesses meant to grow businesses, create jobs, and build wealth.