The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has urged African countries to strengthen financing structures and improve payment systems to unlock the continent’s vast gas potential and drive sustainable energy growth.

According to a statement obtained from its X handle on Friday, speaking at a strategic roundtable organised by the African Oil and Gas Coalition at the ongoing Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, NNPC Ltd’s Executive Vice President, Gas, Power & New Energy, Olalekan Ogunleye, said Africa must focus on building practical and bankable solutions to address long-standing challenges in gas monetisation.

The session, themed “Gas without Cash: Breaking the African Monetisation Deadlock,” brought together energy executives and policymakers to explore how the continent can attract more investment into its gas sector.

Ogunleye said Africa’s gas resources remain underutilised due to weak financing structures and payment challenges, stressing that reliable cash flow systems are critical for attracting long-term capital.

He called for stronger African-led financial frameworks that reflect local market realities and support sustainable development across the energy value chain.
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“For Africa to fully unlock its gas potential, we must move from conversations about challenges to building practical, bankable solutions that work within African realities,” Ogunleye said.

He added that reliable payment performance remains the foundation for sustainable gas commercialisation across Africa, noting that without trust in payment systems, investment in large-scale gas projects will remain limited.

Ogunleye also highlighted Nigeria’s approach to the sector, saying the country is adopting a value-chain strategy aimed at positioning itself as a regional energy hub.

“Nigeria is taking a comprehensive value-chain approach to the oil and gas business,” he said, adding that the goal is to strengthen commercial viability and expand regional energy integration.

The Africa CEO Forum, which gathers senior executives, investors, and policymakers across the continent and beyond, focuses on key themes such as regional integration, investment mobilisation, and sustainable economic growth.

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has presented an Air Operator Certificate to Bayelsa State-owned Pioneer Airline, signalling the commencement of its commercial operations.

Managing Director of Pioneer Airline, Capt. Henry Ungbuku, disclosed this on Thursday at the Government House in Yenagoa after presenting the certificate to Governor Douye Diri.

Ungbuku described the AOC certification process as stringent, noting that the airline completed it within four and a half months.

A statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, said the airline is expected to begin flight operations from the Bayelsa airport on May 25.

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The Bayelsa State Government had, in 2025, acquired two aircraft under an agreement with Pioneer Airline.

One of the aircraft, an ATR 72-600, conducted its inaugural flight on November 26, 2025, from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to the Bayelsa International Airport before undergoing the NCAA certification process for commercial operations.

Ungbuku, who was accompanied by the Managing Director of the Bayelsa State International Airport, Air Vice Marshal Nelson Calmday (retd), said the airline achieved the certification with the support of the state government.

He noted that the certification timeline, which typically ranges between eight months and two years, was completed in record time.

“At our meeting with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and the Honourable Minister of Aviation in Abuja on Wednesday, they confirmed that Pioneer Airline is the fastest to get an Air Operator Certificate in Nigeria. Normally, it takes between eight months and two years. But we got it in four and a half months,” he said.

He attributed the milestone to Governor Diri’s commitment to ensuring flight operations commence in the state.

“We came today to say thank you, Your Excellency, for all the support you have given us,” he said.

Ungbuku explained that Pioneer Airline operates under a dry lease agreement with the Bayelsa State Government, which owns the aircraft, while the airline pays monthly lease rentals.

“The Bayelsa government owns the assets and Pioneer will pay monthly lease rentals to use them to generate revenue. For now, the aircraft will operate under Pioneer Airline. The approval to brand them as Bayelsa Air is still pending with the NCAA.

“It is not a direct scheduled service yet. However, you can book through designated ticketing and travel agencies or arrange group bookings and charter to anywhere in Nigeria. If you want an aircraft to fly to Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna or anywhere today, we are ready to fly,” Ungbuku stated.

He added that ticket bookings would open within seven to ten days ahead of the airline’s planned launch on May 25.