The Rivers State Government has officially declared Port Harcourt as Nigeria’s Premier Energy City, pledging policies to attract fresh investment, ensure security, and promote fiscal discipline in the energy sector.
The announcement was made on Tuesday at Government House by the State Administrator, Vice Admiral (Rtd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibibia Lucky Worika.
Describing Port Harcourt as Nigeria’s “energy heritage” and the “cradle of the nation’s industrial dreams,” Ibas said the recognition celebrates both the city’s legacy and its prospects. “Port Harcourt is not just Nigeria’s energy capital; it is destined to become the energy capital of Africa,” he said.
He outlined plans to expand into renewables, including solar, wind, hydro, and gas, while deepening local participation in oil and gas. The government, he added, would develop a regional energy hub with world-class infrastructure, pursue Port Harcourt’s re-enlistment into the World Energy Cities Programme, and host an annual International Energy Conference and Exhibition.
The Chairman of the Society of Energy Editors, Malam Yakubu Lawal, welcomed the designation, describing the city as having a “glorious past” and “immense future” as an energy hub.
He disclosed that the Society would sign an MoU with the state government to attract international investors and institutionalise a global energy conference.
In his keynote, the Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, traced Port Harcourt’s energy role to the 1956 oil discovery, stressing its economic contributions while warning about environmental degradation in host communities. He urged diversification into cleaner energy sources, stronger collaboration among stakeholders, and reforms in education to equip young Nigerians for opportunities in the sector.
