Nigeria must embrace a more modern and efficient gas distribution model through networked estate pipelines and prepaid metering systems, Solewant Group has said, as it announced the ninth edition of its Annual Energy Summit, which will prioritise inter-African trade and technological innovation.
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Solomon Ewanehi, represented by the Executive Secretary of the Solewant Energy Training Institute (SETI), Dr Benjamin Ubleble, stated this yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing ahead of the event.
He said the two-day summit will be held from 27-28 November 2025 at the Solewant Industrial Park in Alode-Onne, Rivers State.
According to him, the summit, themed "Emerging Technologies and the Future of Sustainable Energy Development in Africa," will bring together policymakers, energy executives, financiers, development partners and researchers from across the continent to explore how technology is reshaping Africa's energy landscape.
Ubleble explained that the discussions will focus on how digital transformation and emerging technologies are driving operational efficiency, capacity building and strategic decision-making across Africa's energy value chain.
He said: "This year's summit seeks to spotlight how transformative technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, automation, data analytics and other digital innovations are redefining the frontiers of Africa's energy transition.
These technologies are not merely tools of convenience; they represent a paradigm shift in how businesses enhance operational efficiency, strengthen local content participation and build capacity, while enabling data-driven decision-making across the energy ecosystem.
By integrating smart technologies into exploration, production and distribution systems, Africa can unlock new levels of productivity, improve resource optimisation and foster environmentally responsible growth.
The summit will also examine how digital transformation accelerates knowledge transfer, capacity development and business intelligence, strong indicators that can empower homegrown enterprises to compete globally, attract investment and deliver outcomes with greater precision, agility and sustainability."
In his remarks, the General Manager for Business Development at Solewant Group, Dr Felix Onyela, emphasised the need for Nigeria to transition to a more efficient gas distribution model built around estate networks and prepaid gas metering systems.
"In many areas, we have gas stations," he said. "But why can't we channel the same gas volumes into residential estates and create internal networks? This would drastically reduce the number of trucks on the road and the cost of driving to refill cylinders."
Onyela explained that such a system would significantly reduce transportation and logistics costs while ensuring constant gas availability for households, even during periods of supply shortages.
"We all recall the recent gas shortages in some parts of Nigeria," he noted. "With this kind of infrastructure, consumers would have uninterrupted access because the gas would already be networked within their estates.
Just like in the power sector, where prepaid meters are now mandatory, gas distribution should adopt a similar model. Once you build your house, a prepaid gas meter should be installed as part of your essential utilities."
He urged the Federal Government to enact enabling legislation to attract investment in domestic gas infrastructure and prepaid gas systems, similar to the compulsory prepaid electricity meters currently in use nationwide.
Onyela added that the system could easily integrate with digital payment platforms, allowing consumers to purchase gas units through mobile phones, banks or POS vendors, thereby enhancing convenience and transparency.
"You can easily buy gas credits from your phone or from a POS vendor, just as you do for electricity tokens," he said. "But for this to work effectively, we must invest in proper gas pipeline networks that's the foundation of the system."