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Pan Ocean & The Newcross Companies have joined African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as Silver Sponsors, bringing into focus the expanding role of indigenous Nigerian operators at a time when local companies are taking on greater responsibility for production, infrastructure development and gas commercialization.

Their participation reflects a broader shift underway in Nigeria’s energy sector, where indigenous firms are not only maintaining output from mature assets but also investing in the infrastructure needed to unlock gas resources and support domestic supply. With international majors divesting from onshore and shallow-water positions, companies like Pan Ocean & Newcross are increasingly central to the country’s upstream continuity and long-term energy strategy.

Pan Ocean, one of Nigeria’s longest-standing indigenous operators, continues to build out an integrated portfolio spanning upstream production, gas processing and midstream infrastructure. At OML 147, the company developed the Owa-Aladinma Early Production Facility, which combines a 20,000-bpd processing plant with gas handling capacity of 70 million cubic feet per day and a 67-km export pipeline tied into existing Niger Delta infrastructure.

Gas monetization remains a core pillar of the company’s strategy. The Ovade-Ogharefe Gas Processing Plant, with capacity to process 130 million cubic feet of gas per day, alongside a 12,000-bpd condensate stabilization unit, is a key contributor to domestic gas supply. Pan Ocean has also invested in critical evacuation infrastructure, including the Amukpe–Escravos Pipeline, reinforcing its position across the full value chain.

Newcross Group, meanwhile, is strengthening its presence through a combination of upstream operations and strategic partnerships. The company operates OML 24 in the western Niger Delta, a producing block that includes the Awoba, Awoba Northwest and Ekulama fields. The Awoba Field serves as a central production hub, supported by a 40,000-bpd flow station and ongoing optimization programs aimed at extending asset life and improving recovery rates.

Beyond OML 24, Newcross is advancing development at OML 152 in collaboration with NNPC and other partners, signaling continued investment in Nigeria’s upstream sector despite a complex operating environment.

“Pan Ocean and Newcross are not just participants in Nigeria’s energy sector – they are builders of its next phase,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “These companies are stepping in where others have stepped out, taking on the responsibility of sustaining production, developing gas and delivering the infrastructure that underpins energy security. This is exactly the kind of indigenous leadership Africa needs if we are to translate resources into real economic growth and reliable power.”