Nigeria has used a major energy gathering in the United Arab Emirates to highlight its commitment to building the infrastructure needed to strengthen energy security, as ties between the Gulf and Africa continue to expand across investment, infrastructure and clean energy.
Speaking at Middle East Energy 2026 in Dubai, Joseph Tegbe, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, said building stronger energy systems would require countries to invest not only in physical infrastructure, but also in institutions and international cooperation, according to a statement from the UAE on Sunday.
“Storms we cannot forecast will come, but history teaches that energy security has never been won by those who retreated behind their borders. It has been won by those who built grids, pipelines, ports, institutions, and above all, trust. Nigeria has chosen to build. Africa has chosen to build,” Tegbe said.
His remarks placed Nigeria’s power ambitions within a wider conversation in the UAE on how governments, investors and industry can respond to rising energy demand while developing cleaner and more resilient systems.
Opening the event, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei called for greater cooperation between governments, industry, investors, technology companies and financial institutions.
He also highlighted the importance of investment in electricity interconnectivity to improve energy security and enable cleaner energy to move more effectively across borders.
The discussion is particularly relevant for Nigeria, where expanding reliable electricity supply remains important to industrial development, business growth and investment.
It also reflects a broader opportunity for cooperation between the UAE and African economies as countries across the continent seek capital, technology and expertise to develop their energy infrastructure.
The UAE has increasingly looked to Africa as an important destination for investment and economic partnerships, with energy and infrastructure among the areas attracting significant Gulf interest. Nigeria, as one of the continent’s largest economies and energy markets, represents an important part of that wider Africa opportunity.
Middle East Energy also provided a platform for African and Gulf policymakers to discuss these priorities alongside international investors, technology companies and energy businesses.
The three-day event brought together more than 1,500 exhibitors and participants from over 120 countries, with discussions covering power generation, renewable energy, grids, storage, digitalisation and energy security.
For Nigeria, its participation in Dubai provided an opportunity to put the country’s power infrastructure requirements before a global energy and investment audience.
For the UAE, hosting those discussions further reinforces its role as a meeting point connecting Gulf capital and expertise with the infrastructure and energy priorities emerging across Africa.
